Booknotes : The Stranger
A feminism book of how women can even the odds
đ The Stranger by Kathryn Hore
Book Details
Published in 30 Aug, 2022
352 pages
Westerns, Dystopian, Fantasy, Feminism
The Stranger, Kathryn Hore
Atmosphere
This book makes me feel that being a woman does have significance, and we do carry weight. Women do matter; thatâs what Kathryn made me feel as I read this book. Set in an unnamed continent, but this story of a small town brings a big impact to me. This isnât a fight about who is physically stronger, between men vs. women. Instead, it's about courage and bravery to challenge the status quo in a world thatâs ruled by fear.
This book has an eerie and mysterious atmosphere, sometimes suspenseful because is quite similar to Julia, 1984 but it is definitely alot lighter than that.
A gist of thoughts
Strong female character with courage and bravery challenges societal norms, sparking change in a twisted society
Favourite quotes, words & others
The image I found and added to the blog serves as an illustrative representation to help convey the essence of what I read.
âFive months later I was in his bed, his home and under his protection. For what else could I have done? Theyâd taken everything else from me. I might be young and I might be a girl, but Iâm not stupid. I know how to survive. Whatever that takes.â
âWhen the Stranger rode into town, everybody took notice.â
âOnly this stranger needed no protection from anybody. She stood stiff in the middle of the men now staggering to find their feet. Bloodied lip and hair stuck to her forehead with sweat, breath coming in controlled exhales.â
My reflections
In Darkwater town, being female doesnât amount to much. But Chelsea, a 16-year-old protagonist, is considered lucky in this town. She is basically in her teen years but she was owned (young lover) by the townâs leader, named Granger. As long as she is in bed with him, Chelseaâs situation is considered a good thing (she doesnât know it was a bad thing), well-fed, well-dressed, secure, and almost believed that sheâs happy. At least that was what Chelsea thought she was, until one day, the town was visited by a stranger who rides on a horse, gun on one hip and a whip on the other. No one knows how the stranger managed to cross the fence that borders Darkwater from the outside world (that had experienced a raging virus that plagues the world ~ they are basically lockdown). Anybody who crosses the fence certainly faces death, so all the people in the town feel both grateful and resentful of the leader that they somehow rely on in this place. Thereâs something about this stranger that Chelsea is drawn to. Chelsea grows curious about this stranger and nobody knows what her intention was; she finds the stranger fascinating and we witness as Chelsea grows more determined, her courage of becoming more independent in her thinking with the help and influence of the stranger.
Rating âď¸âď¸âď¸âď¸
3.5 Stars, not quite 4 star. Borderline between Hermione Grangerâs Intelligence and Harry Potterâs Magic ~ a clever and still a magic for me! This is a memorable feminist book that was a win reading experience, the kick-ass woman is awesome. Surprisingly, I found myself thoroughly enjoying this book ( I wasnât sure if I was going to like it at first). Itâs deffo a page-turner! The only reason I gave it a 1.5 less star is because, although the stranger bravery is admirable, at some point the strangerâs intentions unfold too clearly (she explains her actions and goals too much), which felt like too easy, like I am just being spoon-fed without even the needs of connecting the dots myself.
Hereâs how I rate books I read #feminism #strongfemalecharacter #dystopian #australianauthor
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