That sure is fourteen pages about the Transgender Debate[tm], which would have been better left on the editing room floor. I mean, *fourteen* pages?

It's a shame, because I was really enjoying the book up until that point.72 s3 comments Rachel954 12

I was all set to recommend this. The early chapters where the author discusses elder archetypes, reclaiming the wise woman archetype and no longer accepting the modern patriarchal attempts to invalidate and dehumanize women past child bearing years, especially those women who never gave birth to children, were great. They were interesting and empowering, although it does help to be a Jungian scholar for a good portion of her text (I am not).

However, as other reviewers have noted, she has a chapter in the last 1/3 of the book that discusses transgender people. Out of one side of her mouth she claims transgender rights are human rights and appears to support the transgender community. Then almost immediately, she veers off into a discussion of how treating trans women the same as women assigned female gender at birth somehow impinges on the hard fought rights of those "real" women. She further laments the inability for civil discourse on this topic, and notes how people she knows have been harassed online for expressing these "old lady feminist" opinions. No. You can't both-sides argument against trans rights. Trans rights are women's rights are human rights. Just because you don't approve of the use of inclusive language such as Women+, doesn't mean fighting for everyone's right to exist is wrong or should even be open for debate. I'm incredibly disappointed that a book that started off so strongly empowering and feminist devolved into TERF-dom.2022 audiobooks65 s Chels Patterson619 12

Hagatude by Sharon Blackie

Is disappointing.

Truly disappointing due almost entirely from my expectations. I really thought it was about women archetypes, myths and legacies of certain older women and their influences on our soc-economic landscapes. This is only sprinkled.

It may be the first time CBC or BBC book recommendation and interviews have let me down. Hagatude is almost in it’s entirety a memoir of their menopause and post-menopausal life. Did I need to know about their husband’s midlife crisis, NO. Did I really need so much information about their cancer, NO. Not more than as a transition point that made them face their own mortality and thus an intro into the next elder woman archetype.

Disappointingly the author has curious views of transwomen. They seem perfectly happy accepting that non-mothers and mothers are both women; and that not having this pivotal experience does not mean one is not a woman. But apparently according to the author or at least how I read it, being trans woman means not truly part of the woman club because of the lack of biology ie. periods, menopause. I do not understand how one biological process not had does not exclude women from the woman experience but another biological process not experienced puts you in a woman's annex - part but apart. The author has a large section about biology. And it’s tedious, especially given how truly “spook” they are. I mean this in the way they have objects they collect and talk at length about -including fox skulls. She talks with animals and inanimate things and sees them as symbols or the universe sending messages. you can believe the crow is your dead mother, but not that a woman is born with the junk? Just so disappointing. Everyone has different experiences of womanhood that doesn’t make any experience less or more valuable, nor does it exclude. There is no one way of being.

We could break this book into 3 parts. 1 part Mythology about elder women, 1 part memoir, and 1 part Carl Jung fan-girl love. You could do a drinking game, take a shot when the author uses the Jung or Jung-practitioner. You wouldn’t be able to read any more after 5 or 10 pages.

As much as I thought this would be an interesting feminist book about empowerment in your older age, this author does not seem at all connected to my same reality. It doesn’t even seem to be feminist, just a woman’s book talking about their own experience and interpretations of the world. The author fits the narrative they tell to their reality and comfort level, not all the women archetypes or myths to show other ways of being.

Maybe I’m the wrong age, maybe the author and I are too many generations separated, maybe our realities and understanding of the universe is too different, but this book did not work for me.

It is elegantly written and seems to be well researched and supported in some places. Other places it’s very diary entry, literary review with no clear thesis.

This book is for anyone who enjoys myths, memoirs and Carl Jung. Possibly for those experience pre-menopause, menopause or are post menopausal but you’re going to have to enjoy myths, memoirs, Carl Jung.
47 s Jennifer27

I really don’t understand some of the here. They’re genuinely misaligned & disappointing. This book is great & Blackie knows her lane, really
very well. It’s ok to say, “this wasn’t for me” in as much as I’m going to say, for me it totally was. Slamming someone’s work that much, says more about a generation who didn’t need to read it.. yet.

