Dannie’s review of Financial Feminist: Overcome the Patriarchy's Bullsh*t to Master Your Money and Build a Life You Love > Likes and Comments

I thought Tori did a great job of including the voices of a diverse group of people. It seems like you wrote a review based on your opinions of Brene Brown, even though Brene Brown didn't write the book. It seems pretty silly to judge an entire book and movement based on a person who was quoted in one chapter.
I'm not particularly jazzed when white folks write books on DEI, that doesn't mean i'm going to give your book a 2 star review. Thats because the message in your book is important, and giving it a 2 star review would impact someone's decision to read it. You leaving this review could stop someone from reading this book, someone whose life could change for the better had you not influenced their decision.
Anyway, I hope you have a wonderful weekend reflecting on why you feel the need to tear other women down.

Alex wrote: "I thought Tori did a great job of including the voices of a diverse group of people. It seems like you wrote a review based on your opinions of Brene Brown, even though Brene Brown didn't write the..."

Thanks so much for your comment Alex. I wrote this review from the perspective of a published DEI expert who also holds a finance credential and previously got myself out of six-figures of debt. So in many ways, I'm 3x the target audience for this book. (It's unclear if you're referring to *me* as being a white person who wrote a book on DEI, but I'll clarify here that I am biracial, queer, and neurodivergent, so definitely not a white woman who wrote a book on DEI 😉)

My review was 50% on the incongruence of frequently referencing Brown when also stating a priority for understanding how finances can be and are oppressive and 50% on how the book failed to genuinely and thoroughly address precisely *how* finances are oppressive and offer forward-thinking solutions.

Not every book is for every person and there are a number of 5-star reviews here that completely balance out the review I wrote and provide a holistic perspective for someone considering reading this book. In fact, the book sits at 4.69 stars overall as of this writing, so it's highly unlikely that my single 2-star review is going to stop someone from picking up this book :)

Her specific audience is women. Most finance books tend to be written for men, and that’s why I found this so valuable.

That’s pretty clear by the name of her business and the book 😉 - and I agree, we need more finance books written by non-men. The issue that I noted in my review above was the statements that the book was for “anyone who is a non-cisgender white man” but then the lack of inclusion for that in practice. It’s a prime example of “know and stick to your audience, don’t try and serve everyone, because you won’t succeed.”

Hey, I’m grateful for your review, Dannie. Do you have any recommendations for books that help address individual experiences of gender-based financial shame but through a more inclusive lens?

Caitlin wrote: "Hey, I’m grateful for your review, Dannie. Do you have any recommendations for books that help address individual experiences of gender-based financial shame but through a more inclusive lens?"

Great question! There are a number of already- published finance books by BIPOC authors, would recommend those. In 2023, Berna Anat is coming out with Money Out Loud: All the Financial Stuff No One Taught Us which I frankly think is going to be a knockout hit, talking about money as the child of immigrants as well as through the lens of being a woman, among other lenses.

In the meantime, Instagram (and Tiktok) also have a wealth of resources for amazing finance information from a variety of inclusive lenses, including creators like @ajadang, @clevergirlfinance, @makerealcents, @the.brokegeneration (non-BIPOC), @dumpster.doggy, @mywealthdiary, @millennialindebt, and so many more! In my opinion, all of these creators (as well as @heyberna, the author of the aforementioned book), approach money from either a more inclusive place, a more challenge-aware place, or both. Hope this helps! :)

Thanks for sharing. I appreciate having this critical lens ready if I end up reading it, and I also appreciate your sharing the info in your last comment.

Thank you so much, Dannie, this is such a wealth of info! Really appreciate your thoughtful response and these resources.

Lynsey wrote: "Thanks for sharing. I appreciate having this critical lens ready if I end up reading it, and I also appreciate your sharing the info in your last comment."

My pleasure! :)

Caitlin wrote: "Thank you so much, Dannie, this is such a wealth of info! Really appreciate your thoughtful response and these resources."

You bet! Hoping you are able to find some help in those additional resources :)

To be fair, I got all of what you say from following her social media stuff and listening to the podcast. She's an entlited white woman who made her fortune by navigating capitalism. Her stuff are based on her perspective and she gives advice without acknowledging the view of those who aren't like her. She fails to understand that the receiving end of capitalism and stock market are common people who can't meet ends with the current rising cost of living. I suspect in a few years this will become another lean in case

Teresa wrote: "To be fair, I got all of what you say from following her social media stuff and listening to the podcast. She's an entlited white woman who made her fortune by navigating capitalism. Her stuff are ..."

