Title: Roar   

Author: Cecelia Ahern

Genre: Short Stories     

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 273

Rating: 4/5 stars

Synopsis (Goodreads):

From the bestselling author of P.S., I Love You, a fiercely feminist story collection that illuminates–sometimes in fantastical ways–how women of all kinds navigate the world today.

In this singular and imaginative story collection, Cecelia Ahern explores the endless ways in which women blaze through adversity with wit, resourcefulness, and compassion. Ahern takes the familiar aspects of women’s lives–the routines, the embarrassments, the desires–and elevates these moments to the outlandish and hilarious with her astute blend of magical realism and social insight.

One woman is tortured by sinister bite marks that appear on her skin; another is swallowed up by the floor during a mortifying presentation; yet another resolves to return and exchange her boring husband at the store where she originally acquired him. The women at the center of this curious universe learn that their reality is shaped not only by how others perceive them, but also how they perceive the power within themselves.

By turns sly, whimsical, and affecting, these thirty short stories are a dynamic examination of what it means to be a woman in this very moment. Like women themselves, each story can stand alone; yet together, they have a combined power to shift consciousness, inspire others, and create a multi-voiced ROAR that will not be ignored.

Review:

Thank you to @grandcentralpub for sending me a copy of this book!

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I was really excited to receive this book, written by the author of P.S I Love You! The premise was also about women’s stories and how they overcome adversity, which was enough to convince me that I needed to read these stories!

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And the book did not disappoint. The stories were wrought with symbolism of how society has consumed women, how women are made to act a certain way and are treated a certain way because of society! There was a story of how a woman was literally disappearing because society deemed her less important, there was a story of a woman who grew wings to fly her children and get away from hate and judgement. There was also a story of vasectomies being illegal, and how the man in the story was trying to fight for his right to make decisions for his own body! I think the only reason this was four stars instead of five is because they were short stories and not a novel. I think I like novels better because I can get attached to the characters more, and one I get attached in a short story, it’s done! But overall I really enjoyed these stories!

Happy reading!