There isn’t enough information about elderhood, for those interested. There certainly isn’t enough written in a positive framework about women who age, nor enough mythical introductions which aren’t preaching from the current fashion of witchstagram (again many who are authentic get drowned out by trolls who have the patience of a pamphlet)

I am so glad this book exists. I am grateful Sharon is doing a podcast & continuing this dialogue. It’s a beginning, not a bible. Under thirty five naysayers need to get over themselves; go back and re read Twilight or something else. For anyone who feels there is no place for discussions about health, vulnerability, men, relationships to & with, alongside Feminism are incredibly misinformed. ? Want a book which discusses middle age without writing the word ‘hag’? You are very Welcome to write one.33 s Allison Sylviadotter87 28 Read

Yet again, a book meant solely for women that caters to trans-identified males. This book is about MENOPAUSE and the life women live after. Something a male will NEVER have to go through and will NEVER understand. I loved this book up until chapter 12, when she prattles on about trans-identified males and their ideas of womanhood (a male can't understand womanhood utside of stereotypes and sexist media) which has NOTHING TO DO WITH THE POINT OF THE BOOK!! She also cites the UK organisation "Mermaids" which has been recently proven to use fake statistics, overtly lie to children, actively encourage medical/surgical intervention to minors, and uphold very regressive ideas of gender roles (stereotypical femininity = woman, stereotypical masculinity = man). Any credibility she had as a "feminist" or pro-women is gone.

Stop the pointless pandering to males in books specifically for WOMEN.16 s2 comments Jessica3

I am a longtime appreciator of Sharon’s work and have taken her classes and seminars. Until this book I would have said that I didn’t feel much of a divide; her ideas have excited and validated me.

But I have to echo what is said in other : her views on trans women are harmful.

At one point she says something about how simple it is, XX and XY chromosomes = women and men. But even during the writing of her book, it was knowledge easily found that it’s actually NOT that simple. I, as a non-scientist, came across this information at least a year ago. And where was the fact checking? Very disappointing.

Then she reports that even a lesbian (gasp!) shared her views, as though finding one person in a more marginalized group who shares your views to bolster your own absolves you of your intolerance.

I’m honestly amazed that someone who speaks out against the patriarchy and who values women’s spaces and who sees how truly marginalized women are cannot see the how her perceived threat - by THE most marginalized segment of society - mirrors the way men under patriarchy are threatened by the women they oppress.

Most uncool. I was very excited for this book and this was so sensationally offputting that I’m still thinking about it months later.13 s Stefanie490 14

A truly lovely book using myth and archetypes of women to consider the possibilities and meanings of life after menopause. Thoughtful, thought-provoking, and inspiring. 13 s Elizabeth88 14

Often very moving and enlightening, but could have used a lot more structure and felt less relatable to me, as everyone spoken about seemed to be coming from quite a place of privilege. I’d love to relate to any of the women she spoke to with White Person jobs, where they teach workshops about traveling through your shamanic dreams or whatever and how much that has changed their outlook, but…girl, we’re poor. I would have d to hear about women in lower classes and how they connect to nature and their truest selves while juggling two jobs or going through poverty struggles.12 s Tanya476 6

This was a struggle to finish. I want to read and explore and understand what the back half of our lives is about. But this is too woo-woo, earth mother/goddess, mother of crows (or was it dragons? there were dragons, I'm sure).

