This book turned out to be about a man, unexpectedly. I’d expected an ulter-feminine book, because of the title, I think, but it was all about men, and male universes. Even when reading about one of the female characters, it seemed like all that mattered was men, either by their absence, their neuroses, or their traditionalism.
Carolyn Cooke does touch on some interesting things, like the accidental acceptance of a black girl into an all male, all white, private school. Had the book followed Carole, I would have liked it a lot more- she was spunky and smart and original. Instead, the book is clouded by the presence of the school’s headmaster, who is ornery and old-fashioned but not in an exciting way. His stasis drags the book down, despite the abundance of good writing and characters like Carole.
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