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The Female Persuasion

Meg Wolitzer

3.58 · Rating details · 45,530 ratings · 4,840 reviews

To be admired by someone we admire—we all yearn for this: the private, electrifying pleasure of being singled out by someone of esteem. But sometimes it can also mean entry to a new kind of life, a bigger world.

Greer Kadetsky is a shy college freshman when she meets the woman she hopes will change her life. Faith Frank, dazzlingly persuasive and elegant at sixty-three, ha ...more

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Paperback, 480 pages

Published May 21st 2019 by Riverhead Books (first published April 3rd 2018)

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Jan 10, 2018 Emily May rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: modern-lit, 2018

The Female Persuasion is a novel with little story and a lot of ideas, none of them particularly new ones.

It stands out for being an overview of the white feminist experience during the nineties and early 21st century. Because, though it may feel like one must, I actually don't think a book like this existed before. Or, at least, not in mainstream literature.

So I can see some value in it, but I just didn't enjoy this anywhere near as much as I thought I would. Or find any new ideas or inspirat The Female Persuasion is a novel with little story and a lot of ideas, none of them particularly new ones.

It stands out for being an overview of the white feminist experience during the nineties and early 21st century. Because, though it may feel like one must, I actually don't think a book like this existed before. Or, at least, not in mainstream literature.

So I can see some value in it, but I just didn't enjoy this anywhere near as much as I thought I would. Or find any new ideas or inspiration in its pages. I can picture, many years from now, students sat in a classroom and analyzing this book for its historical context, as a book that covers a broad range of feminist issues that are relevant to people today. Wolitzer has captured the recent history of feminism, in breadth more than depth, showcasing discussions on everything from abortion rights to the wage gap, and from porn to rape culture.

It all begins on a college campus where the shy Greer Kadetsky attends a talk by influential feminist, Faith Frank. Faith heads a foundation called Loci, which sponsors feminist conferences, and during her talk, Greer asks a question relating to her own assault. This triggers a number of events leading to Faith offering Greer a career opportunity. Alongside this, there is also the story of the relationship between Greer and Cory.

It seems that the book attempts to bridge the gap between second and third wave feminists, and between Gen X and Gen Y-ers (Millennials), and yet I don't think it does this very well. Faith Frank is part of an antiquated, predominantly-white feminism, which is acknowledged and then kind of brushed aside. Despite obvious attempts to be self-aware and point out privilege, The Female Persuasion never quite becomes intersectional in its feminism. It definitely doesn't help that every character with more than a brief mention is cisgender and white, aside from the Portuguese Cory.

It is a long book with very little story to justify its length. It felt like lots of conversations were had between the characters but, other than offering a platform to discuss all the hot feminist topics, I didn't get the point of the story. There were lots of boring parts.

Greer's shyness and anxiety interested me at first, but she quickly grew into a bland character who I didn't care for. Perhaps ironically, though perhaps not (who knows what irony is, anyway?), the guy character - Cory - was probably the most interesting character in this book.

So, yes, I think this book gathers a lot of ideas together, but I don't think it adds anything to the discussions being had. I'm sure years from now this book will help future generations understand the conversations being had during our time about feminism and privilege, but right now it did very little for me. For such an acclaimed author, everything about this had a surprising lack of depth.

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Oct 24, 2017 Jessica Woodbury rated it liked it · review of another edition

I have read a lot of books recently that concern themselves chiefly with the experience of being a woman in the modern world. While THE FEMALE PERSUASION seems to be about this as well, I'm also not quite sure what it's about exactly. I can tell you what all the pieces are--the complexity of female friendship, the joy and danger of female mentorship, what it means to do good--and yet I didn't finish this book feeling like I'd seen any new insight, felt a deep kinship with the characters, or seen I have read a lot of books recently that concern themselves chiefly with the experience of being a woman in the modern world. While THE FEMALE PERSUASION seems to be about this as well, I'm also not quite sure what it's about exactly. I can tell you what all the pieces are--the complexity of female friendship, the joy and danger of female mentorship, what it means to do good--and yet I didn't finish this book feeling like I'd seen any new insight, felt a deep kinship with the characters, or seen my experience or the experiences of others I know reflected back at me.

Much of the book takes place around a setpiece of privileged women gathering, paying a ridiculous ticket price, listening to women deliver inspirational messages, with manicure stations and fancy food all around. The book knows this is not a good look, and yet I often felt like I was at an event like this while reading the book, it's all very nice but none of it feels real.

