The cover of Woman by V.P. Evans indicates the shattered lives of the five women whose short stories expose their brittle existence. Although the author is male, his poignant view of the degradation and mistreatment of women gives authority to his writing voice. Introduced by the five letters W.O.M.A.N. and a quotation, each of the five short stories is presented from a different character’s point of view, and a different plight relative to the theme.
Each story presents a young woman who experiences helplessness, despair, and pain suffered at the hands of women who fear and facilitate the whims of domineering men. Some of the traumatic acts are directly administered by depraved men themselves. Often cultural/traditional standards of the woman’s world determine ghastly puberty rites. The mother’s desire to protect and prepare her daughter for adulthood is often the catalyze that perpetuates the disturbing practices. However, most of the barbaric practices can be traced back to men who lack empathy or are obsessed with wild desires for immoral perversions and controlling power. Gripping factual information concerning these traditional and cultural customs, such as the practices of female genital mutilation, is told in riveting detail.
Some of the stories are told through conscious self-talk or nightmare dreams. The women in each of the stories have experienced traumatic injustice and suffer physically as well as from fear, despair, and shame. It is no wonder that modern women from civilized countries, as well as those from third world and developing countries, are suffering from the post-traumatic stress disorder.
A Somali woman, a girl in Cameroon, a young woman in Thailand, suffer brutally nightmarish disfiguration. Why? How can these heartless practices be stopped? Their stories are hard to stomach.
Nancy needed her job, but her celebrity boss was transformed “into an untamed, ruthless animal, obligated to bow down to is primitive instincts.” His associates simply didn’t care what he did or how he treated his staff. For him, she was just another stupid girl. For her, “it was her life.” She was a victim of rape.
Author V.P.Evans is to be commended for his gutsy courage to tackle these timely issues that are so infrequently brought to the attention of the public as moral and social dilemmas. The author is perceptive and has researched his topics thoroughly. He writes with authority. As sex trafficking in the United States becomes more widespread, it’s imperative that it is addressed and combatted by aggressive law enforcement and the awareness of the public. This book is highly recommended for college Women’s Studies courses, social services workers, and women’s book clubs. “Woman” is a quick read that you won’t quickly forget.
Reviewed by: Carole W
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