Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience

Unfortunately file issues meant I couldn’t read properly and now archived, but I will be purchasing this book as I am eager to read

Surely no reader could fail to understand the importance of the topics covered here and the power in how Laurie Penny sought to guide them into a future full of increased happiness, abundance, prosperity, and equality through an opposition to all that humanity has already historically endured?? That books like this are necessary breaks my heart but as they are, this one does a great job of exploring the way gendered language, authorities, and so much more has failed us and how the feminist movement can save us.

"Pain is political, and so is pleasure. The greatest delusion of modern sexuality is that one has to come at the cost of the other".

TW: Rape.

Laurie Penny is clearly clued up on so many issues - but the book reads as almost too many issues are trying to be addressed in one setting. As the conversation flits, the nuances get lost and issues of intersectionality - although mentioned at points - still feels lacking from the mass generalisations.

A lot of points also read as a somewhat angry, radical commentary on the treatment on women. I've heard these discussions in passing commentary but was almost surprised to see the haphazard placement of such pressing issues, instead of a better spaced out structure.

The book reads as a weaker version of Rough by Rachel Thompson. I think there's a lot the author needs to work through before publishing again.

I have no idea who the target audience for this was, aside from the author's own circle of offline friends and online sycophants. It's certainly not aimed at convincing reluctant feminists to join "the right side of history", because it is sorely lacking in convincing and logical arguments.

Penny focuses on the political and social situation in the US and the UK over the past decade or so, often conflating the two into an amorphous blob. Sadly, the author never actually defines any of the topics that are discussed in this book. I have no idea what definition of feminism she is working from, and I have even less of an idea what she understands to be fascism. So that leaves me to filter out a definition for these words from what she has actually written. And it seems like Penny thinks fascism is a catch-all term for "people who do not 100% agree with me all of the time".

The writing was messy. The tone was grating. The arguments were illogical and repetitive. As a reader, you're simply expected to trust Penny's judgements and let her guide you through the intersectional maze of a modern feminism that is supposedly under threat from fascism. Except the author fails at multiple stages to make a convincing case.

If you just want a longer version of a badly informed Twitter rant, then this book is perfect for you. If, however, you're slightly more aware of contemporary feminism and the hot-button issues feminists are struggling with today, give this book a swerve and find something better. It won't be hard.

An impactful read that doesn't shy away from the hard stuff, Sexual Revolution is a great read for those just starting works in this field, or a seasoned reader. Topics were tackled head on though with care, and I very much recommend this book. Laurie Penny is an excellent writer and thinker, and I will be recommending this to all my friends.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury for the advance copy.

Laurie covers a range of topics, including #MeToo, feminism, sexism, racism, beauty and body image, misogyny, relationships. It gives a lot to think about; however some of how the book has been edited made somewhat difficult to read in parts - a fair bit of repetition, and quite a few grammatical and punctuation errors.

I've read a few books by Laurie Penny before, and this one does not disappoint.

Armed with a razor-sharp critique of our current political situation, and its roots in the past, Penny focuses on how issues of consent, exploitation and security are complicated and problematised by the political and economic structures we are in. For example, Penny details how abuse and assault often goes unreported or un(der)-punished because of certain double standards, i.e. how we are led to wonder what will happen to a man's career if he commits assault, and to see it as a mere 'mistake', but how their victims' actions are presented as evidence of their guilt and/or complicity.

This is a powerful and vital book, and Penny argues powerfully against the 'accepted' notions of how we as a society let certain people get away with certain actions.

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A well written and very readable book. If you read a lot of feminist non fiction you'll love this but it's also not too heavy for those just starting out with non fiction. Fascinating and thought provoking.

3-4****
This is a great and broad-writing book on the system of the patriarchy and how the past few years have been a challenge to that. How women, and especially women of colour, the LGBT+ community, have rallied and marched against the unfairness imposed on them in this system.

The author explores how sex and gender roles and their changes overtime affect this system and why the white male patriarchy feels angry/under threat.

While I enjoyed reading the authors deserved anger and explanations of theory/events/societal changes, it is probably more perfect for those who do not have much access to this information, or little knowledge. For anyone wanting to start to understand these factors and how they interact, as well as commentary on ‘recent’ big changes/demonstrations, this book is a recommend!

This is a difficult and unrelenting book.

If you're already tapped-in to the modern feminist movement, there's little here that's new. But, if this is all new to you (welcome!), it's an excellent starting point. Although sprinkled with footnotes, it isn't a dense academic tome. As with many modern books, it blends together the author's personal experiences with more a more objective history.

I found some of the themes it discussed deeply uncomfortable. That's, in part, by design. There's no easy way to talk about sexual and emotional assault. But it also reflects my obliviousness to some of the things that feminism is fighting.

Sadly, I don't think it quite hits the mark on tying the fight for feminism as the fight against fascism. It makes several large logical leaps which I found difficult to follow. Yes, there is a pervasive strand of sexism within the far right. And the book touches on why some women are attracted to that. But it doesn't quite make the case for embracing feminism to vanquish fascism.

There's an excellent chapter focussing on men, and how we're often socialised into sexism as a default. But, weirdly, the chapter ends by exonerating men as individuals and blaming the culture we're raised in. I found that an unhelpful and (dare I say it) slightly patronising viewpoint. Yes, we all live in a patriarchy and suffer the consequences. But there has to be some level of personal responsibility - both to change ourselves and the wider society.

I doubt you'll agree with all of it. It may even make you angry. But this is important. It is a rallying cry for the profound - and sometimes scary - freedom that feminism promises. It is clear that the hyper-machismo world-view we're stuck in isn't working for the majority of people. I hope this book convinces you that change is coming. It is inevitable, slightly messy, sometimes confusing, and utterly liberating.

Sexual Revolution is a book about the current state of sex and power, particularly in politics, culture, and heterosexual relationships, and where feminism can question this and fight back. It looks particularly at women's experiences and treatment relating to a variety of themes, including bodily autonomy, work, consent, and sex, and later looks at some of the rise of right-wing ideas about sex and women.

I found the book had some good broad points, though mostly points I had heard or read about before, in relation to areas like abortion, but in general I felt the way a lot of the book was phrased and sometimes explained didn't work for me. I also felt like despite selling itself as a book about modern masculinity, there wasn't actually much exploration of masculinity, especially when it exists outside of a white, cis, straight viewpoint. As the book was almost entirely focused on heterosexual relationships and cis straight women, it would've been interesting to bring in more models for relationships, sex, consent, and power that differ from the norm, as a counterpoint and to explore possible alternatives and futures. It felt a lot of the time that terms like "queer" were thrown in occasionally to include people in a list, but actual queer people weren't really part of what was being discussed.

Seeing as labour and work and consent were important in the book, I also felt like the content around sex work was quite weirdly phrased, often trying to tread a line between feminists (and others) who are anti-sex work and people who are more supportive of sex workers and their own varied discussions of their own experiences. This didn't quite work and I think people who don't know much about issues around sex work might come away confused. I also, as I have been in other books, was distracted from the text when it cited Naomi Wolf, considering her current position as a conspiracy theorist, and I think books do need to start being a bit more critical about how they cite The Beauty Myth.

This book is probably best an introduction for people very new to learning about ideas of sex and power in modern society, and I'd say much more aimed at straight cis women than men as it is quite unrelentingly angry at men, often with good reason. There's plenty of good points in the book, but I felt like the nods towards experiences of non-white, non-straight, and non-cis people weren't enough to really explore the topics of sex and masculinity.

This was a very interesting and informative read. I learnt lots and lots. A very timely read that I would recommend for all.