My own personal tastes certainly come into play here. When our protagonist finds herself at a perfectly standard liberal arts college, her disappointment that it isn't an ivy made me roll my eyes. When our protagonist moves to the big city fresh out of college with a dream job and an apartment without roommates, same. And when we discover early on that our protagonist will eventually become famous. And when a woman who comes from money encounters people who don't for the first time. And so on. It's often hard for me to read books about privileged people working hard to make the world a better place. And it's odd because our protagonist doesn't start out as privileged but she seems to ease into it so quickly.

My favorite section of the book was about one of the only male main characters and what happens when all those trappings are suddenly gone. His detachment from everyone around him, his motivations, his actions felt more real even if I didn't find myself fully transported to his point of view. I should add that I have read a few of Wolitzer's books and never really enjoyed them. I read this one because of its premise but I think she and I are just not a good fit. She doesn't seem to write the kind of stories I can lose myself in for whatever reason.

Right now I admit I set a higher standard for books about women and feminism. We have a lot of ground to cover, and I don't see the point in books that don't push us forward, ask new questions, bring us into new conversations. Most of us have long since moved past second wave feminism, but this book seems to be speaking to people who are still enamored with it. I would have liked to see something bolder, something that asks more questions about women's choices, but it seems Wolitzer isn't quite there yet. ...more

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Aug 05, 2019 Miranda Reads rated it it was ok

Shelves: audiobook

Psst. A new video is up - all about the bad books I've read this year!

Now that you know that this one is on it, check out the Worst Books of 2019 video to see what other ones made the cut!

The Actual Review

I think there are two kinds of feminists. The famous ones, and everyone else. Everyone else, all the people who just quietly go and do what they’re supposed to do, and don’t get a lot of credit for it, and don’t have someone out there every day telling them they’re doing an awesome job.

...more

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Apr 23, 2018 Elyse Walters rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Audiobook ....read by Rebecca Lowman.....[ one of my very favorite voice narrators]

The Audiobook is over 14 hours long - but the more we get to know Greer Kadetsky and Faith Frank....Cory and Zee.....the more I wanted to continue hanging out for this party ride.

About half way into it - I learned that Nicole Kidman was going to be playing Faith Frank, and I couldn’t help but begin visualizing her in the role. I think she will be great.

There was so much to enjoy! The characters and dialogues wer ...more

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Apr 08, 2018 Esil rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ew

4 idiosyncratic enthusiastic stars!

The Female Persuasion is one of those novels that felt flawed, but that I still really enjoyed reading. This is the third novel I’ve read by Meg Wolitzer. She writes dense stories. She portrays characters that are not particularly likeable or sympathetic. She engages with complicated contemporary political and social issues. It doesn’t all come together perfectly, but I always feel like she gives me a lot of food for thought.

The Female Persuasion focuses primar ...more

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Apr 03, 2018 Michael rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Simply put: it's a boring book. No real human insights beyond the lightly refreshing sparkling zinfandel struggles of rich white people.

Cory was the only character that faced real problems and his story is totally sidelined, for the way-too-convenient success story of a young woman who's life falls into fantastically perfect place due to no real effort of her own.

Dues ex machina all over the place. Reads like a dense literary Disney story. Suffers from the negative aspects of both dense literar ...more

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May 05, 2018 Carol rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, published-2018, fiction, read-2018, ref-jean, barnes-noble-bookclub

Hmmmmmm........had to digest this Barnes & Noble inaugural bookclub pick for a bit; had my ups and downs with it to be honest.

While THE FEMALE PERSUASION alternates between the lives of four characters, the main focus is on a young adult, Greer about to graduate high school, her relationship with her boyfriend, lesbian best friend, unusual parents and an older woman who turns out to be her mentor.

For me, the best and most significant story belongs to Cory....how he handled shocking loss and took

...more

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Jun 14, 2018 Roman Clodia rated it it was ok · review of another edition

It pains me to say this, but for a book purporting to be about contemporary feminism this feels superficial, undercooked and really quite boring. The plot meanders around without ever reaching cruising speed, and switches around between characters in almost random fashion.

