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Three Women
One of the best novels to come out of the golden age of lesbian pulps, this 1958 classic returns to delight a new generation of readers.
Phil Carlson's marriage proposal is 18-year-old Paula's ticket out of the tenement and dingy life with her alcoholic father. But the dream dissolves the moment Paula meets Byrne, Phil's wealthy aunt. Byrne, an artist who lives in Greenwich Village, is bewitched by Paula's crush on her and daringly allows it to blossom, despite the dark secret that forever ties her to another woman.
Phil Carlson's marriage proposal is 18-year-old Paula's ticket out of the tenement and dingy life with her alcoholic father. But the dream dissolves the moment Paula meets Byrne, Phil's wealthy aunt. Byrne, an artist who lives in Greenwich Village, is bewitched by Paula's crush on her and daringly allows it to blossom, despite the dark secret that forever ties her to another woman.
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1958
10 people are currently reading
335 people want to read
About the author
March Hastings
80 books13 followersWriting in New York City in the 1950s and 60s, March Hastings, a pseudonym of Sally Singer, was one of the most prolific authors of the lesbian pulp era. She now lives in Florida.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
August 22, 2016
Actual Rating : 2.5 stars
I one clicked this because of the cover and the fact it was considered lesbian pulp. It was written in 1958 and I have always loved the pulp covers from this time period. I don't know what I was expecting, but this was not it. I enjoyed the writing and the characters, but the pacing and plotting was strange. Also, there was absolutely no description of intimacy. It was ridiculously fade to black. I guess I assumed the contents would be as racy as the covers. Maybe a woman falling in love with another woman was the height of raciness in 1958.
I one clicked this because of the cover and the fact it was considered lesbian pulp. It was written in 1958 and I have always loved the pulp covers from this time period. I don't know what I was expecting, but this was not it. I enjoyed the writing and the characters, but the pacing and plotting was strange. Also, there was absolutely no description of intimacy. It was ridiculously fade to black. I guess I assumed the contents would be as racy as the covers. Maybe a woman falling in love with another woman was the height of raciness in 1958.
May 31, 2018
Three Women hits most of the notes of lesbian pulp fiction from its era. It has a young, naïve lesbian, an experienced older woman, a jealous douchebag guy, and heaps and heaps of tragedy ().
For me, however, this is only an ok novel. It's overly long and feels stretched out in places, and there are a few side plots that aren't really satisfying and are suddenly dropped without being brought up again (such as with the ex boyfriend, the main character's family, and the ailing father).
If you are a fan of the genre then this is worth a read. If you are just curious and want a good introduction to vintage lesbian pulp, then do yourself a favor and pick up something by Ann Bannon.
For me, however, this is only an ok novel. It's overly long and feels stretched out in places, and there are a few side plots that aren't really satisfying and are suddenly dropped without being brought up again (such as with the ex boyfriend, the main character's family, and the ailing father).
If you are a fan of the genre then this is worth a read. If you are just curious and want a good introduction to vintage lesbian pulp, then do yourself a favor and pick up something by Ann Bannon.
September 25, 2018
3.5 rating.
This was a journey to one mid twentieth century f&f relationship. I seem to think based on the few books I have read of that era that gay relationships by at least one upper class partner pretty much means they lived in many ways as normal as such a time would allow. In a way I am pleased by this but also quite upset that a classified few only had such privileges.
This book was engaging, emotionally revealing of one particular relationship. It kind of echoes a message of NOW because we never know tomorrow. I have got to say I enjoyed it... Perhaps it does deserve a full 4stars
This was a journey to one mid twentieth century f&f relationship. I seem to think based on the few books I have read of that era that gay relationships by at least one upper class partner pretty much means they lived in many ways as normal as such a time would allow. In a way I am pleased by this but also quite upset that a classified few only had such privileges.
This book was engaging, emotionally revealing of one particular relationship. It kind of echoes a message of NOW because we never know tomorrow. I have got to say I enjoyed it... Perhaps it does deserve a full 4stars
January 6, 2023
Much better written than most lesbian pulp. The writing reminded me of actual novels from this era instead of the sensationalized prose of pulp. That being said, something was lacking. Insta-love between the main characters was present, but that is to be expected. It was interesting to see how coy and truncated the sexual scenes were vs. pulp that was published only a few years later.
