Women in the Shadows

by Ann Bannon

Book Overview

Designated the "Queen of Lesbian Pulp" for her landmark novels beginning in 1957, Ann Bannon's work defined lesbian fiction for the pre-Stonewall generation. Following the release of Cleis Press's new editions of Beebo Brinker and Odd Girl Out, Women in the Shadows picks up with Beebo's relationship with Laura waning, as both women become caught in the cultural tumult (gay bar raids, heavy drinking, gay rights advocacy) that anticipates...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 157344149X
• ISBN13: 9781573441490
• Release Date: August 2002
• Publisher: Cleis Press
• Length: 200 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.8" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

It is as it says

Women in Shadows is screwy to me at some point but i really like Ann Bannons' work . Its continuation of Laura marrying Jack Mann and having a baby. I love how the main character grew on her own way then while everything is all well and good then you realize she's still a human being and tend to make a whole lot of mistake.

Groundbreaking for what it is

.... I was initially offended by the violent overtones of the relationship between Laura and Beebo. However, reading the author's afterword opens some light into the nature of the darkness in this novel. Her preceding two novels in the series, Odd Girl Out, and Beebo Brinker, take an idealized and fantasized view of lesbian relationships. This novel attempts a more realistic approach to the real problems that plague relationships, including lesbian ones. The setting in which the book was written greatly affected the author, as homosexuality was indeed considered an unnatural, unhealthy affliction for the time period of the 1950s. While the characters display a desire to be 'normal' the author is unwavering in that they are, at the heart, gay, and no amount of wishing or trying can change that. While the female protaganist does indeed marry the gay male protaganist, she does NOT become romantically involved with him and maintains her defiant lesbianism throughout. This book explores themes no lesbian comtemporary author was doing at the time: interracial relationships, artificial insemination, domestic abuse, even femme-femme (as opposed to the proverbial butch-femme) attraction. ....

Pulp Fiction

This novel has important historical significance. Originally published in 1959, this novel broke from the formula of 1950's lesbian pulp fiction. It dealt with real issues in lesbian relationships like domestic violence, racism, and internalized homophobia. Other lesbian pulp fiction novels of the time were simply voyeuristic looks at lesbians and fostered the image that lesbians were predatory monsters. The women in this novel were tied to 1950's conventions, but they were still ahead of their time. The plot leaves much to be desired; it is very depressing. However, this book should not be brushed aside because it is outdated. In its proper historical context, this novel is a masterpiece.