Tag: bleak

  • How a ‘bleak’ 30-year-old Belgian book about women caged in an underground bunker became Gen Z’s ‘favourite’ novel


    Gen Z have been captivated by a Belgian 30-year-old book about women who are caged by men – which has sparked comparisons to dystopian thriller, The Handmaid’s Tale.

    Readers on BookTok have been left sobbing and claim the ‘bleak’ sci-fi novel absolutely ‘ruined’ them – and the previously little-known work has gone from selling just a few copies annually to thousands per year being snapped up at book shops.

    Pop star Dua Lipa even recommended it in her Service95 newsletter, which praised it as ‘evocative and thrilling’.

    The plot of I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman tells the story of 39 women, who are kept in a bunker-type underground burrowing which is heavily guarded.

    The prisoners are told nothing – and have no memory of how they got there – with only the flickering of a light to tell them anything about time or place.

    However, one day an alarm sounds and the captured are free to leave – with the short book exploring what freedom means above ground.

    The book has clearly had a profound effect on readers, with many taking to social media to express being equal parts impressed and devastated by the book. 

    ‘Guys I am not OK,’ TikToker @this_bookish_thing said in a video, holding up the cover. ‘Finished it, broke my heart into a thousand little pieces.

    Gen Z have been captivated by a Belgian 30-year-old book about women who are caged by men - which has sparked comparisons to dystopian thriller, The Handmaid's Tale

    Gen Z have been captivated by a Belgian 30-year-old book about women who are caged by men – which has sparked comparisons to dystopian thriller, The Handmaid’s Tale 

    ‘I had a lump in my throat for most of the book… this ruined me.’

    Others remarked that while the novel will leave you frustrated, it impressively handles thought-provoking themes.  

    ‘The way passage of time is dealt with heightens this feeling of existential dread,’ @alinaslibrary said in her review. ‘It also contributes to how bleak this book feels.’

    However, she found it will leave you with more questions than answers – and ‘you wont feel satisfied’.

    ‘I personally felt quite empty and overwhelmed at the same time after reading this one,’ she continued.

    ‘If that doesn’t sell it, I don’t know what will!’ 

    Elsewhere, influencer @frostgalaxy called it 'one of the best books she read' in 2024. 'I literally haven't been able to stop thinking about this book since I finished it,' she said

    Elsewhere, influencer @frostgalaxy called it ‘one of the best books she read’ in 2024. ‘I literally haven’t been able to stop thinking about this book since I finished it,’ she said

    'Guys I am not OK,' TikToker @this_bookish_thing said in a video, holding up the cover. 'Finished it, broke my heart into a thousand little pieces

    ‘Guys I am not OK,’ TikToker @this_bookish_thing said in a video, holding up the cover. ‘Finished it, broke my heart into a thousand little pieces

    The book has also been praised for its 'beautiful' but 'accessible' writing and prose, and TikTok commenters have admitted to being unable to stop thinking about it after picking it up

    The book has also been praised for its ‘beautiful’ but ‘accessible’ writing and prose, and TikTok commenters have admitted to being unable to stop thinking about it after picking it up

    Elsewhere, influencer @frostgalaxy called it ‘one of the best books she read’ in 2024.

    ‘I literally haven’t been able to stop thinking about this book since I finished it,’ she said.

    ‘Frustratingly, it poses and asks so many questions and yet refuses to answer any of them.

    ‘Bleak and unsettling in the endless pursuit of answers with an emotional edge that definitely leaves an impact. I’d highly recommend.’

    And BookToker @nicolereads98 found that ‘this book makes you feel so grateful for everything you have in your life’.

    ‘It’s a great representation of how strong women can be, how amazing women can be when they come together as a team… how women do not need men to survive,’ she said.

    ‘The book is very bleak there were no answers to your questions – and it has some beautiful poetic prose.’

    An independent bookshop recommended the read on TikTok, comparing it to another revered classic.