Excellent point. I think I (misguidedly) assumed that her podcast was more "unresearched" / her own experience where as a book would definitely reach a larger audience and therefore it would be more well researched / well rounded. But I was wrong 😬

100% agree that this sort of "capitalist triumphant" storytelling is going to go the way of Lean In, probably sooner than we think.

This is exactly why I didn’t finish this book!

Great DEI analysis of the book!!

Kristen wrote: "Great DEI analysis of the book!!"

Thanks so much!

I don't share your perspective. I think she (or her editors) seemed very aware that she's offering a white woman's perspective, which is why many POC investors and entrepreneurs also contributed to the book. Yes, I am just trying to survive, but her viewpoint was refreshing and made me raise my expectations for myself. If nothing else, it was nice to occasionally close my eyes and imagine vacationing in Italy. As someone who grew up poor, I was never asked to imagine myself wealthy, and our expectations for ourselves matter.

If you think this book is perpetuating harm, I invite you to go to the Reddit forums where I learned how to invest.

I think you missed the part in chapter 6 when she touches on the Women’s wage gap, that your wage, your level of income increases deal with aspects outside of your control such as racism, or that some people are working just to survive, but that nonetheless she wants to arm you with tools for financial success and “[to] do the difficult, brave, and vulnerable work of evaluating your worth in capitalistic terms, build up a strong case, negotiate expertly” even though they may not get the promotion or raise “through no fault of their own. But I need you to advocate for yourself anyway.”

I think that’s pretty powerful. Sometimes we need permission to fail and those who are at a disadvantage due to gender or race can use these tools to give them the confidence they need to try and try and try until someone gets it right.

I think you read a completely different novel.

H. wrote: "I don't share your perspective. I think she (or her editors) seemed very aware that she's offering a white woman's perspective, which is why many POC investors and entrepreneurs also contributed to..."

Oh forSURE, Reddit is a scary and often horrifying space when it comes to personal finance, definitely had my own experiences with that platform. And it's one thing to be aware, it's another to actively do the work and embed that in our writing.

EJ wrote: "I think you missed the part in chapter 6 when she touches on the Women’s wage gap, that your wage, your level of income increases deal with aspects outside of your control such as racism, or that s..."


I read the book in full, that I can promise you :)
And I agree - having resources is great. But as someone who is thrice marginalized, let me just say that "having the tools to try and try and try" is f*cking exhausting. It's not enough. It's shortsighted to have a book focused on how *we* have to try and not wholly acknowledging the systemic inequities that force failure / that even with all the tools in the world, our current structure does not permit success for all. *THAT* is where the book falls short.

Thank you for your review, I thought I was being too critical with how much I did not enjoy the constant Brene Brown references and sometimes I felt they made no sense with the topic at hand.

Rachel Kyllo wrote: "Thank you for your review, I thought I was being too critical with how much I did not enjoy the constant Brene Brown references and sometimes I felt they made no sense with the topic at hand."

Not too critical at all! I found that the book overly relied on quotes versus *new* actionable guidance.

I appreciate this review so much!!! Will read with this in mind. If you recommend a book more encompassing of all, please share!

Janae wrote: "I appreciate this review so much!!! Will read with this in mind. If you recommend a book more encompassing of all, please share!"

Thanks Janae! I definitely recommend Keeping Finance Personal: Ditch the “Shoulds” and the Shame and Rewrite Your Money Story as my current go-to alternative to this book.

Jodz wrote: "I'm about 75% through and it was rubbing me the wrong way because yeah she is pretty clueless and you can just tell that there's something off. I wasn't able to put it into words but am glad I came..."

Thanks for commenting, Jodz! In addition to the books mentioned upthread, I've just started Rich Girl Nation: Taking Charge of Our Financial Futures and hoping it's better!

just here to say thanks for the review and the alternatives. really appreciate your review, from a white woman also put off of books that give a nod to inclusivity then call it an integral part of the book. I'm trying to undo my patriarchal white supremacy conditioning faster than that lol.

Erica wrote: "just here to say thanks for the review and the alternatives. really appreciate your review, from a white woman also put off of books that give a nod to inclusivity then call it an integral part of ..."

Lol anytime! I know my last comment was a year ago, but I've read a few more finance books since then and thought Money Proud: The Queer Guide to Generate Wealth, Slay Debt, and Build Good Habits to Secure Your Future was a fun / inclusive read too.