Important issues about rape/sexual violence, porn, misogyny, gender pay-gap, reproductive rights, what it means to be a political activist are all ticked off as present and correct but the text never really engages with them i ...more

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Apr 28, 2018 Olive Fellows (abookolive) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites-2018

I doubted I'd ever be someone who had "favorite authors," but this settles it. Meg Wolitzer is at the top of that list. ...more

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Apr 10, 2018 Jai rated it did not like it · review of another edition

A book about ideas that is too afraid to pursue those ideas or a book about characters without interesting characters. The Female Persuasion takes the promising premise of looking at the relationship between a prominent second-wave feminist and her guidance of a younger woman coming into her own in modern times. However, the book never really pins down what it wants to say. Feminism is the large topic hanging over all proceedings of this novel, but it never wants to explore any aspect of feminis A book about ideas that is too afraid to pursue those ideas or a book about characters without interesting characters. The Female Persuasion takes the promising premise of looking at the relationship between a prominent second-wave feminist and her guidance of a younger woman coming into her own in modern times. However, the book never really pins down what it wants to say. Feminism is the large topic hanging over all proceedings of this novel, but it never wants to explore any aspect of feminism outside of cursory surface-level ideas. Female autonomy, abortion rights, the pay gap, pornography, and internalized misogyny are named, but only so you know that the characters are talking about feminism. They never delve into these very real problems, almost as if the book doesn't want to scare off anyone who isn't intensely feminist.

Which would be fine if The Female Persuasion worked as a character study, but it falters even in that. Greer Kadetsky, the young female taken under the wing of famous second-wave feminist, Faith Frank, is bland, uninspired, and lacks any strong ideas of her own. For a coming-of-age novel, this could work with Greer discovering her own voice and stepping out of the shadow of her friends and mentor, but she never does. In the end she remains as uninspired as she was at the beginning of the novel. Her privilege, in particular, is annoying. Greer hates her stoner parents and finds their jobs, as a house painter and a clown that performs at local libraries, to be beneath her. Yet, outside of an instance where she is sent to a less-than-Ivy-league school due to laziness from her father, her parents seem to at least provide for her, if not give her the freedom she so obviously desires. She vaguely forgives her clown mother at the end, but it's unearned and doesn't change Greer's feelings of privilege. Faith, for being touted as a great feminist, never showcases anything in the course of the story that makes her hailed as a prominent thinker. Greer's childhood sweetheart, Cory, seems to have his sexuality shaped by misogynist pornography, but this is brought up and never explored. Greer and Cory just have a relationship without sex becoming the problem that it should have become. Zee, Greer's best friend and the closest this novel has to a strong political voice, falls in the shadow of the other characters. Zee and Cory are the most interesting characters here, but the novel provides easy ways out for all characters, eliding any real development or tough decisions.

The most frustrating part of all is that, for all the supposedly progressive and feminist ideas and themes present here, The Female Persuasion is terribly antiquated in its politics. I mentioned how ideas are never explored, but worse yet, they are actively ignored. Faith Frank and her foundation, the poorly named Loci (which the novel draws attention to but that only heightens how awkward it is), is mentioned to be under attack from more radical feminists for not being intersectional or being too privileged, which it is, but The Female Persuasion makes vague points that the foundation helps, which may be true, but it feels like it shrugging off any responsibility. It doesn't help that all the characters in the novel are uniformly upper-middle-class and, with the exception of the Portuguese Cory, white. Any character of color, or not cis-gendered, is briefly mentioned for a sentence and then never comes back again. They become tokenized in a story that should be about recognizing under-represented voices. Zee is a queer Jewish woman, but both of these factors feel forced and unimportant in the long run.

The last 100 or so pages I started warming up to this novel, but then comes the last chapter in which everything gets wrapped up in a nice little bow and completely undermines any progress I was having. Trite, middle-of-the-road, and ultimately even a little offensive, this novel tries to put a finger on the pulse of contemporary issues, but remains too stuck in an idealized past. ...more

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May 18, 2018 Helene Jeppesen rated it liked it · review of another edition

I was mildly disappointed by this book. Most probably because I had sky-high expectations after having read and loved Meg Wolitzer’s “The Interestings”.
“The Female Persuasion” is most of all a character-driven book about feminism in our modern world. Greer is our protagonist, but we get to know other people who influence her view on life and women’s rights: Zee, her college friend, Cole her boyfriend, and last but not least Faith Frank (what a great name!) who ends up having the biggest influen ...more

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May 21, 2018 Carol (Bookaria) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018, top-2018, fiction

The Female Persuasion is a novel about women, sisterhood, family, ambition, and ideals. More than a book it is also a depiction of what feminism means, what it was like decades ago and how it has evolved. Of course, we learn this from the point of view of the characters limited by their circumstances.

The story is narrated from different points of view but the character we spent the most time with is Greer Kadetsky. We follow her beginnings as a teenager all the way to adulthood. Her search for ...more

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Mar 06, 2018 ABookwormWithWine rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: adult-fiction, female-authors, womens-fiction, new-york, made-me-chuckle, drama, romance-ish

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 / 5 rounded up

The Female Persuasion is my first book by Meg Wolitzer but it will definitely not be my last! Even though it wasn't what I expected I really enjoyed it.

