I Who Have Never Known MenI Who Have Never Known Men
Score Modern
What it's about
In an underground bunker, under constant electric light, forty women are held prisoner by guards who never speak. The youngest, who has no memory of life before, sits apart from the others. One day, an accident changes everything, and she proves to be the key to their escape and survival in the strange world above.
Why it's worth reading
Decades after it was first published in French, it became a word-of-mouth sensation in English. It's haunting, mysterious and unforgettable.
You'll love it if you liked
Never Let Me Go
The Road
Station ElevenGood to know
It's short and leaves many questions unanswered, on purpose.
By the numbers
- Readers82 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller38 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #94 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #513 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #987 of the 2,816 books we rank
Reads as
Thought-provoking, Moving, Dark
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Quick answers
Is I Who Have Never Known Men worth reading?
Yes. Decades after it was first published in French, it became a word-of-mouth sensation in English. It ranks #987 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 73.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is I Who Have Never Known Men about?
In an underground bunker, under constant electric light, forty women are held prisoner by guards who never speak. The youngest, who has no memory of life before, sits apart from the others. One day, an accident changes everything, and she proves to be the key to their escape and survival in the strange world above.
How long does it take to read I Who Have Never Known Men?
About 5 hours (208 pages), or about 10 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after I Who Have Never Known Men?
If you liked it, try Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, The Road by Cormac McCarthy or Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel.