Lately I've been on a classics reading spree, and to find a book that tells you why and how your favourite classic female writers came to write their respective masterpieces, well I had to read it.

I was pleasantly surprised to learn the adversities that almost all the female writers faced in their time. From breaking societal norms to rising above family pressure, multiple rejections to posthumous publications, our brilliant classic female authors have seen it all.

The graphics used to depict the stories of each author were brilliant and eye-catching and perfectly depicted the emotions surrounding that point in time. Some of the authors whose lives are discussed are Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, Emily Bronte, Anne Bronte, Louisa May Alcott.

I had goosebumps while reading about how Charlotte Bronte got the idea for Jane Eyre.

A brilliant book to learn about the greatest female writers whose books are timeless classics!

𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 𝒄𝒐𝒑𝒚 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝑵𝒆𝒕𝑮𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒓 Chronicle Books 𝒊𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘.

Overview

They drew me to the book last month because it had female authors, and it was Non-Fiction. That it had a Graphic Novel element was something that added another reason I wanted to read this. After I started the novel, I knew that I would enjoy it and that I would learn about female authors, and classic authors I knew and ones I wanted to learn about through this novel.



Writing

The writing in this novel was fantastic. They present the information in such a way that it keeps you engaged in the Non-Fiction sections. Where the writing takes this book from good to great is in the comic that follows the information about the author. Every author has an important moment of her life as a comic, and this helps the reader understand where the author was in this moment of her life more because there is a visual to go with the writing. The comic text is easy to follow, and it is easy to read, which for me adds a few bonus points. The tone of the comic matches what we learned about the writer in the Non-Fiction Section. Sometimes when reading a Graphic Novel or comic, the writing can take away from the art, or the visuals, here the writing enhances the art. Overall, the writing was informative, and took a snapshot of the writer’s life and works, presenting the information in a new and fun way.

Art

What makes this book over the top is the art. Each panel of the comic about each woman is crafted so beautifully, and the designs on each scene are eye-catching. From reading the comics, you can tell that the illustrator took time with every page and panel because they crafted each with such detail. Another thing I loved about the art was that each comic looked different. A lot of these women lived around the same time, and yet the same design was not used twice, because, like their comics, each women’s story was unique.

Why She Wrote was a delightful non-fiction read. I enjoyed learning about the famous writers from this book. The graphic novel aspect was a nice touch, and made this book even more enjoyable. I'd recommend this book to others.

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher, Chronicle Books, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adored this book. I wasn’t even 1/4 way through and I had to preorder myself a physical copy of this. I loved getting little bits of insight into the lives of some of the women of classic literature and their works. Not only do I now know more about these amazing women, I want to learn even more about their lives and read all the different things they published

It was such a great read!!

How could I not ask a book about women writers? Still, I saw "graphic" and I didn't realise there would be bits of "comic strips" (I lack "better" words) telling these women writers' stories. It was SO GREAT! I really loved it! So much so that, when I reached the end, I couldn't help crying: "But, it's already over?!"

I learnt a lot about some writers I already knew, some writers I only knew by name, and others I didn't even know! I loved that there were always connections between one woman or another, for instance, the three Brontë sisters, or Louisa May Alcott and Frances Hodgson Burnett, or one inspired by another, like Jane Austen inspired by Frances Burney.
The divisions in the book felt right and I loved that there were always three women described in the same section. I also loved that each biography starts with a written introduction of the author's life before proceeding to the graphic part of a particular aspect or event of her life. Some (I'd say most, even) of these parts are moving, be they joyful or terribly sad. The one about Frances Burney broke my heart and I felt physically ill reading it. I hope the one about Ann Radcliffe came true. Now, I feel like I know these women and, of course, I want to read more about them... and to read more of their works!

I loved the illustrations, loved the choices made by the authors, loved the added anecdotes and the selection of works by each woman writer at the end of each biography, loved the bibliography. This book made me want to read all the works mentioned, be they by the novelists presented or by others who wrote about them. No need to say my wish-list exploded, and I thank the authors for that!


To conclude, I can only say: one of the best biography collections I ever read! I'd like a sequel please!!

I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was a cool take on a graphic novel, and I liked the focus on women authors. The graphics were well done, and the stories were engaging. I felt like I walked away from this book with even more respect for these women!

This was such a fun tour through the lives and work of some of the most interesting women writers around. It's definitely a great introduction to the subject, and as someone who has a PhD in nineteenth-century literature, I thought it was accurate as well as enjoyable. A great tool to get people interested in reading classic women's literature!

This is the perfect way to include short comics and written text. This book is perfect for anyone who loves to learn about the women behind famous classic novels. I did not know all of the authors but I enjoyed reading about the ones I love like Jane Austen. It is amazing to see an illustrated portion of the author's life combined with a synopsis. It also includes all of the works they have written.

This book grew out of the writers’ podcast, Bonnets at Dawn, which was sort of a “who would win this fight” but with Charlotte Bronte and Jane Austen in opposite corners; it later expanded to include other women writers. They group the writers in threes, each triad focusing on an issue such as pseudonyms or intellectual property rights, then gives a brief bio of each writer followed by a comic that depicts one moment or motif in her life. So basically it’s “You’ve heard of this writer, right? Did you know she’s really badass? Here, let me show you!” And then we see Mary Wollstonecraft going to France to report on the Revolution first-hand, Elizabeth Gaskell reacting badly to bad reviews, and Beatrix Potter complaining about people stealing her IP – and then doing something about it. And Charlotte Bronte, truly a force of nature, not only gets her own chapter but barges into both her sisters’. While the focus is on European writers, the authors change it up a bit with some Americans, including several women of color. This is the best sort of biography, in that it makes you want to learn more about the subjects and read their work, and the authors provide plenty of information on how to do just that.

Why She Wrote provides a brief glimpse into the lives of female authors from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. A list of their works follows the short biographical sketch and discussion of their work and their influence on later writers. The authors categorize the authors into chapters and also draw connections among the authors. The panels offer more insights about the situations these women found themselves in. The graphic novel format helps make the book more accessible. I wish that we could have learned more about each woman, but as the authors say, each woman's life would fill its own book.
Overall, this is a thoughtful introduction to women authors and a celebration of their perseverance and ingenuity through their challenges. This is definitely a book I would want to include in my classroom library

I really enjoyed this book for what it is: An introduction into the lives of 18 women authors, at a specific time in their lives. If you know the history of the women in this book, you will be bored by this book. If you are looking for an introduction on female literary history, this book is a great place to start. In addition, there is a list of sources in the back you can use to continue learning or to research a particular author that interests you. 18 is hardly a comprehensive list, which the authors themselves admit in the introduction and acknowledgements. Still, I think this book is a quick, enjoyable little intro into some of literature's women authors

This book is a lovingly compiled collection of tales from the lives of 18 females writers who blazed trails and stood the tests of time. It is a fun read that you can pop in and out of with ease. You can feel the passion the writer has for the subject and I look forward to finding out more through their podcast.

I received a free E-ARC of this book from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was an interesting book about 18 classic women writers during their time period and why they wrote. For example, Charlotte Bronte knew that after her dad died their home would be given back to the church so she needed her own money to survive. After several rejections of her other works, Jane Eyre was the financial success she needed. There was a short biography followed by a graphic illustration depiction of an important event in the writer’s life. Some of the other women included in this book were: Frances Burney, Jane Austen, Ann Lister, Emily Bronte, Alice Dunbar Nelson, Beatrix Potter, and Louisa May Alcott.

This was a very well researched book. The graphic illustrations added to its interest level. This would be a great introductory book for students to learn about these great women writers who inspired and empowered other women- not only in their lifetime but future generations as well.

An ARC was given for an honest review.

Why she wrote focus in the reasons some great female writers had to write, a collection of turning points in the lives of the women that wrote some of the great literary works of the history.

I like the way this book is structured, it has several sections of three authors with similiarities, every author subsection has a fixed structure, first an introduction that explains important details about their lives, after that some comic pages that explain the main story and at last some curious facts and a list of the most known works of the author.

I received a digital ARC (advanced reader copy) from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book summarizes the lives and works of 18 women who made great contributions to English literature in spite of the social norms of their day. While most will be familiar with some of the women in the book (Jane Austen, Mary Shelly) there are quite a few that most people have never heard of (Edith Maude Eaton, Anne Lister).

The book also has a beautiful format consisting of a short summary of the author's life and works succeeded by comics and illustrations of scenes from the authors' lives. Their inspirations, personalities, and actions are explained to the reader through the comics. Personally, I really loved the comics in the book. It allows the reader to understand and sympathize with the author easily and gives us a better understanding of the author than a regular biographic essay. The only issue with the comics is that the cursive font can be difficult to read on the computer, however it could look better in print.