The Female Persuasion focuses mostly on a woman named Greer who we are introduced to while she is going to college at Ryland, a college in Connecticut. We follow her through her life until she is middle-aged, while also skipping around to other characters like her college boyfriend Cory, and her mentor Faith Frank, among ...more

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Sep 27, 2017 Susan Merrell rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I was lucky to have an early read of this funny, important and intelligent novel about what it means to be a human of the female persuasion in our complicated world. The characters here are compelling, their struggles are real, and Wolitzer's fundamental love of them is always in evidence. This novel manages to cover some of the most important issues of our day in all their complexity without ever sacrificing story--masterful and entertaining at the same time. I highly, highly recommend. ...more

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May 02, 2018 Meredith B. (readingwithmere) rated it liked it · review of another edition

3 Stars!

This may be an unpopular opinion but I had some issues with this book. I ended up reading it because of the hype. This was also the Barnes and Noble Pick for their book club so I really read it for that.

The book has so many points of view I'm not even sure where to start. We meet Greer in the beginning: she's a scholastic girl who likes to read a lot of books and definitely different from her parents who do odd jobs and don't even make dinner for her. Greer has a boyfriend named Cory who 3 Stars!

This may be an unpopular opinion but I had some issues with this book. I ended up reading it because of the hype. This was also the Barnes and Noble Pick for their book club so I really read it for that.

The book has so many points of view I'm not even sure where to start. We meet Greer in the beginning: she's a scholastic girl who likes to read a lot of books and definitely different from her parents who do odd jobs and don't even make dinner for her. Greer has a boyfriend named Cory who is the 2nd smartest person in their school. They come together since they are both at the top of their class but soon they form a romantic relationship. Sadly, Greer's family drops the ball on college applications and Greer is forced to her safety school.

One night Greer's friend, Zee, forces her to go to a lecture by Faith Frank. Faith is the face of women empowerment and Greer is overwhelmed by how inspiring Faith is to her. Greer runs into Faith in the bathroom and receives her contact info. From there a journey starts. Greer ends up reaching out for a job and we watch her go through ups and downs and make choices in her life, both good and bad. I have to say at the end, when the characters true colors come out, it may really surprise you. It did for me anyway.

What did I like? 1. I thought Greer was relatable. I'm 27 and I think that some of the struggles she faced I and/or people in my life have too. 2. I think the female ambition in this book was inspiring at times.

So why the 3 star rating? Well a few things: 1. This was hyped as a #metoo movement book. There wasn't much of that. 2: This was told from a lot of points of view yet only 10 chapters so within the long chapters it bounced around a lot. 3. I thought this would be more of a story about female empowerment and honestly it felt to me like this was about how someone who is your mentor may not be all that they seem. 4. This book was simply too long. It could have easily been cut back 100 pages.

I know some may love this but sadly it was just OK in my eyes. Not every book can be a 5 star winner! ...more

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Mar 20, 2018 Shigufa rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: on-kindle

*light spoilers*

Today, it was my mission to get through the 464 pages of Female Persuasion because I really wanted to know if this book lives up to the hype! It just got picked for B&N's inaugural book club pick AND the story starts with an excerpt on the first page about being 'the next Great American Novel'. So I threw myself into the story-- and honestly, for the early half of the book, I was super with it!

I quickly saw myself in young Greer as she became exposed to feminism and women's iss *light spoilers*

Today, it was my mission to get through the 464 pages of Female Persuasion because I really wanted to know if this book lives up to the hype! It just got picked for B&N's inaugural book club pick AND the story starts with an excerpt on the first page about being 'the next Great American Novel'. So I threw myself into the story-- and honestly, for the early half of the book, I was super with it!

I quickly saw myself in young Greer as she became exposed to feminism and women's issues through her college experiences, and Zee who was a true activist with a heart for the people from the start. Hands down favorite character throughout was Cory though, Greer's boyfriend who I consistently got #goodguy vibes from in every step of his relationship and personal development. Like, that's a boy whose mother raised him right, you know?

My problem with this book, which is why I eventually gave it 3 stars, is with how these super promising characters progress in the book. Female Persuasion calls out the privilege of white & performative feminism throughout the story (and especially when Greer's femtor Faith Frank comes into play), yet I think the book still falls into that same trap by the end. Maybe I missed something, but at no point did Greer end up striking me as my next feminist hero-- in fact, I didn't really find her that redeemable at the end at all because it didn't seem like she'd learned or grown from what happened to her in the second half of the book? Like everyone else in her life goes through some really transformative or traumatic situations, but she just... learns about feminism? And then ends up very successful in the end on that alone?