It's lovely to read about the author's friends who decided to chuck their life in the medical field/professional world and live on a lovely farm in Wales/Ireland/The South of France (okay maybe not that last one). But I have a mortgage and a cat with diabetes. I don't see packing it all up for a trip to Donegal, catch my drift?9 s1 comment Larissa20

Only a quarter done (and writing this now bc I plan to savor this book slowly over the next few weeks) but I'm already convinced Sharon Blackie has worked her magic once more and created a spiritual guide book that is at once a pleasure to read and also immeasurably profound. Don't be fooled by the title, this book is not just for menopausal women. It's for any person going through a transition and hoping to come out the other side more in touch with their inner hag.9 s Cathleen91 1 follower

So much wrong with this book. First and foremost, the TERF chapter absolutely disgusted and threw me. And her lack of self awareness about her privilege - rich, white, went to uni when it was virtually free, expects respect but has none for those not her, the list goes on. She needs an editor to get rid of soooo much repetition - heard the word 'strange' and term 'old woman' in close conjunction more times than I could count. Her reading of the audiobook is also problematic (and horrible) - even on 115%, the pauses were too long, especially those meant for us to chuckle at her wittiness. Does not know how to pronounce some fairly basic college-level words/terms (the 'e' at the end of dilettante is silent, etc.). Sad to see Tantor being a part of this, usually their audiobooks are better. Wants to develop a space for old white British women herself, one free from scary trans-ladies, but is happy to use (and misinterpret) the mythology of other cultures, such as the use of Baba Yaga (at least she knew she wasn't Russian). Did I mention she's a TERF?8 s Michelle2 5

Really loved the connections of mythos with menopause and aging. Hence the stars.

Really, really hated the part where she tried to reserve the unmodified word woman for only cis women. Woman is an umbrella where cis and trans women sit together.

Wish there had been space for trans men's and enbies' stories to be included.2022 adult nonfiction ...more8 s Emily149 50

Ended up being rather repetitive and threw me for a loop with the rant on the UK “transgender debate” that came out of nowhere, had nothing to do with anything and was an unnecessary reminder of the fact that there are still way too many so-called feminists who don’t see trans women as women and are adding to a harmful rhetoric that sets trans rights back again and again.

Audiobook narration was pleasant enough to listen to, but due to its repetitive nature, I definitely zoned out occasionally in the second half.2023 audio-books boring-or-lengthy ...more6 s G. LawrenceAuthor 29 books231

A good read, particularly touching at the end. Gave me a list of books to now look up too, which is something always ly to endear me to a book. A refreshing and enlightened vision of aging, using folk tales, myths and literature as well as the author's own personal experience and that of other women, to offer another attitude to the latter part of women's lives. Opening eyes to the value of age. Recommended reading5 s Rose Paris85 2

As always enjoyed the whirlwind of ideas and images that Blackie's writing involves which offer so much inspiration for further reading, thinking and finding alternate ways of being in the world. Her personal reflections don't hesitate to examine uncomfortable truths both about herself and wider society, around women, ageing and death. Will read again.6 s Cassie Smith4

I am so sad that Blackie opted to include gender essentialism in an otherwise beautiful book. This would have been a four star review, with the exception of the confusing and back-and-forth argument (in the TRICKSTER chapter - a nauseating and disturbing choice!) around trans women’s access to women’s spaces, and honouring the exclusionary perspectives held by prominent women in earlier feminist movements (?? People who do good work CAN be wrong and DO need to be held accountable). I hope Blackie educates herself further on gender, and releases some of the misconceptions which she holds about safety and solidarity amongst those who face gender based violence and discrimination. I ultimately couldn’t get past the transphobia and it coloured my experience of reading the remaining chapters, and makes me wary of reading more of her work in the future.5 s Kat B5 4

I was really excited about the insight this book offers about the later stages of life and some of the characterizations we see about this in folklore and other stories. I found it very compelling until it slipped into a long, sort of meandering tirade invalidating trans women. Stating that trans rights are human rights and in the same breath asserting that they essentially cannot be considered women is weird and gross.

The compelling points that are made in this book also lose their oomph. I listened to the audiobook version and the last two and a half hours just dragged on with the author stating the same ideas over and over again.