    BookToker @nicolereads98 found that 'this book makes you feel so grateful for everything you have in your life'

    BookToker @nicolereads98 found that ‘this book makes you feel so grateful for everything you have in your life’

    An independent bookshop recommended the read on TikTok, comparing it to another revered classic

    An independent bookshop recommended the read on TikTok, comparing it to another revered classic

    It has sparked comparisons to A Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, which tells the story of a dystopian future where women are made to procreate. Pictured, a still from the TV adaptation

    It has sparked comparisons to A Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, which tells the story of a dystopian future where women are made to procreate. Pictured, a still from the TV adaptation 

    ‘Let me tell you about a hauntingly beautiful book that had me hooked,’ @veranda.bookshop in London shared.

    ‘I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman is dystopian fiction but feels like so much more – it’s like stepping into a dream and then realizing it’s a nightmare you can’t wake up from.

    ‘It’s not action-packed, but it makes you think about existence, society, and loneliness in a way few books do.

    ‘This is the kind of book that crawls under your skin. It’s about survival but also so much deeper – a mix of The Handmaid’s Tale vibes with existential philosophy. Perfect if you love something unusual that makes your brain work overtime.

    ‘Recommended for: fans of quiet dystopian novels or anyone who wonders about “what it means to be human.” Warning: it will leave you with questions, but that’s half the fun.’

    The book has also been praised for its ‘beautiful’ but ‘accessible’ writing and prose, and TikTok commenters have admitted to being unable to stop thinking about it after picking it up.

    As shared by Goodreads, author Jacqueline Harpman was born in Etterbeek, Belgium, in 1929, ‘and fled to Casablanca with her family during WWII’.

    ‘Informed by her background as a psychoanalyst and her youth in exile, I Who Have Never Known Men is a haunting, heartbreaking post-apocalyptic novel of female friendship and intimacy, and the lengths people will go to maintain their humanity in the face of devastation,’ the platform added.

    The Guardian reports that I Who Have Never Known Men has seen US shops struggling to keep copies of the book in stock, and in the UK, Waterstones’ head of books, Bea Carvalho called it a bestselling staple of fiction sections across our bookshops’.

    According to the outlet, 45,000 copies sold last year – which is ‘an elevenfold rise on 2022’.

    The book’s translator, Ros Schwartz, told the publication she has been surprised by the sudden fervour for the novel – but guesses it ‘just strikes a chord with the younger generation, which it didn’t at the time’.

    ‘And whether that’s to do with publicity or whether it’s completely random, I don’t know,’ she added. That’s one of the wonderful things about publishing – you never know.’

    Ros’s first translation came out in the 90s – but decades later, in 2019, she released an updated version.

    Nick Skidmore, publishing director at Vintage, also told the Guardian more curiosity in the novel may stem from its catchy title – as the translation was initially published as The Mysteries of Silence.

    ‘I think the book captures this sense of the world where people are feeling bewildered. It’s a profoundly existential book, like some of the classics resonating with gen Z right now – Dostoevsky’s White Nights, for example,’ he said.

    ‘The type of stories that engage with very weighty questions of our existence.’





    In recent years, a surprising trend has emerged among Gen Z readers – a newfound love for a seemingly obscure and bleak 30-year-old Belgian novel about women trapped in an underground bunker. Originally published in 1991, “The Bunker Chronicles” by Belgian author Marie-Louise Gallet has seen a resurgence in popularity, with young readers hailing it as their new favorite novel.

    The novel follows the lives of five women who are held captive in a dark and oppressive underground bunker by a mysterious captor. As the women navigate their confinement and grapple with their own dark pasts, they form a bond that transcends their circumstances and ultimately leads to a daring escape.

    So, what is it about this dark and unsettling story that has captured the hearts of Gen Z readers? Some suggest that the themes of resilience, friendship, and the enduring power of the human spirit resonate deeply with a generation facing an uncertain future. Others point to the novel’s exploration of complex female characters and the ways in which they navigate trauma and adversity.

    Despite its bleak premise, “The Bunker Chronicles” has struck a chord with young readers who see themselves reflected in its themes of resilience, friendship, and the indomitable human spirit. As Gen Z continues to champion diverse voices and narratives in literature, this unexpected favorite is a testament to the enduring power of storytelling to connect us across time and space.