Interestingly enough, Cory was the hero of this story for me-- I was so pleasantly surprised to see a man who was so not trash? I was rooting for his success and felt satisfied by the way things turned out for him!

I think overall this book has really important themes and it's worth the read, especially for someone who's looking to get more exposed to feminism or women empowerment themes. Female mentorship is such an amazing thing to have, discuss, and celebrate-- and I loved that this book delved into the significance of that! But for me (similar to the reviews other readers have left for this story) the book didn't go far enough to really make a statement beyond 'it's important to understand the feminism is important'.

It was super entertaining, the characters + their background stories are captivating, and the drama is *good*. But if it's going to be championed as the feminist read for this Trump Era, I felt like it needed something more-- whether it was reflection on the character's incredible privilege or a more radical stance and call to action. But just something more. ...more

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Aug 07, 2019 Marchpane rated it liked it

Shelves: book-club

The Female Persuasion has all the right ingredients, but manages to be both underbaked and 100 pages too long. I'm glad I read it and grateful to my book club for selecting it, even though this novel ultimately didn't quite satisfy.

Its subject - the evolution and commercialisation of the feminist movement over the past 50 years - is delivered through the story of two women, one a Boomer and the other a Millennial. Most descriptions (including the author's) of the relationship between Greer a ...more

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Dec 03, 2017 Jessica rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2017

DAMMIT. As if I needed another reason to obsess over the state of the world, feminism, grief, etc, here comes this book and makes me sit and THINK about everything instead of happily escaping into the void of cute dog videos.

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Apr 30, 2018 Lisa rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 3-star-review, audible, 2018

A satisfying novel of a young woman trying to figure out who she is, and who she is supposed to be in the world.

SUMMARY
Greer Kadetsky is a shy college freshman at Ryland College. She’s there because her parents could not fill out the financial aid forms that would have yielded her entry into Yale. This isn’t where she wanted to be. While at Ryland, she meets Faith Frank for the first time. Faith, 63, is a feminist icon and has been a central player in the women’s movement for decades. Faith can A satisfying novel of a young woman trying to figure out who she is, and who she is supposed to be in the world.

SUMMARY
Greer Kadetsky is a shy college freshman at Ryland College. She’s there because her parents could not fill out the financial aid forms that would have yielded her entry into Yale. This isn’t where she wanted to be. While at Ryland, she meets Faith Frank for the first time. Faith, 63, is a feminist icon and has been a central player in the women’s movement for decades. Faith can carry a room with her knowledge and wit, and her suede boots were enviable. Greer is captivated by Faith, and after graduation goes to work for her, interviewing women for their stories and writing speeches. Her relationship with Faith as her mentor becomes complicated.

Greer and Cory had been a couple since high school.They had planned on going to college together, but that didn’t happen. Cory was accepted at Yale, while Greer was relegated to Ryland college. Though hundreds of miles apart their relationship survived, and they made plans for after graduation. But once again things didn’t work out as planned for either Greer or Cory. Greer’s best friend, Zee who’s is gay, is also struggling to make a difference in the world. She too wanted to work for Faith Frank.

“I think there are two kinds of feminist. The famous ones, and everyone else. Everyone else, all the people who just quietly go and do what they’re supposed to do, and don’t get a lot of credit for it, and don’t have someone out there every day telling them they’re doing an awesome job.”

REVIEW
THE FEMALE PERSUASION is a novel about a young woman who is trying to find her place in the world. It about a woman trying to figure out who she is supposed to be and who she is suppose to be with. It’s about the obstacles in her life that prevented her from achieving the things she thought she was supposed to be doing. While the writing was great I found reading it to be a struggle at times, and my interest sometimes faltered. The story was long but interestingly raised a variety of social issues that played significant role in the narrative: privilege, personal/professional ethics, and family responsibility to name just a few. The modern day feminism aspect of the book left a little to be desired.

The people in Greer’s life, her best-friend, Zee, her boyfriend, Cory and her mentor, Faith, all played pivotal roles in guiding Greer’s decisions and impacting her life. Greer’s character was at times frustrating, she left me waiting for her to evolve into a stronger, bolder character. All characters were well developed and I particularly liked Cory, and how he handled the difficulties he faced after graduation.