I was so ready to this book but it ended up really disappointing me.4 s Stephanie Anderson Ladd40 2

loved this reckoning of elder hood

This inspiring book came at a time in my life when I am at a crossroads, approaching the turning point of 70 in a couple of years. I sense a change coming, a leaving behind of a certain kind of striving, yet not wanting to give up on my life’s purpose. Sharon Blackie beautifully articulates this luminal time which can come at different ages for different people, brought on by illness, injury, a pull away from the known, or simply a desire to do something different—not retire from life, but follow a new path, forever walking with our old friend, Death, nearby. 4 s Brandy B. Carter8

I enjoyed the chance to think about growing into an "elder woman" that this book offered. Sharon Blackie provided a journey through ancient folklore and archetypes, which I appreciated. On the other hand, her worldview is quite different from mine, so there were ideas I couldn't quite fully embrace.
I still came away feeling inspired to look forward to new seasons of my life with Hagitude.3 s Cheryl839 21

A lot of research went into this homage to women, both real and mythical, through the ages. Women of strength and chutzpah! Valor and intellect. It is inspiring and humbling. I learned of a few I had not heard of before and did research into their lives and contributions. It’s soul-searching while introducing yourself to yourself. Lengthy, but never boring. Put this in the hands of all tonnage (or younger) women. Carry on the tales, keep the life force going. nonfiction3 s Kat Skarbek168 5

Another brilliant book written by one of my favourite authors.
I never subscribed to the idea that we have to slip quietly into obsolescence once we reach our midlife. Menopause is not the death of all that is powerful within a woman, we are not just here to birth children and service the needs of others until we end up in a old folks home. Stepping towards and embracing a time in our lives when our power and our energy is finally redirected inwards, towards the dreams we still may hold and wish to bring to fruition, is one of the most potent things we can do for ourselves.

In her trademark mythopoetic style of writing sharing deeply researched folk legends from our very own British Isles, and with a wild and deep attachment to these lands she inhabits, this book will remind you of just how powerful and transformative this midlife journey we are in truly is.

Absolute gem of a book that I encourage all women to read - regardless of how easy or difficult you are finding midlife currently.2 s Blythe Smith 83 56

This book is full of interesting ideas, but also full of old school feminism that leaves little room for trans women, or women who don’t make the same choices as the author. It often came across as arrogant to me, in a way I found off-putting. When she mentioned that no experience is as transformative as having cancer, I wanted to scream “And you’d know this how?” She’s never had kids. Never have a spouse of a child die. Never done lots of things. I just personally can’t stand when people assume their little t truth is everyone’s Capital T TRUTH. Rant over. For now.

What I did : the idea of mindfully approaching one’s older years. Except my older years and my archetypes are different than hers. And guess what? That’s okay. 3 s Audrey87

Wow a lot to dwell on. I love the study of myth and attitudes of women. Mostly I love that as we age we are to fill the important role of elders and not to be cast aside as old folks. The myths discussed were useful in understanding another book that I recently read. Looking forward to other of Sharon's book as her basic life approach is in alignment with mine that we are in a continuous state of transformation.This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.Show full review2 s Helbob206

This was a fascinating book for many reasons. It spoke to a deep rooted spirituality and to the feminist in me. There were flights of fancy and serious political debate. And to date the best definition/explanation of what an 'archetype' is and means, particularly relating to the stages of life that women pass through. If you folklore, feminist spirituality and personal journey stories this is a very current and relevant book for today.2 s Rohase PiercyAuthor 8 books54

What a wonderful book! The perfect antidote to all the current advice being doled out to menopausal and post-menopausal women - how to stay slim, how to stay hormonal, how to stay sexually active, how to stay focussed on work and career, etc etc ... nowadays we're basically being brainwashed into believing that the menopause marks the end of our useful lives and must be staved off at all costs.
Hagitude, by contrast, celebrates the elder years ushered in by The Change, arguing that evolution would never have given human females what amounts to a non-fertile, non-sexual third of our lives if there were no value in it. And what value there is! Drawing on history, myth and folklore, Sharon Blackie introduces us to the independence, the wisdom and the natural authority that is the prerogative of older women, and which modern Western society ignores and sidelines at its peril. She presents The Change as the cauldron of transformation that enables us to slough off all the previous personae we've adopted in order to please others and conform to society's expectations, and to evolve into our true selves. Everything about old age urges us to slow down, listen to our bodies, contemplate our own mortality, and find out once and for all what we really, truly want from life - yes, even right up to the inevitability of Death.
Hags with Attitude - that's what older women can and should be, and this book shows us how to achieve it! 2 s Karen537 30

I’ve taken a number of online courses with Sharon Blackie, have read all of her other books, and am a paying subscriber of her Substack publication. This book repeated much of what I’ve heard in those other contexts, but it was useful to have it between covers with a focus on older women.