I read this book because I wanted to read more women's literature and I will definitely be exploring many of the works that are mentioned in the book. This is a fantastic book for children to learn about prominent women in literature and a valuable introduction to women's and feminist literature for both children and adults.

It is a unique and original book. The life stories and professional careers of these writers are truly inspiring and encourage the reader to dare to fulfill her dreams and break with the standards and social positions to which women are subjected. Highly recommended.

Thank you for Netgalley and Chronicle Books for gifting me an e-ARC in exchange of an honest review!

This is a beautiful little collection of English and American female writers in an innovative format. We get a mix of traditional biography with comic strip inserts to illustrate some pivotal point/important aspect of the subjects' lives and works.
Obviously, there were the big names like Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, Emily Dickinson, Mary Shelley, etc. But there were more than one I have never heard of which I'm delighted about! I'm a die hard literary nerd so I don't often get surprised. Now, the authors point out that these depictions are in no way comprehensive; indeed, it would be an impossible task. I still believe they captured the essence of who these women were and what their work meant to them and means to us now. I definitely learned some new, interesting tidbits and put quite a few books on my TBR, as a result of the neat little collection of works insterted at the end of every profile.

ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had my doubts when I picked up this ARC on one fine weekend. The cover for the graphic novel made me think that it was a non-fiction instead of an entertaining graphic novel about outstanding female authors. I wish when I grew up I could read a book like this to inspire me when I was younger as this is the best format to show the younger generation about the history of literature. A history where 18 women also took part in shaping.

Why She Wrote is graphic novel that is fit for readers of all ages, I highly recommend for people to pick this up especially if you admire works by authors such as : Frances Burney, Jane Austen, Ann Lister, Emily Bronte, Alice Dunbar Nelson, Beatrix Potter, and Louisa May Alcott. During a time when women are looked down upon, viewed as inferior to men, these 18 women fought for their works to be published and recognized. Facing many predicaments and having a variety of reasons on why they wrote some of their famous works that are considered as a staple and a classic in literary history.

The formatting of the book is truly remarkable with the division into several parts in accordance to certain theme. The biographies of each women are both insightful and informative to me as a reader. The book offered a new way in conveying these facts, through eye catching colours and beautiful illustrations. Kaley Bales has done a great job in illustrating everything in a way that made me want to keep staring at every single page. Sadly, I wished that there were more authors of color mentioned, there are 3 of the 18 women mentioned in the book. I really do hope the author of the graphic novel would make a Part 2 to be shine a light on more authors. This way readers of all backgrounds can connect and feel more recognized.

I highly recommend for readers especially readers that prefer to read classics to pick this book up. It gives a new spin in telling the biographies of some of our favorite classic female authors in a modern way.

Why She Wrote combines so many of the things I love: graphic nonfiction, women's history, feminism, female writers... As soon as I got approved for this ARC, I knew I would love it, and I was right!

Why She Wrote gives small glimpses into the lives of writers like Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Elizabeth Gaskell, George Eliot, and Frances Hodgson Burnett. In total, 19 women from different era are featured, and while many were familiar to me (your Brontes, Austen, Alcott, etc.) some were a pleasant surprise. I had never heard of Edith Maude Eaton, Frances Burney, and Ann Radcliffe. And I was pleasantly surprised to see Anne Lister included here.

I enjoyed Chapman and Burke's approach to this collection. I liked that they kept each woman's story short and specific to one moment in their life. I like that at the end of each chapter, they included connections to the other women in the collection and included a list of selected works. Chapman and Burke also get major kudos from me because this book is indeed beautifully sourced. I love to see it!

Kaley Bales' illustrations are terrific. I particularly loved her portraits of each woman at the beginning of their sections. However, her illustration style's success varied for me from profile to profile. I did absolutely hate the lettering/typography. It felt sloppy and out of place; I hope this gets fixed before its publication day because it did take me out of the story visually.

If you're into graphic nonfiction, I would definitely recommend Why She Wrote.

A really cool compilation and celebration of woman writers! Why She Wrote is unique because it is a compilation of biographies and comics and fun facts. This is a great book for any and all literary lovers and would make a great addition to a classroom or school library.