The A Word is a graphic telling on the history of abortion throughout the world through a feminist perspective. It discusses how global restrictions puts women's lives at risk. I liked that it highlighted various countries and put the spotlight on the people who have fought and continue to fight for legal and safe access to abortion. There is so much taboo surrounding abortion and The A Word details how cultural and religious bias is used to push legislations to ban this medical procedure. It upsetting how laws are becoming more restrictive not just here in the United States, but also in other parts of the world. It's important to keep this conversation going so everyone has access to accurate information (and safe abortions without prosecution!). Besides the content, I enjoyed the illustrations!

Thank you, NetGalley and NYU Press | University of Regina Press, for the ARC.

This book really impressed me, the storytelling and art style was phenomenonal. This book was so well formatted and so informative, it managed to present and explain so much about abortion (the history, the biological method, different types, its protrayal in media and the common discourses surrounding it) in a deeply accessible but informative way, without feeling wrought out or over simplified. I adored the art style, the limited colour palette helped draw the eye along the page, it was a stunning book to look at while it told you some concerning facts about abortion access

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the fact that abortions are controversial is insane. this covered abortion and everything about it so well. it spoke of every type of abortion as well as the timeline of media’s portrayal of abortion (or lack thereof)! i think this was the perfect way to speak about it because i think the visuals of everything would help show what we’re trying to say. i hope that people who are against it read this and realize how much of a necessity it is to have abortions accessible. there were statistics throughout this that were eye opening enough and i hope it’s enough to change at least one person’s mind. i really liked that it touched base on cases and statistics of multiple countries/locations & eras in time!!

I was eager to read The A Word and anticipated it would be a quick read. While it ended up taking me 3 days to finish, it was because it's jam packed with information!

While I appreciate the extensive breadth of history the book explores, the sheer volume of information at times made it feel less accessible. I particularly valued the section that delved into the anatomy and physiology of the female body and pregnancy. For me, the book's greatest strength was introducing by name many of the key figures who are often mentioned only vaguely in arguments about abortion. I also appreciated that the book dismantled the stereotype of who seeks an abortion by specifically addressing how commonly married women with children need them and exploring the multitude of reasons why.

One critique I had was the lack of nuance when discussing how women can get abortion medication online. While some methods are unsafe, there are legitimate and safe ways to access these medications online in the United States. Perhaps this is a more recent development or differs by country.

Ultimately, while dense, the book is incredibly informative. I certainly came away with new insights, and I am glad I read it.