... covers much of the same territory, but, here, West is more overtly political and angrier. The result is bracing: The essays consider such varied topics as Grumpy Cat, climate change and the on-screen depiction of abortion. But they cohere as a unit, bound by West’s humor, outrage and — in the end — hope ... West isn’t satisfied sticking to politics. Too much of her best writing is about pop culture, after all ... a bit uneven, with throwaway rants about such trivialities as pockets in dresses (West, shockingly, is against them). And some readers will be put off by the dedicated and enthusiastic swearing ... But even the weakest essays have searingly smart lines in them, and the best among them are brilliant. Most thrilling of all is the overarching tone of swashbuckling courage: West knows what she wants to say, and she really doesn’t care what you think ... In the end, the book is a stirring manifesto for honesty.
... less personal than polemical. When she’s good, she’s very, very good — bracingly original, biting and funny — and when she’s not, the reader still finds brilliant nuggets ... The essays in which West deconstructs cultural icons — such as Adam Sandler or Joan Rivers — who are not touchstones for me, were less effective. Yet even these pieces contain incisive, memorable passages ... Unapologetic, salty, tired of making nice, West gives us another refreshingly nervy essay collection. While not as poignant or funny as her first book, this one is fueled instead by a righteous anger. Let the witches come.
... a manifesto for the post-Obama, pre-impeachment-investigation, #MeToo era ... The problem is, West’s 'you' feels heavily focused on white, cisgender men while overlooking the fact that white women can be just as invested in white supremacy as their male counterparts. She draws a clear line between men and women when, in reality, both parties can be guilty of harmful perspectives regardless of where they fall on the political spectrum ... West never connects the dots to the bigger picture, where white women have been overrepresented in media since time immemorial while people of color — irrespective of size or intellect — are still fighting for visibility and freedom from menial, poverty-stricken or criminal roles (or all of the above) ... But West herself willfully ignores the ways that prejudice against the L.G.B.T. community intersects with so many other kinds of oppression — or else, just as damning, she simply doesn’t see it ... a fiery book from an admirable author, but a witch hunt has to cover all the angles if it hopes to have a real and lasting impact.
[a] punchy new book ... The New York Times columnist and author of a memoir, Shrill, sounds off on everything that is getting under her skin these days—and hold my chalice, because the list is long and granular ... West transforms these slights against accountability into a discussion of our culture’s love affair with lies, and by extension, the malignant effects of the right wing and the Liar-in-Chief ... West has a real gift for smack talk that will make readers laugh out loud, or at least I did ... The quest for likability, West states, is a trap keeping women from accruing real power, and, furthermore, why would anyone want to be likable in a racist, sexist world?
In [West's] characteristic tone that embraces both a clear-eyed explanation of injustice and slightly manic pop-culture (and poop) jokes, the essays here cover memes, abortion, Adam Sandler movies, and the framing of women’s anger as hysteria. Throughout, she exposes the temper tantrum currently being thrown by those in power who refuse to acknowledge the world is changing ... Equal parts hilarious and sobering, West’s words will help fellow witches articulate why they are so fired up (YES!).
West returns with her signature wit and unapologetic snark ... most essays make compelling points about social and environmental injustice. But some succeed more than others ... she refers to Ted Bundy admirers (and incels in general) with homophobic dismissal. Even as a throwaway line, the surprisingly tone-deaf insult undermines the core of the essay. It’s not the thoughtful use of humor West’s readers expect from her. And while the oppression of the gender binary is acknowledged, that binary is perpetuated in that very same argument. It’s hard to avoid using this binary language but important in a book that deals with social justice; it’s tiny corners like these where those harmful structures assert their power ... This is where anti-racist and queer frameworks are needed to build a progressive conversation about how to dismantle white-supremacist, cis-hetero patriarchy ... The openness with which West writes about 'cancel culture' is refreshing ... West is at her best when her humor and sincerity complement each other ... There is plenty of sincerity in these pages ... Many of these essays grapple with base morality, which feels apt. The world demands this reflection — there is so much evil with so much power, there is the looming problem of climate change. These are difficulties of morality, and West argues there is a pressing need to fight for what is beautiful and right. In this way, The Witches Are Coming succeeds in balancing darkness with light, despair with a kind of reverence, playfulness with rage ... That’s an alchemy, a spell, that West can pull off better than most.
There is less scene, more exposition; less vulnerability, more swearing; less character-building, more, well, just, more. More anger, preening, intelligence and implicatiom ... West is often most effective when she pulls the unexpected into her laser view, such as the creators of South Park, Adam Sandler’s movies, or Chip and Joanna Gaines of the television series Fixer Upper ... Along with the expected brilliant humor, West’s writing can also be beautiful and bewitching ... West continues to employ history, logic, and her own brand of extreme truth-telling in this new collection, a well-timed rallying cry as we enter into the next election cycle.
... [a] sharp, up-to-the-minute, witty collection of essays ... Covering everything from the 2016 election and #metoo to abortion rights and fat-positive body representation to the climate crisis, West’s latest will have progressive readers, especially longtime followers of her work, nodding along, quoting passages to friends. Hand to fans of Rebecca Traister, Ijeoma Oluo, and Roxane Gay.
Tough, irritated, and eager to speak her truth, the author expounds on the unifying aspects of visibility and activism to cultivate change, especially when countering the denigration of women. Her sharp wit and no-nonsense sense of humor also shine through her dissection of the work of Adam Sandler, Gwyneth Paltrow’s diet plan, and how movies like Clue shaped her perspectives and appreciation for one-liners and physical comedy. West rarely minces words, especially regarding documentaries on the Ted Bundy murders and the Fyre Festival or when expressing her sheer appreciation for the legacy of Joan Rivers, and her writing is fluid and multifaceted. Though she often rages at social injustice, she also becomes solemnly poetic when discussing her fondness for the drizzly Pacific Northwest, where she was raised and still resides ... Only occasionally are the smoothly written essays hijacked by intrusive asides—e.g., her experience inside a proselytizing Uber driver’s car, a scene wedged into her reflections on climate change. Though uneven at times, the author drives home the critical issues of our time while taking time to tickle our funny bones ... Satirical, raw, and unapologetically real, West delivers the bittersweet truths on contemporary living.
... [a] keen eye and sardonic sense of humor ... Some of West’s targets are a little easy, and she’s preaching to the choir on issues such as sexism and climate change. Though this is a different kind of book than the more personal Shrill, fans of West’s trademark wit and sharp tongue will be satisfied.
