Risk

by Elana Dykewomon

Risk is a beautifully told story that spans the years from the mid-eighties to the post-9/11 world. Carol is an idealistic, Berkeley-educated, Jewish lesbian living in Oakland, California. Downwardly mobile, the Berkeley grad makes her living by tutoring high school students. Through Carol’s life, Dykewomon explores the changing times and values in America. She contemplates war, class, race, community, love, relationships and change in mythic, historic Berkeley. Whew!

Genres: Queer, Fiction, Lesbian, LGBT, Lesbian Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2009

About the author

Elana Dykewomon is an activist, an author, and a teacher and has a fiercely dedicated readership who have been eagerly awaiting her next novel for a dozen years. One of the finest thinkers—and writers—the women’s movement has produced, she has worked for the last fifteen years as an editor and teacher of composition and creative writing, both independently and for San Francisco State University. (from the publisher's website)

Red Room - Elana Dykewomon's Biography

Reviews

[Faith Reidenbach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recommended to all, but especially to dykes who are middle-aged right now and are familiar with 1970s lesbian feminism. And to middle-aged dykes who are hungry for literary lesbian fiction that concerns women older than 20!

[Hayley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hated the dialog...most of it superflous. Didn't like the stereotypical approach to butch/femme relationships. Thought the politics presented were gratuitous. Had no real love for the characters so I wasn't really invested in the outcome. I read Beyond the Pale several years ago and loved it. This just did nothing for me.

[Bywater Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

New novel from the author of Beyond the Pale and They Will Know Me By My Teeth.

[Kay Samuel · Rating 2 out of 5]

this premise came off like lesbian "uncut gems" but it's the late 80s to early 00s but came off as more of a slice of life piece that goes on for waaaaaay too long. it takes a long time to really figure out its footing and by the time it does, it's the last 100 pages and i was already bored with it. a lot of the "bigger" moments in this seem to come outta left field, and blow over with ridiculous quickness that made me wonder why it was included in the first part.
and i'd be willing to forgive a boring book. the characters are likeable enough and the interactions between the friend group made me sad for all of the gay pre-covid times that we no longer have. but then there were the weird tangents about race every couple chapters, and then the gay cop, and then the aggressive use of the t slur and blatant transphobia for like two pages. just too many strange things thrown into a boring book that i couldn't get past. this was clearly meant for an audience i'm too black, too young, and too pro-trans to get into. also i'm not a friggin gambler. none of the gambling chapters made sense to me.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An absorbing, intelligently-written book about a woman, her lover, her friends and allies, and her family. It's too rare to find lesbian fiction that isn't just a coming-out story, but begins after the characters are out in a community of friends, comfortable in their skins, in (and out) of relationships, into activism and living their lives. There were many pages of gambling jargon I skimmed, but the tension and excitement of the plot still came through. Dykewomon's writing steps into stream-of-consciousness and poetry but brings us along. Now I want to re-read They Will Know Me By My Teeth as well as to find her other fiction.

[Oliver · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love slice of life lesbians i love jewish lesbian literature i love butchfemme appreciation i love magical realism

[Christa · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was really surreal reading a book where the characters are representative of my community -queer, fat, political, anti-capitalist. It was amazing! It also spoke to many of the struggles we face in terms of privilege, relationships and sustainability in community organizing.

[Bett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read an early version and loved it.

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did skim the last few chapters a bit, but overall I really liked it.

[GGG · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't find this book nearly as compelling as Beyond the Pale. This one is more heavy-handed with politics. Not as smooth with character development.

[l]

I can’t finish this.