King Kong Theory, By Virginie Despentes

Reviewed,Katy Guest
Thursday 12 February 2009 20:00 EST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

A bestseller in her native France, this memoir-come-treatise explains how Virginie Despentes came to write the controversial 1994 novel and 2000 film, Baise Moi.

Beginning with, and continually returning to, her rape, aged 17, by three men, Despentes argues compellingly about women's guilt, men's power and the way that both are still abused three decades after the supposed triumph of feminism.

Her personal memories are more appealing than her theorising, which is enlivened but also confused by palpable anger. And so it should be.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in