Review: Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis

Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis

A contemporary YA novel that examines rape culture through alternating perspectives. 

Alex Craft knows how to kill someone. And she doesn’t feel bad about it.

Three years ago, when her older sister, Anna, was murdered and the killer walked free, Alex uncaged the language she knows best—the language of violence. While her own crime goes unpunished, Alex knows she can’t be trusted among other people. Not with Jack, the star athlete who wants to really know her but still feels guilty over the role he played the night Anna’s body was discovered. And not with Peekay, the preacher’s kid with a defiant streak who befriends Alex while they volunteer at an animal shelter. Not anyone.

As their senior year unfolds, Alex’s darker nature breaks out, setting these three teens on a collision course that will change their lives forever.

Format: Audiobook
Narrators: Amanda Dolan, Justis Bolding, and Dan Bittner

Published By: Katherine Tegen Books

Genre: YA - Contemporary, Mystery

TRIGGER WARNING: Rape

Rating:
✮✮✮

Review:

After absolutely loving Madness So Discreet, I’ve been wanting to pick up more of Mandy McGinnis’s books - and the Female of the Species was on the top of my list because it is about rape culture, which is something I have been reading more about and believe that more people need to read and learn more about.

Female of the Species was a good read, but it wasn’t as good as the first book I read by Monday, and that may be from placing high expectations on the book.

The few issues I had with the book were the characters. The book rotates between Jack, Peekay, and Alex. I had trouble relating to all of the characters, especially Alex. She was such a dark character compared to the others after the events surrounding her sister. I can say that I loved that she was such a unique character, but that didn’t make it easy to relate. I really didn’t care for Jack, and honestly would have preferred not having to read his perspective. For the most part, I did like Peekay’s character but like Alex, it was still hard to relate to her.

The other big problem I had with this book was the ending. It was sad, and very unexpected. And personally, I felt it wasn’t satisfying - and not necessarily because that was the route taken, but because I just felt it wasn’t done well.

I would recommend this book for contemporary readers because I still feel that it is an important book to read.