Relatively Norma

by Anna Livia

Minnie, lesbian feminist from a Brixton squat, goes on a visit to Australia, where Beryl, her mother, has started a new life with baby sister Ingrid, foster-daughter Laura and second husband, a taxi-driver John. Minnie goes determined to come out as a lesbain to her mother and sisters, but they have their own revelations to make.

Genres: Lesbian, Fiction, Lesbian Fiction, LGBT

220 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1984

About the author

Anna Livia was a lesbian feminist writer and linguistic theorist. Born in Ireland, she grew up in London, England and Swaziland. As a professor, she taught at the University of Illinois and the University of California, Berkeley.

Reviews

[Nicolas Lontel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un livre intéressant, avec une bonne dose de références culturelles et militantes qui font régulièrement allusion aux oeuvres et groupes lesbiens et féministes. Il y a de bonnes critiques du patriarcat, de l'âgisme, du sexisme, de la lesbophobie, etc. sans être un livre à thèse et en les incorporant bien au récit. Il y a quand même assez d'humour (j'ai ris à haute voix dans le métro à un moment), des phrases intéressantes et un style littéraire qui arrête la lecture pour apprécier certaines phrases écrites (de temps à autre).

La narration ne m'a toutefois pas vraiment interpellé·, le livre a pourtant tous les éléments pour être un classique lesbien, mais je n'ai juste pas été absorbé· comme j'aurais pensé l'être. Ça arrive!

[Gill · Rating 1 out of 5]

Meh. Weird, dated, confusing, disappointing. I read Accommodation Offered by Anna Livia years ago and remembered it quite fondly, hence picking this one up. It was disappointing with the narrative all over the place.

[Katie Dukovcic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bit slow going but really great from the second half!

Almost dyed of laughter at the boyfriend storyline - and at many other moments throughout the book too.

Love chapter 12 and honestly I grew to like the characters all a lot more. This chapter really redeemed them all (I initially despised the lot of them)

Was nice being transported into my hometown 40 odd years ago too, all the place names etc.

Give it to your mum and your sister and then you can all discuss it!!

[Puck Duimdus · Rating 2 out of 5]

Indeed very outdated, but with a few funny passages.