The most significant learning for me was a better understanding of the author. She describes early on the kind of old woman she longed to be and she definitely inhabits that persona here and in her other communications. It’s not the sort of old woman I wish to be, and I’ve often found it irritating and alienating in Sharon. But it does help a lot to understand where she is coming from and, through the stories in the book, to have the opportunity to imagine alternatives that are more palatable to me.

2 s1 comment Lesley1,952 13

There are some great and interesting chapters in this book and I very much appreciated the inspiration from mythology and the authors own life. That terfy chapter could have been less terfy and more relevant to the theme of the book. So beware that chapter.2 s Therese9 9

If you’re new to Sharon Blackie’s work you will probably enjoy this; if you’ve read her other books, or are already familiar with myth/folklore, archetypes, etc, you’ll probably find this disappointingly flimsy. While it does make some good, insightful points, overall it doesn’t say much that is new. I wanted more dirt, more flesh, more heft and wildness, and it just isn’t there.

It was also disappointing to read Blackie’s digression from the subject matter to comment on the trans debate. Though she does attempt to explore the argument from both sides, and (to her credit), states that women’s embodied reality, rights, safety and words do matter, she also quotes from a number of disreputable sources from the trans side, and therefore repeats the usual misinformation on this fraught topic, which reveals a surprising amount of ignorance on her part (you can’t care about embodied, ecological reality and simultaneously believe in a disembodied, anti-ecological ideology!). This digression, in a book about menopause—a specifically female experience—was completely unnecessary, and jarring to the narrative. Though I imagine the publisher may have required some comment (seeing as you can’t write anything about women these days without some kind of note about Inclusion™), and Blackie is probably attempting to toe the line (albeit not very successfully, judging from the here) so as not to damage her career, which is understandable.

It is irritating that so many women have given this book one or two stars because of the apparent slight to trans-identified males. Obviously, I’m giving it two stars because the overall execution was disappointing, and I found it relatively dull, but also because it would have been nice to see Blackie stand up honestly and firmly for women’s embodied reality, rather than capitulate to male fantasies in an effort to appear nuanced.feminism memoir2 s Christine Burren17

Hagitude offers so much and on so many levels.

I went in expecting one thing and was delighted to receive so much more. Sharon Blackie is a great intellectual on all the components of mythology, which she weaves in throughout the chapters as well as citing a vast amount of literature from different era. Woven within also was the story of her recent years, that unfolded during the book’s creative journey process. These unexpected further episodes drew me in further. They made the book that much more relatable, reminding that whatever challenges arise in your life, they are a part of the path you’re on.

Several indicate that several people were triggered by her pages on transgender. Gender fluidity presents a new paradigm within which to view growing old. She does raise a valid point that each person’s interpretation of their elder years is influenced by many societal aspects. How transgender individuals navigate their elderhood will be a learning process covering new territory that’s not yet explored. In a book discussing elderhood, it is relevant to devote some space to explore issues transgender individuals may face. Although some people don’t agree with her views, it remains important and respectful to tolerate all views and not to practice the cancel culture on her just because of those pages that may differ from other viewpoints.

Although the final chapter focuses on the concept of death, it does it in such an uplifting positive way, reminding us that it is a component of life, and in turn swings around to the crucial aspect of the subtitle of a book, reimagining, the second half of life, to make the most of your life, and live a life that matters.

This book covers a lot of ground.2 s Jesse9 1 follower

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