What was shockingly abnormal about this story was how the men were not really antagonists. At one point, when Byrne was recounting a tale of waiting alone in a house with a friend's uncle, I thought something bad was going to happen and was shocked when he behaved like a human being. The conflict being centered around the character of Greta was a welcome change, though depressing in a different way. I did enjoy this, but was somewhat dissatisfied by something about it. Perhaps the characters.
What was shockingly abnormal about this story was how the men were not really antagonists. At one point, when Byrne was recounting a tale of waiting alone in a house with a friend's uncle, I thought something bad was going to happen and was shocked when he behaved like a human being. The conflict being centered around the character of Greta was a welcome change, though depressing in a different way. I did enjoy this, but was somewhat dissatisfied by something about it. Perhaps the characters.
March 13, 2013
It is amazing (to me, at least) how so much pulp fiction of the 50s and 60s is well-written, especially the kind by women like March Hastings.
Though definitely a sign of their times (often failing to have a happy ending because popular culture, and even the postal office, demanded it), novels like Three Women can still have value today. Society has certainly progressed these past five decades, but very few gays and lesbians manage to escape their lives untouched by hatred, whether from the world in general or their own family members.
Also amazing is how once you peel away the contributing factors to what sets up the major conflict in Three Women, you are actually addressing an age-old question both straight and gay people face in relationships no matter the era: What do you when your partner's ex is always in the background, even when she isn't physically there?
Two of the three women in the title definitely and tragically fall victim to a society that tells them being gay is not only "wrong," but "sinful" as well. The third woman, Paula, falls victim not so much to homophobia as she falls victim to her own impatience and lack of faith in the woman she loves. The reader wonders if things would end differently if Paula just didn't push so much.
No doubt about it...Three Women does not have the happy ending anyone who believes in true love would like it to have. Refreshingly, though, it never condemns the love found within these pages.
I could be reading too much into it out of some hopeful need to see it, but I think Hastings was actually suggesting tragedy befalls everyone when a harsh world dictates who should and shouldn't be able to love each other.
Though definitely a sign of their times (often failing to have a happy ending because popular culture, and even the postal office, demanded it), novels like Three Women can still have value today. Society has certainly progressed these past five decades, but very few gays and lesbians manage to escape their lives untouched by hatred, whether from the world in general or their own family members.
Also amazing is how once you peel away the contributing factors to what sets up the major conflict in Three Women, you are actually addressing an age-old question both straight and gay people face in relationships no matter the era: What do you when your partner's ex is always in the background, even when she isn't physically there?
Two of the three women in the title definitely and tragically fall victim to a society that tells them being gay is not only "wrong," but "sinful" as well. The third woman, Paula, falls victim not so much to homophobia as she falls victim to her own impatience and lack of faith in the woman she loves. The reader wonders if things would end differently if Paula just didn't push so much.
No doubt about it...Three Women does not have the happy ending anyone who believes in true love would like it to have. Refreshingly, though, it never condemns the love found within these pages.
I could be reading too much into it out of some hopeful need to see it, but I think Hastings was actually suggesting tragedy befalls everyone when a harsh world dictates who should and shouldn't be able to love each other.
October 4, 2022
“She had reached for the stars, for Byrne, and found hell. Easiest wasn't always best.”
I enjoy historic lesbian fiction far more than modern ones simply because I hate being reminded of my present. but also, I don't get dumb (yet very real) conflicts. of course, Three Women is not wholly unique; the ex as the main conflict is a classic one (and a favourite).
My main criticism of this story is the suddenness of Paula's attraction to Byrne, particularly in the beginning. The experience of reading through their first meeting felt absurd that a few pages later she was immediately so eager for this woman. Don't get me wrong - I get it. But as a matter of the reading experience where the atmosphere exists in the look, the "what is this feeling"-ness of the encounter, but is not played with enough, it was lacking. there's a difference between meeting someone with whom you can confide about a heretofore unexplored part of yourself and falling in love with them can be disconcerting, i suppose. but they're not grounds for romance. but Byrne offered nothing of note in the vein of a romance novel. Paula's attraction was a leap of logic and belief. I was just supposed to accept that Paula is now in love with Byrne.
part two of the novel entails a backstory between Greta and Byrne. it was the most compelling section of the story for me. the treatment of forced heterosexual marriage as the source of Greta's breakdown can be felt through the ages.
April 13, 2020
What I expected: tawdry, lustful, trashy filth.
What I got: a lesbian romance story, perhaps very shocking in the 1950s, but fairly straightforward for our times, if somewhat overblown in a soap opera way.
