I was very excited to receive a copy of this one! This book conceptually is really interesting and I like seeing this topic explored so thoroughly in one book. I thought the way in which the chapters were organized made a lot of sense and helped me as a reader build the knowledge I was learning.

Since this book is based in science, the language used was sometimes a teensy bit overwhelming, but this is coming from a girl that barely scraped by in any science class. What I thought was done really well was how the science and technical writing was balanced by a more conversational commentary from the author. She did a good job of weaving in how the info she is giving us is culturally significant, or at least reminding us why it’s so interesting.

Overall it was a really enjoyable read for me! I’ve already recommended it for some holiday gifts this year because I know plenty of others that will also get enjoyment from it.

I may be a science nerd but oftentimes I find science books incredibly dull, boring, and dry. Not this book!! Such an interesting, fascinating read with lots of humor interspersed throughout. I definitely am looking forward to future books written by the author.

Everything you never knew you wanted to know about women is in this book. Cat Bohannon frames the particulars of women evolutionarily, from the dawn of live births to the changing uterus to sexism. This book will leave you with plenty of did-you-know facts that you'll want to share with everyone, and it'll expand your knowledge of understanding of women and how we became what we are.

4.5 Stars

Eve is my newest non-fiction book that I have been recommending to everyone I know that is either female or in the medical industry treating females, even before I finished it.

Accessible to the masses, Bohannon has written an incredibly well-researched and nuanced book that delves into the "Eves" that were the first of our sex in our evolutionary family tree to possess traits that are the defining characteristics of what makes a female human a female human. Everything from the first "Eve" to develop and secret milk ducts for her young to suckle to theories regarding why we are one of only a handful of species to undergo menopause, each chapter is full of a combination of fact and modern day theories as to why those adaptations occurred (whether through societal or environmental pressures or simply by accident) and how those adaptations have influenced the survival of the human species up until now.

Although the book is mainly written about cis-gendered women, there is plenty of thoughtful ackowledgement of transwomen and transmen who are born biologically female and how these adaptations are addressed in modern society. I especially liked the recognition that most medical research has historically been done solely on the male sex and how that impacts dosages of medicine and treatment for women today. Truly, the health of women has always been dismissed and as a species, it is becoming increasingly detrimental to our survival in the long term.

Eve is thought provoking and in my opinion should be read by both women and men alike. It does become a bit more philosophical and a tad preachy near the end, but I believe the author's arguments to be sound and her frustrations towards the patriarchy are justified based on the history of the treatment of women in the last few millenia. Some may have a difficult time with all of the footnotes, but they are full of pertinent additional information and should not be skipped. If you love learning about the history of women, biology, or anthropology, then this is one that you will definitely want to put on your TBR.

Huge thank you to NetGalley, Cat Bohannon, and Knopf for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

Interesting, but a lot more dry than I expected. There is a lot of conjecture and the author tries to back everything up with fact, but there was still a lot of speculation. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. #sponsored

This is probably the most empowering book I've ever read. Learning about why my body functions the way it does, evolutionarily, is so so cool. I would recommend this book to ALL women. It conveys really quality science in a way that is fun and digestible for all audiences.

This book is such a comprehensive and fascinating read that starts to identify the gaps in the research about women's bodies. This book does such a great job of managing what must have at one point felt like an unwieldy task. Structuring the book with each chapter moving forward in time and focusing on one adaptation was such a great way of handling so much material and research. It was also a great balance of readable and incredibly informative, so it reads like a good, (incredibly knowledgeable) friend is sharing what they've learned over coffee. I couldn't recommend this book more highly, both to scientists and the wider public.

I was intrigued by the concept and there’s definitely a lot of information in this book. However it was a little dense for me and it was feeling more like homework to pick it up which isn’t what I’m looking for in my reading right now. I may try again in the future. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the free ebook to review.

Have you ever wondered how much you don’t know about the female body? Thought about what there is to know beyond what you learned in school? This book is for you!
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Bohannon packs a lot of information in as she explores how the evolutionary history of the female body. But you don’t need to be a science or history master to understand the material - she breaks it down in understandable terms, using animals and features we can recognize in ourselves as comparison.
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I have never felt smarter than I did after reading each chapter of this book. The author share so good information that is anchored in evolutionary history but she ties into how women live today for an overall beautiful, scientific, feminist, wonderfully educational read.

This enjoyable and informative book is densely packed with scientific investigations, observations, and hypotheses that are presented with humor and an awareness of how these topics are treated and discussed socially as well as scientifically. There is a lot of data here to consider (e.g. placentals developed and thrived in response to the same catastrophic event that killed the dinosaurs), theories and speculations to debate (e.g. that the most important tools that define our evolutionary progression are not weapons ala 2001: A Space Odyssey, but gynecology), and curious factoids to bring up with friends (e.g. breast milk responds chemically on a daily basis to immune information that the breast receives from the child during feeding). I am already looking forward to discussing it in book clubs next year and hearing what findings, narratives, and arguments hook different readers.

"Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution" by Cat Bohannon is an absolute gem for anyone curious about the intricate dance of biology and evolution. This book masterfully unravels the profound influence of the female body in shaping the course of human evolution over millions of years.

Cat Bohannon's writing style is engaging and accessible, making complex scientific concepts easily digestible for readers of all backgrounds. The narrative takes us on a captivating journey through time, weaving together scientific evidence, anthropological insights, and cultural anecdotes to paint a vivid picture of our evolutionary past.

What sets "Eve" apart is its focus on the often overlooked role of women in shaping our species' development. Bohannon skillfully highlights the critical contributions of female biology, behavior, and social structures in driving the evolutionary trajectory of Homo sapiens. It's refreshing to see a book that sheds light on the powerful agency of women throughout history.

The author's meticulous research is evident on every page, and their ability to distill complex scientific studies into engaging storytelling is commendable. The inclusion of vivid illustrations and diagrams further enhances the reader's understanding and appreciation of the subject matter.

One of the most striking aspects of "Eve" is its celebration of diversity within the human species. By examining the evolutionary history of various populations across the globe, Bohannon underscores the rich tapestry of human existence, emphasizing that our shared lineage is a testament to the strength of our collective genetic heritage.

Overall, "Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution" is a must-read for anyone with an interest in evolution, anthropology, or simply a curiosity about the incredible journey that has led to the human species we know today. Cat Bohannon's insightful narrative is a triumph in scientific storytelling, and this book deserves a place on the shelf of every science enthusiast and curious mind alike.

I was provided an advanced copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Eve is a fascinating take on female mammalian evolution. This book goes into great depth using mammals from our distant past to show how the various aspects that make female mammals what they are today such. Personally, I liked how Bohannon uses some imagination and brings each mammal along the road to life. I also like the fact that given this book is a work of science writing, Bohannon was not afraid to use and did use personal information in various places.

Yes, I could and maybe perhaps go into some of the more innards of the book, however, I believe one should read this amazing book and explore this interesting subject on ones own.

If you have a passion for science, evolution, and delving into the intricacies of the female body, you'll find this captivating book a compelling read. It's rich with concepts, insights, and thoughtful analysis. While Bohannon adds a touch of humor to lighten the tone, the deliberate pace contributes to the depth of the content rather than being a drawback. The book is dedicated to exploring female-centric details, making it the focal point of the entire narrative. One noteworthy aspect is Bohannon's skillful connection of evolution to contemporary issues, as evident in her final chapter.

While the book is information-heavy, it remains thoroughly enjoyable. Occasionally, there are sections where opinions seem to outweigh pure scientific content, but I appreciate how the book challenges established norms and questions long-held assumptions.

Combining science with story-telling and generous amount of wit, Cat Bohannon has delivered a book rich with the facts and details a science lover like me drools over.

She delivers a read as enticing and attention grabbing as can be achieved while chronologically recounting the history of the female body of many genus.

At first, I was apprehensive, as I could imagine how tedious a read like this could get given the intensive amount of research necessary to dive this deep. However, I couldn’t stop reading, and I’m fact wished I had it in hand rather than on screen so I could annotate to my heart’s content.

As a radiology major focusing on the human body from a more anatomical perspective, having this in-depth account of the minutia of the female body’s physiological functionality was so satisfying, Anyone who has even the slightest interest in anthropology, anatomy, physiology, or evolution, both macro and micro, should read this book.

I can’t wait to get a physical copy in my hands and on my shelf.

Thanks #netgalley for this book in exchange for an honest review. This book is a little dense and was slow for me to read but enlightening.

As a woman in science, I think that it is incredibly important that we highlight not only the lack of female representation historically in research, but also that we put in the effort to correct these failures in current and future research. Cat Bohannon does an excellent job of delving into the world of female evolution and how it effects much more than many people realize.

This was fascinating and written so well, I loved the author’s style of narrative. Bohannnon was able to layout so much information in an entertaining and easy to follow way. This is definitely going to be my recommended book to everyone for nonfiction November!

This dense nonfiction book took me forever to read and digest, and it was worth every minute. I'd suggest this in bite-sized chunks to anyone interested in the subject.

If you love science, evolution, and learning about the female body's workings, read this fascinating book. It's densely packed with ideas, information, and cogent analysis. Bohannon often lightens the mood with humor, but it's a slow read overall. This isn't a negative. If you like female-focused details, that's the entire point of this book. I particularly liked how she ties evolution to present-day issues in her last chapter.

Thanks to NetGalley, Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor, and the author for a digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for this honest review.

4.5, rounded up

This was so fascinating! It’s wild how little—as a biologically female person—I know about biologically female bodies. I definitely found the earliest chapters to be the most fascinating and scientific evidence driven, but I also found the later chapters theorizing about how hominids gained some of these unique traits like menopause super thought-provoking. There was a bit of repetition, but that was probably more so because of the length/complexity of information being discussed. Would highly recommend to any evo bio lovers/those interested in reproductive health stuff!