English / Spanish
I don’t even know where to begin with what is wrong in this book. But I’ll try.
For starters, the words the author uses to talk about women: afford a woman, pursue a woman. Since when are we objects someone may or may not be able to afford? And the fact that you are saying that if a man is xxxx is not deserving of pursuing a woman? No one, deserving or not deserving, can pursue a woman.
Another one: ask her to be yours. And again: no person is an object that has to belong to another. If a person (woman or man) decides to love you and be with you, congrats. But not even in that case is that person yours. That person only belongs to herself/himself. And it may be considered poetic to say “he belongs to me” or “she belongs to me”, but together with all the other bad stuff of this book is simply annoying and worrying.
Honestly, I think the main problem is that this is written by a man who doesn’t understand (or even tries to) women. Because there are male authors who write beautiful, healthy poetry about women, but this is not the case. This book is promoted as empowering and is supposed to spread the message that you are beautiful as you are, both in and out. But actually, instead of that, it treats us like we are silly, incapable to make the right choice (unless it's some superficial choice), and compares choosing a partner which choosing which selfie to post:
If only you picked your man in the same manner you chose which selfie to post, which outfit to wear, or which restaurant to eat at. Being picky can help secure the right pick at times.
And it doesn’t stop there, don’t you dare to go out and live your life while you are not married, don’t you dare to date a man if you are not going to marry him (the author doesn’t even consider you may not want to get married):
Perhaps if you wait for a husband and stop treating boyfriends as kings, you will no longer kiss the wrong frogs.
And yes, there were poems I liked, but when I finished this book I couldn’t feel anything but offended and disgusted, so there are many many many more wrong things with this book than right ones.
SPANISH
No sé ni por dónde empezar a describir lo que está mal de este libro. Pero lo intentaré.
Para empezar, los verbos que usa para referirse a las mujeres: permitirse una mujer, perseguir a una mujer. ¿Hola? ¿Desde cuándo somos un objeto que pueda o no alguien permitirse? Y que plantees que si un hombre es xxxx no es digno de perseguir a una mujer pues tampoco me sirve. Ningún hombre, digno o no digno, debe perseguir , repito, perseguir , a una mujer.
Y otro caso: pídele que sea tuya . No. No. No. No va a ser tuya. No es un objeto que puedas definir como tuyo. Es una persona, y si decide estar contigo y amarte, enhorabuena. Pero ni siquiera en ese caso será tuya. Solo se pertenecerá a sí misma. Y sí, ya sé que a veces es una cosa muy poética de decir, “él es mío” o “ella es mía” pero es que en conjunto con todo el resto de este libro, en esta ocasión roza lo preocupante.
Para ser honesta, creo que el principal problema de este libro es que el autor es un hombre que no entiende (ni intenta entender, parece) lo que es ser una mujer. Porque hay hombres que escriben poesía bonita y verdadera y nada tóxica sobre las mujeres. Pero este no es el caso. El libro se da aires de empoderamiento y de que una mujer es bonita tal como es, por dentro y por fuera, pero luego nos trata de tontas o de elegir mal mientras compara cómo elegimos pareja con como elegimos qué selfie subir o en qué restaurante comer:
If only you picked your man in the same manner you chose which selfie to post, which outfit to wear, or which restaurant to eat at. Being picky can help secure the right pick at times.
Ah, y encima nos aconseja quedarnos en casita a esperar al marido ideal, nada de salir a vivir tu vida mientras tanto, libertina, fresca, a ver qué te has creído teniendo novios con los que al final no te casarás (porque es que además ni se plantea que no te quieras casar):
Perhaps if you wait for a husband and stop treating boyfriends as kings, you will no longer kiss the wrong frogs.
Y sí, sí que ha habido poemas que me han gustado, pero la sensación final al acabar el libro ha sido tan de disgusto y de sentirme ofendida, que lo malo gana a lo bueno por mucho.