Ben Vandersluis’s Reviews > Weyward > Status Update
Ben Vandersluis
is 58% done
End of part 2. Bechdel test finally cleared -- a few brief conversations with a female shop owner in which men are not the focus. Seems like this clears the bar in the most minimal way possible, but whatever. Maybe it'll get better.
Violence against women continues. Not sure I see the purpose in it, but I'm trying to withhold judgment until I finish the book. Can't see myself giving this anything more than 2 stars.
— Aug 22, 2026 01:45PM
Violence against women continues. Not sure I see the purpose in it, but I'm trying to withhold judgment until I finish the book. Can't see myself giving this anything more than 2 stars.
Like flag
Ben’s Previous Updates
Ben Vandersluis
is 89% done
Done with the novel and epilogue. Don't know why there's still 11% left. Gathering my thoughts for a review. Forewarning: I will be spoiling EVERYTHING in the review.
— Aug 23, 2026 05:14PM
Ben Vandersluis
is 34% done
End of part 1. If I weren’t reading this for a book club I’d easily DNF at this point. I can see pretty well where the story is going.
Curious that I can be 1/3 into a “feminist” novel but it still hasn’t cleared the Bechdel Test and is clearly going to contain a lot of violence against women. Not feeling very on-board with this one.
— Aug 21, 2026 08:10PM
Curious that I can be 1/3 into a “feminist” novel but it still hasn’t cleared the Bechdel Test and is clearly going to contain a lot of violence against women. Not feeling very on-board with this one.