51 pages • 1 hour read
Miriam ToewsWomen Talking
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2018A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
In Women Talking, a group of women in the fictional Mennonite colony of Molotschna convenes to discuss their response after discovering that many of their men have been drugging and sexually assaulting them for years. Presented as meeting minutes by the schoolteacher August Epps, the women debate whether to do nothing, stay and fight, or leave the colony altogether. The novel examines themes of patriarchy, faith, and resilience. This text includes references to domestic and sexual violence, and suicide.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Women Talking by Miriam Toews has garnered widespread acclaim for its compelling narrative and in-depth exploration of female experiences and empowerment. Critics laud Toews's poignant prose and the novel's timely, thought-provoking themes. However, some note the book's dialogue-heavy structure may be challenging for readers seeking more traditional storytelling. Overall, it's praised as a powerful and relevant work.
Who Should Read Women Talking?
Readers who appreciate thought-provoking, feminist literature with deep emotional and social insights will enjoy Women Talking by Miriam Toews. Fans of Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale or Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones will find a similar blend of poignant storytelling and critical exploration of women's lives and agency.