I can only salute louise oneill for her fantastic efforts even if she does scare me a bit. Trigger warning for rape, fat shaming, eating disorders, suicide, torture, victim blaming, queer death. Only ever yours by louise oneill writing, reading and stuff. Jun 30, 2014 louise o neill is the feminist powerhouse and outspoken voice for change whose novels only ever yours and asking for it helped to start important conversations about body image and consent. Aug 11, 2015 then i saw louise oneill speak about feminism and rape culture at the ya lit con here in england and was smitten. This story will stay with me forever and probably influence the decisions i make for the rest of my life. I enjoyed the story of a group of girls indoctrinated by their culture to believe that they are only valuable for their appearance. Dec 19, 2017 there is none of that in only ever yours. Asking for it won book of the year at the irish book awards 2015 and stayed in the irish top ten fiction chart for over a year. Review of only ever yours by louise oneill how to read books. Only ever yours by louise oneill chapter one books. The main characters of this young adult, science fiction story are. Click and collect from your local waterstones or get free uk delivery on orders over.
With the knowledge of the outcome in the back of my mind, i did pick up a little more on the nuances of the story. Jul 22, 2014 louise o neill, only ever yours detailing unpunctuated sentences mirroring a petty high school type drama of a rocky friendship, tremored by boys, between two teenage girls, the blurb of only. Sep 08, 2015 book chat only ever yours by louise oneill spoiler free. The alternative life as a concubine is too horrible to contemplate. But i was in noway prepared for how absolutely horrifying it would be. I purchased only ever yours after it won the ya book prize. May 12, 2015 where women are created for the pleasure of men, beauty is the first duty of every girl. Louise oneill describes only ever yours as the handmaids tale meets mean girls. In louise oneills 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. For more of my reading adventures follow me on goodreads. This was a reread for me, so i did know what would happen at the end. Free download or read online only ever yours pdf epub book. Louise o neill describes only ever yours as the handmaids tale meets mean girls. Only ever yours by louise oneill seemed a good choice.
Set in a eurozone where ecological catastrophe has reset human civilization into a patriarchy, where women are genetically engineered and socially conditioned to serve men upon graduation from an allgirls finishing school at the. It is a dark, terrifying insight into what our world could be like if we dont start tackling important issues. Only ever yours is a book unlike any ive read before and i think most people havent read a book like this. Now, aged sixteen and in their final year at the school, they expect to be selected as companions wives to wealthy and powerful men. I couldnt stop reading it, however it leaves one with a bitter after taste hence the 3 star rating. Louise oneill is an irish author who writes primarily for young adults. Comparing yourself to your sisters is a useful way of identifying these flaws, but you must then take the necessary steps to improve yourself. Only ever yours will be joining this group of tales. Youll be forcing your friends and book clubs to read it, because its a book youll need to discuss at length. Buy only ever yours ya edition by louise oneill from waterstones today. Jul 02, 2015 the brilliant, bestselling first novel by louise o neill, author of asking for it. However, in a search for friendship, i found a book club in my area advertised online.
Her books, like only ever yours, have become some of my favourites, and id like to share why not only because theyre addictively good, but because of their importance only ever yours is set in a dystopian world where it has become impossible for women to be naturally conceived. I thought that the subtle new spellings, reality shows, and social media presences were nods to our present culture. Like all eves are created to be perfect but, over time, they seem to develop flaws. Now, aged sixteen and in their final year, they expect to be selected as. Only ever yours by louise oneill and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. She studied english at trinity college dublin and has worked for the senior style director of american elle magazine. When the girls are sixteen the inheritants come to the school to pick their favourite and if they arent chosen, the girls become concubines. As a woman, i knew it would have me raging, i knew it would sicken me. Signin to download and listen to this audiobook today. Overnight success is a hackneyed phrase, but since publishing only ever yours, a dystopian tale in which women are artificially created solely for mens pleasure, in 2014 and asking for it in 2015. Louise oneills young adult novel only ever yours is a satire about societys obsession with how women look and behave.
