Notes on You Know You Want This by Kristen Roupenian

After reading Cat Person in The New Yorker, I had to get my hands on this collection, and Roupenian did not disappoint.

Like The Mars Room, these stories were written for a 2019 audience in a maturing #MeToo era. The metaphors were conspicuous, glaring, and were often thinly veiled by the swapping of typical gender roles or the substitution of severe assaults with more comical, less austere offenses (or vice versa).

Roupenian recreated all the stereotypical feminist narratives but often with a twist that made my toes curl both because of her graphic writing and because of how painfully relatable the stories are.

Bad Boy was a hell of a story to introduce the collection with, and Biter was a memorable closer. The Mirror, the Bucket, and the Old Thigh Bone was classic, and The Good Guy was definitely one of my favorites. The final three stories before Biter -- Scarred, The Matchbox Sign, Death Wish -- were intense and not thought-provoking, but rather awareness-provoking, even sympathy-provoking.

The Matchbox Sign, in particular, was painful to read, because it’s quite literally a painful reality for all women. Death Wish was so obvious, and I thought it was great.

The only one I could have gone without is Look at Your Game, Girl; I just can’t get on board with the Manson family craze.

Bechdel Test passed. Five out of five stars. Would recommend to everyone.