And still, I read it cover to cover, because somehow March Hastings is very readable. Yes, I have read four March Hastings books, now. I'm not even sure how that happened. I picked up a few in a bookstore in the States (mostly based on the covers). And then I bought this one on Kindle.
Speaking of Kindle... Someone clearly took the physical text, scanned it into digital, and never proofread it. There were multiple glitches in the text -- more than once the word "I'll" was made up of three 1s. As in "1'11". In a few places a word was actually unreadable because it as glitched in some way. Can't they pay someone to read digital scans to correct for this kind of thing? Apparently not.
I can't make that part of my review (it's not March Hastings fault) but had to mention it.
If you pick this book up expecting filth, you'll be disappointed. But maybe in a good way. Instead it's a soap opera with a thin plot and big feelings. The sex scenes are more of the "fade to black" variety, with no explicit details beyond kisses and bodies pressed together. All the same, I found the emotional experiences of Paula (our main character) enjoyable.
It's an interesting piece of history.
What I got: a lesbian romance story, perhaps very shocking in the 1950s, but fairly straightforward for our times, if somewhat overblown in a soap opera way.
And still, I read it cover to cover, because somehow March Hastings is very readable. Yes, I have read four March Hastings books, now. I'm not even sure how that happened. I picked up a few in a bookstore in the States (mostly based on the covers). And then I bought this one on Kindle.
Speaking of Kindle... Someone clearly took the physical text, scanned it into digital, and never proofread it. There were multiple glitches in the text -- more than once the word "I'll" was made up of three 1s. As in "1'11". In a few places a word was actually unreadable because it as glitched in some way. Can't they pay someone to read digital scans to correct for this kind of thing? Apparently not.
I can't make that part of my review (it's not March Hastings fault) but had to mention it.
If you pick this book up expecting filth, you'll be disappointed. But maybe in a good way. Instead it's a soap opera with a thin plot and big feelings. The sex scenes are more of the "fade to black" variety, with no explicit details beyond kisses and bodies pressed together. All the same, I found the emotional experiences of Paula (our main character) enjoyable.
It's an interesting piece of history.
Read
January 18, 2020It's nice for what it is. It definitely reads like pulp--the author never tries anything fancy with the text, everything is straightforward about what it is saying--but that's a nice change sometimes. There was never a point where I was rolling my eyes at the characters being willfully asshatted, as happens so frequently in novels where there's a third act breakup. And the ending in this edition seems to be the 80s era ending, which I'm told is less depressing than the original.
The cover amused me, because all three women on the cover are very generic, pretty women, and while I know which one is theoretically which based on hair color there is so much more character in the book. Par for the course, I suppose.
The cover amused me, because all three women on the cover are very generic, pretty women, and while I know which one is theoretically which based on hair color there is so much more character in the book. Par for the course, I suppose.
Read
May 28, 2023Not rating this one, because I read it expressly to razz it for Trash Gay Book month.
This book was first published in the 50s, but was republished in the 80s, giving the author the opportunity to give it a happier ending. And what do you know…two of the three women survive! Not bad for the time.
The prose was not great, but it was also NOT boring.
This book was first published in the 50s, but was republished in the 80s, giving the author the opportunity to give it a happier ending. And what do you know…two of the three women survive! Not bad for the time.
The prose was not great, but it was also NOT boring.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 20, 2021
Read this for a research project and very much did not enjoy my time. Interesting place within the lesbian pulp fiction context, but just not really enjoyable.
September 10, 2012
I enjoyed this queer pulp novel an awful lot. It was such a wonderful mixture of realism and fantasy. The main character Paula was living poor in New York with an alcholic father and a soon-to-be-proposing boyfriend. At 18 she was working a dead end job as a secretary and looking forward to being married. But then she met her fiance's aunt and all that changed. Paula's relationship with Byrne definitely bored on the fantasy part of the story. She met a lesbian instantly fell in love and changed her whole world. It was like there was a story of this ordinary girl trapped in this world of poverty and alcholism who practically invented this perfect rich lesbian who'd be able to take her away from it all. The mixture of the reality and the fantasy was odd but made for interesting reading.
