Out of all the books on the topic of the #metoo movement i feel that this really stands out amongst them in it's conveying of the history of this issue. However I feel like it left out trans and non binary folks in a way that left me scratching my head.

Awakening: #MeToo and the Global Fight for Women's Rights by Rachel B. Vogelstein and Meighan Stone is a magnificent primer on contemporary gender activism around the world inspired by the #MeToo movement. I learned so much from this book. It's truly wondrous how technology and the internet specifically has connected people within their communities and globally to grow intersectional grassroots activist movements. Awakening focuses on 7 countries, with a separate chapter devoted to each. I found this to be a phenomenal, eye-opening read.

Thank you Perseus Books / Public Affairs and NetGalley for providing this ARC.

Thanks to Perseus Books and NetGalley for the free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Awakening by Rachel Vogelstein and Meighan Stone covers the global impact of the #MeToo movement, as well as shining a light on the events that have been going on before that movement got international attention. It draws lines between the concurrent events in other countries, and how women standing up in one country influenced other women to stand up too.

This book was very informative, and the authors felt invested in sharing these women's stories. It was sometimes hard to get through their stories, as they were very emotional. There are many stories about women being sexually assaulted and harassed, so be aware of the triggers there.

I'm very glad I read this book, as it gave me a global view of #MeToo.

I thought this book was excellent. I read a lot of feminist literature and what made this stand out to me is its purposeful focus on countries other than the US, to show the far-reaching effects of the #metoo movement as well as to show how true gender parity cannot be achieved in isolation. This is a true movement to equalize the sexes and it’s a battle being found around the world, not just in the US. And even in the countries where the battle is seemingly already won, like Sweden, this book shows there is still much work to be done.

I thought the writing was really good and planned out and it’s clear through the many stories in each chapter that the authors did extensive research and spoke with many people during the writing process. I love the focus on different countries, from countries where it’s perceived that women have few to no rights, like Egypt and Pakistan, to countries often known for their extreme liberalism and quality of life, like Sweden. The prologue and epilogue were great, especially the epilogue and its 5 R’s for achieving true gender parity. A 5 star read for me!