Meg Wolitzer is a New York Times best selling author of The Interestings, The Uncoupling, The Ten-Year Nap, The Position, The Wife and Sleepwalking. I listened to the audio version of the book, which was narrated by Rebecca Lowman. Publisher Penguin Random House Audio. Publication Date April 3, 2018.

“I do it for women. Not everyone agrees with the way I do it. Women in powerful positions are never safe from criticism. The kind of feminism I’ve practice is one way to go about it. There are plenty of others, and that’s great. There are impassioned and radical young women out there, telling multiple stories. I applaud them. We need them. We need as many women fighting as possible. I learned that early on from the wonderful Gloria Steinem - the world is big enough for different kinds of feminist to coexist, people who want to emphasize different aspects of the fight for equality. God knows the injustices are endless, and I am going to use whatever resources are at my disposal to fight in the way I know how.”
...more

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Sep 08, 2018 Thomas rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: feminism, adult-fiction, read-for-dmv-bookclub, lgbtq, realistic-fiction

A peculiar novel about Greer Kadetsky, a freshman in college who meets a feminist icon, Faith Frank, who changes the direction of Greer's life in ways she could never expect. Before meeting Faith, Greer had a long-term boyfriend, Cory, and a persistent discontentment with her parents and the non-Ivy-League liberal arts college she attends. However, when Greer's friend Zee informs Greer about Faith Frank's status as a feminist icon and her speaking event at their college, Greer takes a chance, go ...more

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Apr 11, 2018 Madi rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Truly hated the way this woman writes but I had to read this for work. I was told this book was relevant to the me too movement but it doesn't really seem that way. Blegh. If you're looking for a better feminist read that will actually get you thinking read The Power by Naomi Alderman. ...more

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Jun 02, 2018 Christine Boyer rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Maybe teenage girls?

Oh my. Just closed this book and I'm reminded of one thing: "bestseller" does not equate to "good book". I'm so irritated about this boring, predictable and tedious book right now that I should wait before I write this review. However, I don't want to think about it any more so I'm going to keep this a short and sweet as possible.

From a literary perspective - good god. Nothing, nothing original, clever, witty, or profound written on these pages.

From a story perspective - I've never seen so much ...more

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May 28, 2018 Caroline rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: she-wrote-it, memorable-characters, literary-fiction, arc-or-advance-freebie

***NO SPOILERS***

The complicated and emotionally fraught topic of feminism is the theme of Wolitzer’s newest novel, The Female Persuasion. She did this deftly, making what can be an abstract concept concrete via two main characters. These are a college graduate, a Millennial who represents postmodern feminism; and a Baby Boomer--famous, well respected, and reminiscent of the pioneering Susan Brownmiller. Other prominent characters round out the story in meaningful ways.

To be clear, Wolitzer didn ***NO SPOILERS***

The complicated and emotionally fraught topic of feminism is the theme of Wolitzer’s newest novel, The Female Persuasion. She did this deftly, making what can be an abstract concept concrete via two main characters. These are a college graduate, a Millennial who represents postmodern feminism; and a Baby Boomer--famous, well respected, and reminiscent of the pioneering Susan Brownmiller. Other prominent characters round out the story in meaningful ways.

To be clear, Wolitzer didn’t make her own statement about feminism the way she might have if this were nonfiction. This book doesn’t contain new feminist ideas, nor will it educate those already well informed on the subject. It’s simply fiction with a feminist bent. Wolitzer’s particular approach, however, is fresh and the topic current.

This was an ambitious story to write, and a less experienced author probably would have made a mess of it in no time. It’s wide in scope, with four major story lines weaving in and out of each other at various points, and a fifth, less important one entering the mix later. Characters age and change psychologically, some drastically so. There are happy and sad surprises along the way. It’s risky to include so much; there’s the possibility one (or more) of the story lines will eclipse the others. That never happens.

The many engaging storylines could be what’s best about The Female Persuasion, but it’s hard to say, because Wolitzer’s characterization is marvelous, with each main character fully developed and true-to-life, always speaking and acting naturally. It’s this that really makes The Female Persuasion a rewarding reading experience.

Particularly well done is the older feminist, Faith Frank. She’s just cool. She’s immediately easy to hear, with her breezy turns of phrase, and she’s easy to visualize with her signature style of dress and poised demeanor. She has millions of admirers. Many send her fan letters. Some dream to be her best friend.