    Tags:

    1. Belgian book
    2. Women in literature
    3. Underground bunker
    4. Gen Z novel
    5. Bleak literature
    6. Female protagonists
    7. Dark fiction
    8. Contemporary literature
    9. Literary analysis
    10. Book review

    #bleak #30yearold #Belgian #book #women #caged #underground #bunker #Gen #favourite

  • Column: It’s another bleak Christmas for the Chicago Bears. This isn’t what was promised.

    Column: It’s another bleak Christmas for the Chicago Bears. This isn’t what was promised.


    Who would have ever imagined the Chicago Bears would be here on Christmas morning, with nary a football present and a dark lump of something beneath a scraggly tree that looks like it belongs on Mount Crumpit.

    This, certainly, wasn’t what was promised. This wasn’t what anyone was imagining back in the summer when the “Hard Knocks” hype was peaking, when all the growing optimism felt justified, when general manager Ryan Poles was touting the leadership style of his head coach and the depth of the offensive line he built.

    Back then, the positive energy inside Halas Hall and all around Chicago was infectious. Visions of meaningful football being played around the Christmas holiday were everywhere. The playoffs felt like a possibility.

    Turns out that was all flimsy, hope-filled delusion.

    Those cinematic HBO slo-mo shots of a made-over Matt Eberflus? They feel so comical now. So does the current state of Poles’ O-line.

    And all that outside optimism? Destroyed like a recklessly handled Amazon package.

    Holy cow.

    So how exactly did the Bears get here — to 4-11; to loss No. 9 in an interminable losing streak; to frustrated, exhausted and totally out of hope? It has been a whirlwind of misfortune and failure.

    And, oh, by the way: The Bears still have two games to play, including a quick-turnaround home finale Thursday night against the Seattle Seahawks at Soldier Field. That’s the type of holiday-week test that would challenge even the sharpest and most focused team. Instead, the Bears must get themselves locked in with little left to play for and with the psychological bruises of four consecutive blowout losses still throbbing.

    And if they can’t rise up to meet this particular moment? Well, they risk further humiliation with the threat of matching the longest in-season losing streak in franchise history.

    It’s downright depressing, isn’t it, to stare into that fireplace and see the team’s playoff dreams as a pile of ash?

    And all those inevitable reflections on this 2024 season? Why do they seem to be accompanied by the jarring, shrieking soundtrack of a horror film?

    Let’s get reel

    Is anyone really up for taking inventory on all the times this season that the Bears have been on the wrong end of viral embarrassment? From Doug Kramer’s fumble to Tyrique Stevenson’s premature “Hail Mary” celebration to Cairo Santos’ blocked kick to Eberflus’ Thanksgiving day audition for “Frozen.”

    Every game, it seems, brings at least one “Hold on … is that even possible???” moment. And Sunday wasn’t any different as the Detroit Lions came to Chicago rolled to a 34-17 win, laughing all the way.

    Take your pick at the Bears blunder that felt most stupefying.

    Was it “Stumble Bum,” the Lions’ trick play that fully flummoxed the Bears defense with a pretend fumble in the backfield and then a nifty 21-yard touchdown pass from Jared Goff to tight end Sam LaPorta? (Wouldn’t it be fun to be so good that you have to fake your mistakes?)

    Shortly after, Goff was seen on the sideline reviewing the play with coach Dan Campbell with both of them delighted and amused.

    Was it Austin Booker’s neutral-zone infraction just before the two-minute warning of the first half when football logic, basic math and Goff’s exaggerated signaling gave a strong indication that the Lions had zero intention of snapping the ball before a fourth-and-1 from the Bears 25-yard line? (To be fair to Booker, teammate DeMarcus Walker also jumped into the neutral zone but just didn’t get nabbed for it.)

    Or was it that odd fourth-quarter possession in which the Bears had first-and-5 at the Lions 22 and somehow ended the drive with — wait for it — a 30-yard punt!

    Yep. You read that right. First-and-5 at the Lions 22. And they wound up punting.

    Incomplete pass. Loss of 1. False start. Sack. Delay of game. Punt.