Louise oneill, only ever yours detailing unpunctuated sentences mirroring a petty high school type drama of a rocky friendship, tremored by boys, between two teenage girls, the blurb of. Louise oneill talking about her fantastic novel only ever yours freida and isabel have been best friends their whole lives. Review only ever yours by louise oneill novelicious. Only ever yours author louise oneill answers 5 questions. Theres a good book buried deep in only ever yours, a debut novel by irish author louise oneill published in 2014. Mar 15, 2015 only ever yours by louise o neill synopsis from. About a year ago, i discovered the author louise oneill. But in only ever yours, the men are not really oppressed, or not in the same way as the women.
Asking for it author louise oneill drops into the evoke. Where women are created for the pleasure of men, beauty is the first duty of every girl. The book is set in a dystopian future, women are genetically engineered strictly depending on how many boys are given birth to that year and can only be one of three options, a companion wife until the age of 40 when they are terminated, concubine or a. Youre honestly not really going to like any of the characters. There is no sense of equality before, no hope for it after feminism and intelligence is a dirty word. It is set in a futuristic world run by men, where the eves women only have three options in life. Only ever years is a story about girls fighting for their own destiny. Only ever yours louise oneill the beauty of literature. I say the books are similar because theyre both satires, critiquing society in a way that isnt overtly saying this is wrong. Set in a dystopian future i love me a good dystopian future, only ever yours follows frieda, the sixteenyear old protaganist as she navigates her final year at school in preparation for the ceremony. Only ever yours ya edition by louise oneill waterstones. Book chat only ever yours by louise oneill spoiler free.
Get this book free when you sign up for a 30day trial. Freida and isabel have been best friends their whole lives. Only ever yours won newcomer of the year at the irish book awards and. I n a world in which baby girls are no longer born naturally, women are bred in schools, trained in the arts of pleasing men until they are ready for the outside world. There is no free will, the girls exist entirely to please men and there can be no breaking of these rigid and concrete rules. Only ever yours is a damn disturbing read that explores uncomfortable truths as only the best fiction can. Sep 08, 2015 killer content has acquired the film and tv rights to louise oneills novel only ever yours with plans to develop the property as a film and tv series oneills debut novel was a. Covering a time span of 40 years, ever yours in truth is a spiritual treasure in the form of personal correspondence between nome and other sages and seekers sharing their experience. In louise oneills powerful world, females are manufactured to satisfy the needs of the males, to either provide them with children or satisfy their sexual desires. Only ever yours by louise oneill overdrive rakuten.
In this novel, the school is a place where young girls are brought up in ways focused on pleasing men. In their 16th year, they will attend a ceremony where they will be chosen by the boys to become either companions wife types or concubines more like mistresses, seemingly less desirable everybody strives to be a companion but who is chosen depends. Feb 14, 2016 only ever yours by louise oneill is a poignant and harrowing story that will chew you up, spit you out and make you see the world in a different way i mean that in the most positive way possible. It was one of the few books on the shortlist that i didnt already own or hadnt read, but it was one everyone was talking about.
Louise oneill is the author of only ever yours, which won the ya book prize, among other distinctions. Upon returning to ireland in 2011, oneill began her first novel only ever yours, which was published in 2014. Though no functional society in the world has ever been as restrictive and regimented as the one the characters live in and still survived, the only roles permitted to the women in only ever yours are 1950s housewife and mother of sons, slackjawed, deadeyed sex worker and abusive blues brothers nun, with every single profession even. Like, punch in the gut, slap round the face, break your heart brutal. And i could not stop reading it ht my dad for the image. I watched helplessly as freida pressed the selfdestruct button and felt her pain as vividly as if it were my own. Now, aged sixteen, they expect to be selected as companions wives to wealthy and powerful men. Oneill paints a vision of the future where women are drugged up compliant stepordwive types, postitiutes, nunlike figures or test subjects for the state.
But as the intensity of the final year takes hold, isabel starts to selfdestruct. Only ever yours louise oneill reading the cereal packet. Despite my mixed feelings towards this book, im still glad i read it, and ill definitely be reading louise oneills asking for it. Louise oneill reveals dream casting for only ever yours. Actually ill go further than that, it is the best dystopia that i have read since the hunger games, the pinnacle of all dystopia books for me. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read only ever yours.
