Who Would Like This Book:
Looking for a seriously dark, thought-provoking dystopian that takes on beauty culture, misogyny, and friendship? 'Only Ever Yours' is gripping, relentless, and unflinching - think 'The Handmaid’s Tale' meets 'Mean Girls' with an extra bleak twist. If you enjoy books that dissect societal expectations, make you question everything, and don’t shy away from uncomfortable topics, you’ll be hooked. Perfect for fans of feminist fiction, or anyone interested in stories that reflect and exaggerate disturbing real-world issues.
Who May Not Like This Book:
This isn’t a feel-good or redemptive read. If you need hopeful endings or find topics like eating disorders, bullying, or sexual violence triggering, you might want to skip this one. The atmosphere is claustrophobic, the characters are often difficult to like, and there’s almost no light at the end of the tunnel. Some readers felt let down by the lack of worldbuilding depth, slow pacing, or the overwhelming sense of despair.
About:
Only Ever Yours by Louise O'Neill is a dystopian novel set in a post-apocalyptic world where girls are genetically engineered to become companions, concubines, or chastities for men. The story follows the protagonist, Frieda, as she navigates a society where women are objectified, judged based on their appearance, and trained from birth to please men. The book delves into themes of beauty standards, misogyny, and the dark consequences of societal expectations on women. The writing style is described as dark, thought-provoking, and reflective of our own society's attitudes towards women.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include high levels of sensitive material related to eating disorders, sexual violence, mental health, and themes of misogyny.
From The Publisher:
Where women are created for the pleasure of men, beauty is the first duty of every girl. In Louise O'Neill's world of Only Every Yours women are no longer born naturally, girls (called "eves") are raised in Schools and trained in the arts of pleasing men until they come of age. freida and isabel are best friends. Now, aged sixteen and in their final year, they expect to be selected as companions-wives to powerful men. All they have to do is ensure they stay in the top ten beautiful girls in their year. The alternatives-life as a concubine, or a chastity (teaching endless generations of girls)-are too horrible to contemplate.
But as the intensity of final year takes hold, the pressure to be perfect mounts. isabel starts to self-destruct, putting her beauty-her only asset-in peril. And then into this sealed female environment, the boys arrive, eager to choose a bride. freida must fight for her future-even if it means betraying the only friend, the only love, she has ever known.
Ratings (10)
Incredible (2) | |
Loved It (3) | |
Liked It (5) |
Reader Stats (44):
Read It (11) | |
Want To Read (24) | |
Did Not Finish (1) | |
Not Interested (8) |
What can you read after
Only Ever Yours?
About the Author:
Louise O'Neill was born in west Cork in 1985. She studied English at Trinity College Dublin and has worked for the senior Style Director of American Elle magazine. While in New York, she also worked as an assistant stylist on a number of high-profile campaigns. She is currently working as a freelance journalist for a variety of Irish national newspapers and magazines, covering feminist issues, fashion and pop culture.
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