Type of read: Commuter Read.

What made me pick it up: I was looking through available audiobooks at my local library and 'Women Talking' was included. The description had me incredibly intrigued and I borrowed it right away.

Overall rating: You need to go into 'Women Talking' in the right mindset. It's not a book for everyone - the format alone could drive someone bonkers - but I think it tells an important story. For those reviewers who don't like that the story is told from the perspective of a man, I would urge you to understand why it's being told that way. I believe Toews knew what they were doing when they picked that point of view and used it as a way to further share the inequities of the women included in the book.

If you open 'Women Talking' and expect a riveting, page-turner of a book, you're going to be disappointed. If you open it expecting to hear the story of the women, from a historical fiction perspective, you're in the right spot. The discussion the women have is a cold, nearly emotionless look at how they are supposed to move on in life, protecting themselves and their children, while maintaining their religion and being true to the God they have decided to follow.

Taking format and context into consideration, I would recommend 'Women Talking' but only to select readers and with the caveat that it's more of an educational than an enjoyable read.

Reader's Note: 'Women Talking' includes themes of sexual abuse, religion, and child pregnancy.