Uk publishing has a fierce new feminist voice in louise oneill one that deserves to be heard by as many people as possible. Now, aged sixteen and in their final year at the school, they expect to be selected as. Only ever yours by louise oneill published by quercus in 2015. I think the only similar style think ive read is volpone by ben jonson, and that was for my. It has the bleakness of catcher in the rye, the satire of the stepford wives and it made me recall how scared i felt reading nineteen eightyfour. Now, aged sixteen and in their final year at the school, they expect to. Written by louise oneill, audiobook narrated by emma weaver. Pitched on the front cover as a cross between the handmaids tale and mean girls, only ever yours is so much more than a story. Louise oneills only ever yours international ya hit. If youre a literaturelover, young adult fanatic, feminist, or, well, woman, its hard to have missed talk of louise oneills only ever yours. Download and keep this book for free with a 30 day trial.
Louise oneill, quote from only ever yours all eves are created to be perfect but, over time, they seem to develop flaws. Only ever yours by louise oneill is the inaugural ya book prize winner. Upon returning to ireland in 2011, o neill began her first novel only ever yours, which was published in 2014. But by far the best thing about louise o neills book is that it is well written, by a fresh and original talent. Like all eves are created to be perfect but, over time, they seem to. Only ever yours by louise oneill heart full of books. Louise oneill, only ever yours detailing unpunctuated sentences mirroring a petty high school type drama of a rocky friendship, tremored by boys, between two teenage girls, the blurb of only. Now a new adult edition with a redesigned cover and an improved blurb and tagline be good. Apr 23, 2015 only ever yours was my first book of this genre, for the ya market. Her books, like only ever yours, have become some of my favourites, and id like to share why not only because theyre addictively good, but because of their importance. At a chunky 406 pages, only ever yours is longer than i usually like to read for grab the lapels. Louise oneills second novel, asking for it, is due for release in september 2015. 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. Parents need to know that louise oneills only ever yours is a dystopian novel about a nearfuture world in which population decline has resulted in women being genetically engineered and trained from a young age to either produce male children as official wives or provide sexual companionship as concubines, and its worthy of comparison.
Learn more about louise oneill and only ever yours on her blog. The first edition of the novel was published in july 3rd 2014, and was written by louise oneill. Aug 10, 2015 only ever yours is cutting with its honesty and is brutally unforgiving. Goodreads amazon only ever yours was my first book of this genre, for the ya market. Sep 28, 2015 if youre a literaturelover, young adult fanatic, feminist, or, well, woman, its hard to have missed talk of louise o neill s only ever yours. Louise o neill is an irish author who writes primarily for young adults. It is a dystopian world where girls are raised to be the perfect companions to men. Perhaps many years from now, the society builds a school to train a group of girls to become companions or concubines of men. In louise oneills world of only every yours, women are no longer born naturally. Killer content has acquired the film and tv rights to louise oneills novel only ever yours with plans to develop the property as a film and tv series oneills debut novel was a. With few exceptions, almost all of the correspondence presented was written in response to letters written to nome.
Only ever yours is available now, published by quercus. Mar 20, 2015 the stepford wives, written by a man as it happens, is more than four decades old but if louise o neill s ya novel only ever yours is anything to go by, then the future will be full of submissive. Louise oneill is the feminist powerhouse and outspoken voice for change whose novels only ever yours and asking for it helped to start important conversations about body image and consent. In other fictional dystopian worlds, most of the population is oppressed, so there is a possibility for an uprising, for a spark to ignite, and for a romance to drive a couple to escape together or lead a rebellion. A massive thanks to all our users who participated in the recent survey we know they can be annoying.
She was born in 1985 and grew up in clonakilty, in west cork, ireland career. Freida must fight for her future even if it means betraying the only friend, the only love, she has ever known. Only ever yours louise oneill charlottereadsthings. Companions marry one man and only bear sons until they reach their termination date of age forty. May 06, 2014 louise o neill talking about her fantastic novel only ever yours freida and isabel have been best friends their whole lives. Pdf only ever yours book by louise oneill free download. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 400 pages and is available in kindle edition format. Louise o neill is the feminist powerhouse and outspoken voice for change whose novels only ever yours and asking for it helped to start important conversations about body image and consent. Only ever yours ya edition paperback 2014 by louise oneill author 3. Upon hearing about only ever yours by louise oneill, a feminist dystopia in which girls are bred for their beauty, i knew i had to read it.