Imagine being locked in a bunker, with your every move watched by three guards who never interact with you. Everything — what you eat, when you sleep, and your relationships with others — is decided by an unknown entity. You share the bunker with thirty-nine strangers who also don’t know how they ended up there or why they are even there. This is a brief summary of I Who Have Never Known Men, a science fiction novel by Belgian author Jacqueline Harpmen.
The story is narrated by the youngest prisoner, whose identity we never learn, as she is locked in a bunker with thirty-nine women. Unlike the others, she doesn’t know what life was like outside the bunker. She has no memories of family or friends and has never experienced physical touch, as it is forbidden by the guards, who use their whips to intimidate the women into submission.
The book has gained popularity on BookTok, with U.S. bookstores who Âstruggled to keep it in stock. It was also recommended by the British pop star Dua Lipa on newsletter and website, Service95, further fueling the popularity of I Who Have Never Known Men.
In the era of “Girl’s Girls,” it’s no surprise that a book focusing on themes of friendship and womanhood would captivate audiences on BookTok. The story centers on the experiences of women, one in which romantic love is never an option — a theme many girls whom have never experienced romantic love can relate to.
It’s never revealed where the women are imprisoned — whether on Earth or on a distant planet. What is clear, however, is that the women only have each other. They are each other’s support system and community. Although physical touch is prohibited in the prison, they still manage to emotionally connect and support one another.
The unnamed narrator, who knows only life inside the bunker, struggles to connect with the other women. She feels as though they are keeping secrets from her, which leads her to create a secret of her own, giving her a sense of control in an otherwise powerless situation.
As circumstances change, the narrator begins to connect with the other women and feels a sense of belonging. She gains importance in the group, is noticed by the others, and finally feels included.
However, this sense of community doesn’t last long for the narrator, and the little hope the women once had slowly fades away as you turn from one page to the next. Many questions remain unanswered, and I was left with a feeling of emptiness as I continued reading. Even so, I still loved this book. It’s fascinating to see how the women try to take back control over their lives and how they cope with the isolation.Â
The narrator, who has never known life outside the bunker, has nothing but her thoughts to help her make sense of her surroundings, the isolation, and the intimacy. There is no happy ending for the other thirty-nine women, who were taken against their will and imprisoned. I don’t believe the narrator’s life can be fully seen as a tragedy because she has never known anything different. All she has is the hope that one day she will be rescued and her questions will be answered.
Depending on who reads this book, everyone will come away with a different reaction. Some may feel a pit of sadness, while others may be dissatisfied with the unanswered questions. I believe the best way to approach this book is to read it for yourself and come to your own conclusion on how to feel about this book.Â