Where Wolitzer was less successful was in linking the many storylines. The connection is tenuous between some, and the feminism theme hazy or, it can be argued, missing in a few. Nevertheless, The Female Persuasion’s many strengths make it pretty easy to forgive that lack of cohesion. By the end, the story is also complete, with its many parts tied up satisfactorily. It feels like a journey that’s reached its natural conclusion. That can’t be underestimated with a story this elaborate.

NOTE: I received this as an Advanced Reader Copy from Goodreads in May 2018. ...more

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Sep 20, 2019 Bianca rated it really liked it

Shelves: feminist, general-fiction, 2019, contemporary, us-author, audiobook, female-author

3.5 stars

The Female Persuasion was a decent book. It failed to make a strong impression on me, despite its main theme - feminism through the eyes of the older and the younger generation.

Faith Frank is the distinguished, feminist figure who's in her sixties. Hearing her speak at university left a strong impression on young Greer Kadetsky.
After finishing college, Greer ends up working for the new foundation Faith Frank had started with the help of a Venture capital investment firm.
Greer is devote ...more

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May 02, 2018 Nikki (Saturday Nite Reader) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2018, womens-fiction

This book is a beast, in that the hardcover is 454 pages. I started this book on a Sunday in the hopes of finishing by Wednesday, May 2nd to make the Barnes & Noble Inaugural Book Club Night (on said book). I did it but it was no small feat! Lots of late night reading and carrying the book with me everywhere and reading while waiting on line, or while walking to the subway, or whenever I had a free moment. But, you don’t care about that. You want to know if you should read it or not…well you can
This book is a beast, in that the hardcover is 454 pages. I started this book on a Sunday in the hopes of finishing by Wednesday, May 2nd to make the Barnes & Noble Inaugural Book Club Night (on said book). I did it but it was no small feat! Lots of late night reading and carrying the book with me everywhere and reading while waiting on line, or while walking to the subway, or whenever I had a free moment. But, you don’t care about that. You want to know if you should read it or not…well you can only decide that. I just hope you enjoy my comments.

This book actually wasn’t what I expected. Not that I didn’t really know what to expect, but thought it would be the beginning and end of the story of Greer and her mentor Faith: how they came to meet, how Faith would help mold Greer, and Greer rising to power. But, here the supporting characters backstories were part of the narrative and sections were devoted to learning about each one; the story was split into 4 parts: The Strong Ones; Twin Rocket Ships; I Get To Decide; and, Outside Voices. I was a big fan of this structure, although most of the chapters were super long and I often had to stop in the middle of them (which can be a pain when picking back up!).

We navigate Greer, Cory, Zee, and Faith’s lives through finding themselves, settling into careers, and their relationships with each other and outside forces. They experience happiness, grief, success and disappointments and will learn who they are in the face of each; their journeys are different and sometimes not aligned. The writing is authentic and genuine: and strong character development is evident. I enjoyed getting to know these characters and will miss them a bit.

The title can throw you off; I didn’t think this was a book about feminism really, but of people finding their way and learning that what they know – or want to believe – isn’t always as it seems.

If you attended the B&N Book Club event, let me know how it went!

To read my reviews visit: www.saturdaynitereader.com
...more

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May 05, 2018 Jennifer (Insert Lit Pun) added it · review of another edition

A smart, pacy book about ambition, magnetism, and mentors. The main storyline follows Greer, a hardworking but unassuming college student who becomes inspired by an aging feminist icon named Faith Frank (modeled after second-wave feminists like Gloria Steinem). After graduation, Faith hires Greer, but Cory and Zee (Greer’s boyfriend and best friend) find their lives moving in less exciting directions. Wolitzer is witty in a way that’s never precious, and I love how she uses third-person narratio ...more

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Jul 01, 2018 Julie Christine rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-fiction, read-2018

I read doorstop-sized The Female Persuasion over a weekend, which is a testament to Meg Wolitzer's warm and friendly, piquant and witty writing style. She's not Margaret, after all—cerebral and aloof—or Meghan—adorable and alluring—she's comfortably Meg, and her books have always sort of met me right where I am in my intellectual and social progression. I just looked it up: she's ten years older, so you know, in older sister or boss/mentor territory, but close enough that we speak the same langu I read doorstop-sized The Female Persuasion over a weekend, which is a testament to Meg Wolitzer's warm and friendly, piquant and witty writing style. She's not Margaret, after all—cerebral and aloof—or Meghan—adorable and alluring—she's comfortably Meg, and her books have always sort of met me right where I am in my intellectual and social progression. I just looked it up: she's ten years older, so you know, in older sister or boss/mentor territory, but close enough that we speak the same language, our cultural references becoming more similar. I mean, almost 50 and almost 60 is far less significant than 19 and 29, YKWIM?

