“Girl, Woman, Other” by Bernardine Evaristo: Zero Full Stops, Yet Full of Life (BOOK REVIEW)

Zero Full Stops, Yet Full of Life

Hey, Alex! What have you been reading lately?

About a fortnight ago I received an email from my university’s library saying I should return all books I have taken on loan, following the expiration of my student status.

Exams were over and summer was fast approaching, but I wanted to award myself one final read — not something to write an essay on, but a book I could simply savour and enjoy.

I walked around the several “English Literature” stalls that ranged from Harry Potter to Zadie Smith to witchcraft plays from the 1600s and stumbled upon the vivid cover of Girl, Woman, Other.

I’ve been meaning to read the book since my first year at Royal Holloway. I remember most of my professors slipping the title in conversations, and so I had very high hopes for it, despite not knowing anything about the novel’s content.

Tell me more. What is the book about?

The novel follows twelve women — mostly Black, mostly British — whose lives intersect in unexpected ways.

At the centre is Amma, a queer radical thinker who writes for the stage, on the premiere night of her latest feminist play, The Last Amazon of Dahomey.

Through her, we get introduced to her daughter, ex girlfriend, childhood friend, critic-turned-fan, and many others. All women, even if not directly related to one another, come together to share the art of Amma’s creativity.

Each chapter explores the life of an individual character in full colour. We get to meet them at their best and worst, to sympathise with them and, unawaredly, befriend them. Some of the women’s histories are so beautifully written I found it hard to let go and move on to another person.

What are some strong and weak points of the book?

Girl, Woman, Other is a great character study. But it’s not as interested in what happens as in who it happens to — so don’t expect too much plot.

It is a very slow-paced read and there is little room for character development. You don’t really get past the backstory until about 400 pages in.

Yet the pacing felt intentionally still so that you can fully appreciate the greatness of detail Evaristo goes into.

Reading this novel felt like peeking into a stranger’s diary and growing to become their best friend by the end of each chapter — knowing all of their secrets, passions, regrets.

Taking a trip down memory lane, each woman explores identity, race, class, gender, sexuality. Love and loss. None of them race towards a conclusion, and you will not get one. The book is interested in the people behind the story, and the relationships they create, break, and hope to mend.

At numerous points, the novel gets uncomfortable. Evaristo does not shy away from writing about sexual assault, domestic abuse, racism, homophobia, depression. She delves into each issue with honesty that refuses to ignore or normalise what is happening, and that, in my opinion, is a very powerful and liberating tool.

What makes Girl, Woman, Other stand out most to me is its original form. There are no full stops, yet the novel is full of life. There are no quotation marks, either. All sentences run like breath, like thought, like a long prose poem that refuses to be constrained.

I am usually a very impatient reader, but I found this style very much to my liking, because it made me pay attention and feel the rhythm behind the words. It helped me slow down and look at the beauty of being alive and surrounded by art and people.

Any final thoughts? Should I read it too?

To be honest, I wasn’t sure where this novel was going in the beginning. I was excited to see what’s to come with every new chapter, but also felt a tiny bit wistful to leave such a fascinating character behind.

The ending, however, made every step of the journey worth it for me. It resembles a true family reunion, like those often awkward ones around the holidays. There’s gossip and whispering. Tension and longing. Some women don’t like each other. Most don’t really care about Amma’s play and are just there for each other (and the free snacks and drinks!) It’s buzzing, messy, and deeply human.

As I said before, this book doesn’t use full stops. Evaristo looks at each woman as a work-in-progress, a being with no definite end, who, like us, is always evolving, growing, and experiencing life. If you think you’re willing to sit back and hear these characters out, I am sure you’ll find a lot to love about this book.

Thank you so much!! Are there any similar books that you can recommend?

I can think of a few:

🧭 NW by Zadie Smith — set in London, the novel follows the life of two Black women who are so different yet struggle to distance themselves from each other.

🌊 Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson — a poignant read that explores race, romance, and mental health written in overtly poetic prose and in second person.

Happy reading!

📲 limaistyping…

rating: ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️
tropes + themes: 🧵 family secrets | 🎭 stage drama | 🌈 queer voices | ✊ soft radicalism | 🧠 multiple POVs done right
read if you like: Zadie Smith, mosaic novels, London, overthinking, coffee
look out for: Yazz’s sass 🌀 | Penelope trying to pull an Evelyn Hugo 💍 | Dominique’s relationship struggles (haven’t we all been there) 💔 | a Twitter sensation 🐦 | awkward high school reunion 🎓
“Reading this felt like the sun setting -- beautiful, but you don't want it to end.”