Feminine power

The only work of fiction by feminist author Roxanne Gay, Difficult Women is a collection of short stories featuring difficult, troubled, headstrong, and unconventional women. Gay, whose first book and autobiography, Hunger, was a trailblazer in its unflinching approach to abuse, mental illness and eating disorders, tackles uncomfortable topics once again with these short stories. By no means an easy read, this book intends to demystify the feminine, break stereotypes and affect readers with its graphic and visceral descriptions of flawed and unlikeable women. While her writing strays into the realm of carelessness, it nevertheless stands out for how much Gay refuses to write women as one-dimensional, almost saint-like figures. The women of her book are unlikeable, and often weak — yet all have an authenticity to them.