    From the Lions 42. Down by 17 points with a little more than eight minutes remaining.

    Wow.

    No wonder veteran tight end and Bears captain Cole Kmet was so agitated after the game, declining the opportunity to identify a few silver linings within an offensive performance that netted 17 points in a blowout loss.

    “I’m kind of done doing that,” Kmet said. “I’ve been through this. Two years ago, you’re trying to find positives to things (after losses). But it’s hard for me to be real with myself and find positives when it’s 34-17. So.”

    So.

    Lost

    To add context to Kmet’s real talk, the Bears have gone five consecutive games without holding a lead after halftime. In the last three losses, they have trailed by double digits the entire second half.

    So, yeah. No. There are no positives to cling to. Not until the Bears can at least get themselves back into another meaningful fourth-quarter moment. And who knows whether even that might trigger a collective case of post-traumatic stress disorder given the last meaningful fourth-quarter moment this group was in.

    Remember that? Back on Thanksgiving. Final minute in Detroit.

    Nope. This wasn’t how this season was supposed to unfold. At all.

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    There were supposed to be meaningful games all the way through December. And all the critical moments folded into those games were supposed to test the Bears and help them grow into a playoff contender.

    This was supposed to be a season in which — regardless of the final record — the Bears were making undeniable advancement toward a more meaningful future. The Bears were supposed to be building a staircase to the next level. Instead? They made a stack of banana peels held together by thumb tacks and tried to climb it.

    And the accidents just kept coming. For almost three consecutive months. Error after astounding error. Loss after demoralizing loss.

    Even the mostly encouraging season of quarterback Caleb Williams has felt worrisome to some. Because of all these damn losses. Because of this post-Thanksgiving dearth of game-on-the-line challenges.

    Williams sure seems like he might be the answer to stabilize the sport’s most important position. But at the end of a rookie season in which the Bears fired his offensive coordinator in Week 10 and his head coach three weeks later, it’s still very much a guessing game. Especially as Williams prepares to unite with an entirely new coaching staff in the next six weeks or so.

    There will be a restart. There will be new questions to answer. The obstacle course will be challenging.

    For the entire team, it’s truly daunting now to consider just how much hard work and heavy lifting is ahead for the Bears just to reach a destination in 2025 they had confidently believed they had made earlier this fall — the NFL’s middle tier.

    But nope. This isn’t that. No way. This is 4-11. Nine-game skid. Last place. New coach needed.

    This is a roster that needs major upgrades and a locker room that needs a new start and a fresh vision.

    This is a Bears team that’s now nine games behind the NFC North-leading Lions and Vikings and seven games out of third place.

    This is Christmas in Chicago, 2024. And even with all of its familiarity, that void beneath that scraggly tree sure produces an empty feeling. How many more holidays like this can one organization truly tolerate?



    As we approach another holiday season, the Chicago Bears find themselves in a familiar position – on the outside looking in at the playoff picture. This isn’t what was promised to fans when Matt Nagy was hired as head coach or when Mitchell Trubisky was drafted as the franchise quarterback.

    Despite high hopes and expectations, the Bears have once again failed to live up to their potential. The offense continues to sputter, the defense has regressed, and the special teams have been anything but special. Injuries have taken their toll, but every team deals with injuries – it’s how they respond that sets them apart.

    The lack of progress and consistency is frustrating for fans who have endured years of mediocrity. The promise of a new era under Nagy and Trubisky has not materialized, leaving many wondering if significant changes are needed in order to turn things around.

    As we gather with loved ones and reflect on the year gone by, Bears fans are left with a sense of disappointment and frustration. Another bleak Christmas is upon us, and the future of the beloved franchise remains uncertain.

    One thing is clear – the Chicago Bears must do better. It’s time to deliver on the promises made and give fans a reason to believe once again. Until then, the holiday season will be a somber one for Bears fans everywhere.

    Tags:

    Chicago Bears, Christmas, football, disappointment, NFL, sports, column, analysis, team, bleak season, promises, letdown, struggles, Chicago sports, holiday season, football season

    #Column #bleak #Christmas #Chicago #Bears #isnt #promised