Part two where you learned of Bryne and Greta's relationship felt much more realistic. Here were two girls who fell in love and started having sex. Not realising there was anything wrong Greta told her mother how WONDERFUL it all was and her mother freaked out. The resulting breakdown Greta suffered was realistic and terribly sad. One thing that bothered me about the book was how Greta was then portrayed as a horrible monster. She was violent, an alcoholic and had sever mental health issues but you couldn't help feel sympathy for her anyway. It also raised the question of responsibility and happiness in relationships and how much you should sacrifice yourself and feel responsible for another's behaviour.
While the book was flawed it was still very enjoyable and I will definitely track down more books by this author.
Part two where you learned of Bryne and Greta's relationship felt much more realistic. Here were two girls who fell in love and started having sex. Not realising there was anything wrong Greta told her mother how WONDERFUL it all was and her mother freaked out. The resulting breakdown Greta suffered was realistic and terribly sad. One thing that bothered me about the book was how Greta was then portrayed as a horrible monster. She was violent, an alcoholic and had sever mental health issues but you couldn't help feel sympathy for her anyway. It also raised the question of responsibility and happiness in relationships and how much you should sacrifice yourself and feel responsible for another's behaviour.
While the book was flawed it was still very enjoyable and I will definitely track down more books by this author.
September 14, 2021
March Hastings is my favorite pulp author, & Three Women has a lot going for it, especially given its 1958 publishing date. Be aware there are 2 different versions- the original 1958 one, & a 1989 Cleis Press edition that has the ending Hastings wished she could have written back in the fifties. I definitely prefer the updated version.
Many things in this book do not conform to standard lesbian pulp of the time. The lesbians are not villainous or psychoanalyzed. Byrne is actually one of my favorite characters in all of lesbian pulp. She is the older established lesbian, but she is NOT a predator. Paula, the younger inexperienced one, goes after HER. Byrne is glamorous, wise, & kind-hearted. Paula sees their love as pure & just as valid as heterosexuality. The problem isn’t presented as if it’s something sick in THEM, the thing that makes their lives hard is society’s judgment. Both Paula & Byrne are entirely sympathetic.
Hastings’s writing gets better as her career goes on, but this is still noticeably better than most of the other pulp out there. It definitely reads as a book written by a lesbian for lesbians. It doesn’t feel sexually exploitative or objectifying at all.
Many things in this book do not conform to standard lesbian pulp of the time. The lesbians are not villainous or psychoanalyzed. Byrne is actually one of my favorite characters in all of lesbian pulp. She is the older established lesbian, but she is NOT a predator. Paula, the younger inexperienced one, goes after HER. Byrne is glamorous, wise, & kind-hearted. Paula sees their love as pure & just as valid as heterosexuality. The problem isn’t presented as if it’s something sick in THEM, the thing that makes their lives hard is society’s judgment. Both Paula & Byrne are entirely sympathetic.
Hastings’s writing gets better as her career goes on, but this is still noticeably better than most of the other pulp out there. It definitely reads as a book written by a lesbian for lesbians. It doesn’t feel sexually exploitative or objectifying at all.
November 25, 2011
This was a really fun book, taken in context. Mine is the annotated kindle version, and the note in the end describing the rise of paperback pulp and the general position and demand for lesbian up within that is great. Especially as it relates to the absurd ending.
The book itself has some really great moments of writing, though it's often stilted and awkward -- as would be expected. Paula is a bit of a typical obnoxious, selfish and silly romance heroine, and Byrne is sort of the dissolute duke type, but it's extremely entertaining as a historical exercise. Definitely going to be reading more 50s lesbian pulp ASAP.
The book itself has some really great moments of writing, though it's often stilted and awkward -- as would be expected. Paula is a bit of a typical obnoxious, selfish and silly romance heroine, and Byrne is sort of the dissolute duke type, but it's extremely entertaining as a historical exercise. Definitely going to be reading more 50s lesbian pulp ASAP.
August 10, 2011
Awesome lesbian pulp. Picked it up for "historical" purposes, as I had never read anything from this genre before. Thought it would teach me something about lesbian community in the 50s. To my pleasant surprise, I enjoyed it back to front. Nothing to write home about - but you can read it like you eat jube-jubes. Soft, sweet, junk food.
November 29, 2007
So apparently this classic lesbian pulp fiction was targeted mostly at small-town lesbians who didn't have the benefit of living in Greenwich Village…and prurient men. I think I know which category I belong to.
May 23, 2014
Excellent book. Years ahead of its time.
July 1, 2017
I liked this book. It reminded me of my youth when I read pulp fiction.
It's a sweet lesbian love story.
It's a sweet lesbian love story.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews