This is such a funny and entertaining read! A Tale of Two Titties focuses on the ways that male authors have written women since the dawn of time but in a fun and approachable way.

A Tale of Two Titties by Meg Vondriska is an engaging and accessible vat of information on women's position in literature. I love how colorful and colloquial this book is. As a longtime lurker of @MenWritingWomen , this book consolidates the humor and outrage of being a female reader, writer, or person. While I'm not a writer, many (*ahem* male) writers could benefit from giving this a peruse - certainly before deciding to make your main characters female ... again (looking at you, King and Sagar). I enjoyed the satirical, tongue-in-cheek approach Vondriska takes throughout the book, and she's hilarious to boot. This book reminds me of the Guerilla Girl's books on women in the arts (high praise). Overall, this is a fun and engaging way to process and begin chipping away at the sexism that has plagued literature (and the larger world).

I really desperately wanted to like this book. The cover was intriguing, the concept was interesting, but the writing was not landing with me. This was unfortunately a “did not finish” for me. Maybe I’ll go back to it someday, but today is not that day!

Full of interesting lines, and tidbits about writing. I wasn’t exciting how much sarcasm would be layered in the pages, but it really worked in talking about feminist issues

narky, with a big helping of sarcasm. Written as a tongue in cheek handbook for women to write a best seller like their male counterpart, it also includes quizzes and a significant sampling of direct quotes from all the heavy-hitters used as examples to illustrate the author's points.

The best part of the book for me is that I felt less alone in my frustrations with men writing women badly and that someone is out there is calling them on it.

Formatting for the ARC was difficult to read as the footnotes were interjected within the main text, so the last half was skimmed.

A Tale of Two Titties: A Writer's Guide to Conquering the Most Sexist Tropes in Literary History by Meg Vondriska


A tale of two titties was a fun read, the title was interesting and caught my attention and after reading synopsis I had to read it. Now giving it a 3 stars was a dicey thing for me as most of the book was spot on about how male writers sexualise and objectify women and their bodies especially breasts.


Author has mentioned so many famous writers including Steinbeck who is my favourite btw but I never noticed the implied. So either we are so used to men doing it or women being objectified that it doesn't raise our concern in this particular regard. I was astounded, appalled and horrified, as well as laughing at points.

My only issue was it got repetitive and should not have been this long maybe because towards end I was really losing my interest and I wanted myself engaged till the end of the book but in the end I just couldn't. Also writing style was a bit haphazard or something was just missing in it, like it read like a medical research paper or something, I couldn't really put my finger on it but it also bothered me a bit.

If you look at most books even today, most are male centric,coz we live in a patriarchal world. It furiates me , no wonder the tone of the book is also furiating and satirical.

Thank you sourcebooks and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.

DNF’ed at 10%.

This has a lot of potential but unfortunately the excessive footnotes really doesn’t work well in the kindle arc format. The footnotes often show up before they are even referenced and the writing just ended up feeling very jumbled. I’m sure it’s better in the final version with proper copy editing!

This book was a much needed comedic relief...even if some of the content that has you laughing also makes you want to cry at the fact that it's true and based on real examples. The title is what first caught my attention of this book & the cover art was a very appropriate compliment.

The book is a fun way to talk about somewhat of a serious problem. It tackles what is a tension within the writing world (and lets be honest, the world in whole) where men are often able to obtain publishing deals much easier than women, for more money and without being pigeonholed into children or YA. Using a whole lot of satire, Vondriska makes light of the clear discrepancies between the expectations of male vs. female authors – and what is accepted by men that a female author would never live down the scrutiny for if they did the same.

It's an alarming and glaring look at something that is very often ignored and overlooked by our male counterparts. Men writing women is an internet sensation and Vondriska does a fantastic job of pulling together the evidence that is the clear gap in what it takes to succeed based on gender.

I love the workbook format that is used to relay the information and truly send home the points that she's making. Want to be a best selling author and be deemed one of the best of all time? Follow these steps to ensure that you never write a women with respect, dignity or most importantly...accurately at all!

The examples she chose to include from famous male authors are superb! I found myself cringing at the experts of work from authors the majority of us know like a household name, even if you aren't a reader. How they have been spoken to highly of yet might describe women's breasts as "two pleasure domes" is quite the interesting and hard reality to face.

I think what Vondriska is doing here is not only important, but very well done. I enjoyed the book as a whole and it was certainly the book that I went to when I wanted to read but also needed a good laugh. I have already purchased a copy for a friend who is a female writer and I can see it being a book I gift to other women in my life who have felt second tier to the bare minimum.

Thank you to NetGallery for the advance read copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

While I liked the concept (an exploration of the misogynistic tropes underpinning a lot of literature) I didn't love the format. It's presented as a mock guide to writing a bestselling book and includes "writing exercises" and quizzes at the end of each chapter laying out a trope steeped in misogyny. I appreciate that the author wanted to approach a serious subject with humor, but I guess it didn't quite hit for me.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the book.

This is essentially a satirical critique of the many humorous ways male writers describe women in their works. The book was funny and enlightening but it wasn't what I thought it would be. *Advance copy provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you, NetGalley for an advanced ARC of this book

I found this book interesting and I do think it was educational in places but I don't think I was the audience for this kind of book and could not appreciate it as much as others could while reading it

this has the perfect balance of humor and snark for the aspiring female writer. Meg has wonderfully transferred her (formerly known as) Twitter account into a book that captures the patriarchal double standards that exist in publishing.

This nonfiction had made me laugh so hard and also mad me so angry and sad. Angry because we have to deal with this shit and sad because it is our reality.

‘A Tale of Two Titties’ by Meg Vondriska is a brilliantly satirical yet fiercely insightful guide that tackles the glaring issue of women’s representation in literature. Vondriska’s book is both a critique of the male gaze in storytelling and a hilarious manual for those looking to beat male authors at their own game. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of feminism and literature, delivered with a sharp wit that makes it as entertaining as it is enlightening.

Accuracy: ★★★★★
Vondriska nails the absurdities of how male authors often write female characters, highlighting the clichés and stereotypes that have plagued literature for far too long. Her analysis is spot-on, rooted in a deep understanding of literary tropes and how they’ve historically been used to objectify women.

Perspective: ★★★★★
The author’s perspective is one of righteous indignation mixed with sharp humour. Vondriska isn’t just pointing out the problem—she’s calling it out with a megaphone, all while making you laugh out loud. Her ability to balance satire with serious critique is what makes this book stand out, offering readers a fresh and much-needed viewpoint on the literary world’s treatment of women.

Relevance: ★★★★☆
While the topic is incredibly relevant, particularly in today’s climate of heightened awareness around gender issues, the book’s specific focus on literature might limit its appeal to a niche audience. However, for those who care about how women are portrayed in media, this book is a goldmine of insight and humour.

Engagement: ★★★★★
From the first page, Vondriska’s biting humour and engaging style draw you in. The book is full of clever commentary and interactive exercises that keep readers hooked, making it impossible to put down. Whether you’re here for the laughs or the literary critique, you’ll find yourself thoroughly entertained.

Readability: ★★★★☆
The book is highly readable, with a conversational tone that makes complex ideas accessible to a wide audience. Vondriska’s humour and straightforward writing style make the book easy to follow, though the subject matter might require some background knowledge in literature to fully appreciate all the nuances.

Enjoyment: ★★★★★
This book is a riot. Vondriska’s humour is sharp and unrelenting, and she masterfully skewers the ridiculous ways women have been portrayed in literature. Even as you’re laughing, you’re also nodding along, recognizing the truth in her observations. It’s a book that entertains as much as it educates, making it a thoroughly enjoyable read.


‘A Tale of Two Titties’ by Meg Vondriska is an absolute gem for anyone tired of seeing women reduced to mere plot devices in literature. With her sharp wit and incisive critique, Vondriska not only highlights the problem but also empowers readers to start dismantling it from within. Whether you’re a writer, a reader, or just someone who enjoys a good laugh at the absurdities of life, this book is sure to resonate with you. It’s more than just a funny take on a serious issue—it’s a call to action wrapped in satire, and it hits all the right notes.

Thank you, NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS (non-fiction) | Sourcebooks for this ARC. This was a funny little book. Not gonna lie, I chose this book based on the cover as many of you will. The book may or may not be what you expect to be about when you read it. Some things were funny, and some were a bit over the top. Yes, many men write ridiculous tropes about women in their books. I thought this book was going to be more feminist and women's history.

This was such a fun and important book! It was probably one of my favorite reads of the year. It will definitely be something
I can reference back to and reread. Great book.

While this book was absolutely spot on for how so many male authors tend to write female characters; this book itself was a small struggle for me personally to read. It was hard to stay focused on the writing when the juxtaposition was often oddly paced. But overall it was an interesting read and entertaining.

This was a perfect book. I loved how funny it was and I loved the workbook aspect of it as well! It was very engaging and the artwork was fun!

★

This is the first time I ever picked up a book purely because of its pretty cover and / or punny title.
And it will be my last!


What I expected (based on the description)
↳ A history of how women have been presented in literature
↳ Bestselling works— hopefully many current ones to see how this problem persists nowadays, as I usually tend to read female authors— which contain sexist tropes
↳ Satire

What I got
↳ Little history of women in literature, reserved mainly for the end. Discussions of things such as female directors being snubbed at the Oscars (a very real issue!), but this has no relation to a work about sexist tropes in literature
↳ A lot of dated works, many from 13+ years ago. Very few published in the last 5 years (timely relevance is important!)
↳ An author who acted the same way all men supposedly act, and called it satire?


Criticisms:
[+] The last few chapters is where the book gets on track. The author discusses some history of female tropes in literature and why they’re problematic in the real world. Had the book’s prior analysis of the literary muses been tightened up and injected into these last few chapters, along with a further study of their history in literature and more inclusion of recently-published works, this could’ve been an effective book.

[-] The writing was sloppy, repetitive, and long-winded. This book should’ve been capped at 150 pages.



Etc.
Who is this intended for?
↳ Women are generally well-aware of how men perceive us, whether in real life or in media
↳ The tone is not welcoming to a male author or, I’d argue, any male (which means they will not read this book but if they do they’ll put it down quickly)

Which leads me to…

What is the goal of this book?
↳ To point out sexist tropes?
↳ To spark change in how women are portrayed in media?

How do you expect to achieve whatever your goal is when there is no clear intended audience, and when the audience it is reaching (women) is already familiar with how they are portrayed?

Also!
It is my personal experience and observation that has led me to believe that tactfulness is part of effectively calling someone else (or an idea, institution, etc.) out. With a quote like “This section is about stooping so far to their level that you become one with the earthworms” (among a book-length amount of other, more petulant quotes) it is clear that this book has no tact.



All that to say: The redeeming qualities of this book are its cover design and punny title.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the arc!

A Tale of Two Titties is a humorous critique of how male writers have historically depicted women in their books. There are plenty of authentic examples from current authors, from Stephen King to classic John Steinbeck, that serve to make the author's point - of the continued misogynistic tropy representation of female characters in fiction. It includes literary analysis, interactive exercises, and commentary.