I recognize that my speed-read was also a search for an explanation—what does it mean to be a middle-aged white feminist in 2018? I found many head-nodding moments in The Female Persuasion, but no answers. And shame on me. As a writer, I should know better. We try not to do answers. We do story. Meg gives us a long look into the kaleidoscope, shifting and tilting it with each character and event, but she doesn't break apart the tube to spill the individual pieces of glass that collide and change shape, depending on our viewpoint.

The Female Persuasion is the story of two women, Greer Kadestsky, who is at the beginning of her social, political, and intellectual journey—and Faith Frank, who is in full, mature bloom. Faith is a famous feminist, perhaps less so now than at the prime of second-wave feminism in the 70s and 80s, but she still holds a certain cache, making the lecture circuit at second or third tier universities, which is where she briefly meets Greer on the mid '00s. Greer is an unassuming co-ed who missed out on Yale because the financial aid form overwhelmed and insulted her weed-whacked parents. She thinks she may want to become a writer, but realizes she's likely destined for mediocrity, until her potential is set afire by a few kind words from sexy, approachable, smart, aging but still goddess-like Faith.

Greer goes to work at Faith's foundation, LOCI, soon after she graduates from college and weeks after LOCI is founded, underwritten by a wealthy and ethically-challenged friend of Faith's, Emmett Shrader. LOCI is Faith's second chance, after her feminist magazine, Bloomer folds, having long ago lost its relevance in the face of more penetrating third and fourth waves of feminism. LOCI's mission is to bring together inspirational speakers for summits, as well as to fund special projects to aid women in crisis the world over.

Greer, in at the ground floor, receives a crash course in contemporary feminism, at least what passed as contemporary ten years ago, when we were flush with self-congratulatory joy over having elected Barack Obama as president. In the years that follow, as Faith mentors Greer, grooming her perhaps for grander schemes, Greer becomes aware of the cracks in the foundation, both in her feminist hero-mentor, and in her place of employment, the LOCI foundation. These summits she helps to organize are attended by well-heeled white lady feminists, with manicurists and a psychic on site to ease them away from the drama of the real world.

At its heart, The Female Persuasion is coming of age tale, and as in The Interestings, it is about friendship. Greer brings along a high school sweetheart, Cory, and a college bestie, Zee, who make their own engaging and important journeys in the story. Millennials navigate jobs and love and sex and identity, competition in an age of low expectations, and the contradictions of the personal and the political.

It is a clash of ideals v reality that give The Female Persuasion its plot twists, and have this reader twisted around looking over her own shoulder. Although I do not question the many roads paved for me by my feminist predecessors, I wonder what my own relevance is as a white woman, and what my legacy will be. Feminism is no longer about striving for equality for women; it is a clarion call for social justice for all who do not have equal standing in society.

In The Female Persuasion, Meg Wolitzer creates a ripped-from-the-headlines reflection that is both gentle satire and satisfying pleasure. This reader picked it up and practically didn't put it down until she was finished. Highly recommended. ...more

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Sep 23, 2018 Eli rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: buddy-read, read-2018

While I really liked the thoughts in this book I didn't really get what the author wanted to say? The plot was all over the place but I enjoyed it nevertheless soooo

I guess I liked it and I guess this is 3 stars worth ...more

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Oct 02, 2018 Darinda rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary

Greer is a college freshman when she meets Faith Frank. Faith is in her sixties and has been involved with the women's movement for many years. Faith is encouraging to Greer, and even hires her later on in the story. This book follows Greer's journey through college and young adulthood, where she explores her relationships and ambitions.

Told using multiple points of view, but most of the story is from Greer's POV. At the start of the novel, Greer is smart, but she's studying at her backup school ...more

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Apr 18, 2018 mindful.librarian ☀️ rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks, adult-reads

(AUDIOBOOK) You know how sometimes a book is SO hyped that it’s almost unfair to the actual story? Personally, I know that hype can set me up for unrealistic expectations that no book can live up to.
•
In the case of THE FEMALE PERSUASION, I’m happy to say that some of the hype was warranted......as in, I listened to the audio version of the book and was thoroughly entertained and invested throughout the entire LONG story. The narration was excellent and I came to deeply care about the characters ...more

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About Meg Wolitzer

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Meg Wolitzer is the New York Times–bestselling author of The Interestings, The Uncoupling, The Ten-Year Nap, The Position, The Wife, and Sleepwalking. She is also the author of the young adult novel Belzhar. Wolitzer lives in New York City.

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