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This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl’s...
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated You Won't Know Her Name in Books
Feb 17, 2022
You Won't Know Her Name is certainly not for the faint of heart. With heavy themes such as bullying and sexual assault, I knew the plot would be a dark read. However, Hershenson writes like a pro, and the way she incorporates these themes into her story didn't put me off reading. The plot is solid and interesting if a little sad at what The Girl had to go through. I loved that there were no chapters, only poems and that each poem started with a title of what the short poem would be about. Each poem flows well into the next. It really made my heart hurt for all the injustices done to the girl (and her sister). What angered me the most was how the school failed this child. Unfortunately, many schools fail bullied children every day. (I speak from personal experience). I would say that there is a plot twist in this story, but there are no cliff hangers. It's just sad that there are so many people (children and adults alike) that have to go through such horrible bullying.
The characters in You Won't Know Her Name felt very realistic. We are told early on by the author that names aren't important so no names are ever mentioned in this story. We have "The Girl" who I felt so bad for. She didn't deserve any of the hate and the uncaringness she got. I just wanted to protect her so much throughout the story and tell "The Person" (The Girl's bully) to just back off. The Person acted in such a vile way toward The Girl and her sister. It made me wonder about The Person's background though. Was The Person being bullied at home to act out that way in school? I am, by no means, excusing The Person's behavior though.
Trigger warnings for You Won't Know Her Name include sexual assault (not graphic), profanity, talks of suicide, and violence. The author has included trigger warning notices at the start of each poem that could possibly trigger some readers though.
You Won't Know Her Name is a sad but a good read. There is some good to come out of it though. You Won't Know Her Name is a thought provoking read about a subject that, sadly, many children (and adults) have to deal with although they shouldn't.
Overall, You Won't Know Her Name is a well written piece of poetic literature that everyone should read. I would highly suggest that parents read it with their child and discuss it. If you are a librarian, buy this book for your library. It's not a long book either, so even the most hesitant reader could get a lot from it. I would definitely recommend You Won't Know Her Name by Shanti Hershenson to those aged 14+. Trust me, this is a book that needs to be read.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons From The Twentieth Century in Books
Jan 11, 2018
The format is simple: Twenty sections, each beginning with a lesson title and a short summary paragraph, then going into more detail in the next two to three pages. For example:
Do Not Obey In Advance.
Most of the power of authoritarianism is freely given. In times like these, individuals think ahead about what a more repressive government will want, and then offer themselves without being asked. A citizen who adapts in this way is teaching power what it can do.
The next few pages talk about Austrian Nazis rounded up Jews and used them as forced labor, before the German government told them to. When Jewish businesses were marked as such, people immediately started avoiding them. Anticipatory obedience. (Relate this to the suddenly overt racism and Nazi marches we're now facing in the US - where that used to be hidden.)
Another example:
Take Responsibility For The Face Of The World.
The symbols of today enable the reality of tomorrow. Notice the swastikas and the other signs of hate. Do not look away, and do not get used to them. Remove them yourself and set an example for others to do so.
The next pages talk about propaganda, and signs. If we tolerate swastikas, we imply that we accept them. That we support them. And if the oppressed groups that those swastikas are aimed at see everyone around them supporting them, who do they look to for help? All it takes is one person deciding to scrub off or paint over the swastika, for people around them to realize that's a thing that can be done. This plays into another section, which talked about Standing Out. Do the thing that makes you stand out - whether that's standing up for a minority, or scrubbing swastikas off walls, or attending a protest. If you don't stand out, you're too easily ignored as part of the problem.
This book had lots of holds at my local library - while I was sad to have to wait so long, I was pleased that so many people wanted to read it. I was 35th in line at one point! Just knowing that so many people want to read it is a little reassuring. The author has written several books on the Holocaust, WWII, and the rise of Hitler, so he knows what he's talking about, and it shows in his writing.
On Tyranny is a quick read and does an amazing job of boiling a lot of complicated concepts down into very succinct little points. I definitely recommend it as a jumping off point. Just don't let it be all you read.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com