I didn't really like the stories I read the first 3 they were very strange too obscure for me so it was sadly not a book I could finish

Loved the first few stories in this book and felt that the author encapsulated what it means to be a woman. But then, I found the stories less relevant and rather more contrived. It appeared that the author had to fill a certain number of pages and had run out of good ideas before she reached the quota.
A shame - as the first few stories are really good and original.

I don't often read short stories but I thought these looked interesting. The first couple of stories really didn't do it for me. I thought they were a bit predictable & the point they were trying to make was too obvious. However as I read on I began to get into the rhythm of them & I began to appreciate how cleverly they were written.

This is a good collection to dip in & out of. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

I wanted to like this, tried really hard for the first three of the short stories and then started another book instead! The premise is great but I really felt that it just emphasised the problem’s I know and have experienced as a 63 year old feminist’ish who has a ‘wide and varied c.v.’ (quote from a previous interview). Maybe I didn’t read for long enough, maybe I was just in a less receptive mood, maybe I don’t enjoy short stories but I haven’t wanted to go back and finish it.
Unbiased opinion, thanks to Netgalley and publisher.

Inspiring, provocation, lyrical, beautifully written short story collection.
Nothing you wouldn't expect from Cecelia Ahern who has such a wonderful way with prose.
I absolutely loved dipping in and out of this book. Thank you to Netgalley and Cecelia Ahern for the opportunity.

This is a very interesting series of short stories about women of approximate ages 30-50 as they wrestle with the issues and challenges that life thorows at them - feeling pigeonholed, put in a box, labelled, dismissed in different ways, etc. The author takes all these things literally and the point is made. If you read them all in one go it is a bit much to handle. The stories do not all work perfectly, but I enjoyed the concept.

Roar is a collection of 30 short stories, largely of idioms and fairly obvious stories for the sake of being obvious. Despite being on the nose (more like being punched repeatedly on the nose), each story immediately grasped me and brought me into that world, whether it be a world where women wear pink bracelets and have to food by saying vagina after their order and there are gender police. Or a world where a refugee sprouts wings to avoid a judgy group of moms. By the end, I was getting a bit tired of the formula of the stories, but overall, an alright read.

I loved The Woman Who Grew Wings, The Woman Who Found Bite Marks on Her Skin, The Woman Who Ate Photographs, The Woman Who Had Strong Suit, The Woman Who Guarded Gonads and The Woman Who Unravelled.

Thanks to NetGalley for the copy.

This was the first book I've read from this author and I enjoyed it very much. It was very well written and the characters were well thought out.

A breath of fresh air! Brilliant short stories and all so interesting! I loved the book and will be recommending it to friends.

At first I want too sure of this book, I found it a bit strange but the more I read the better I understood the book. It doesn’t just follow the story of 1 person but 30 different women who all struggle with something in their lives and how the see different at the end of each situation. The book shows we are all different with hidden layers and should never judge someone until we know them.

Wow. I’m not always the biggest fan of short stories. I find them frustrating but I really enjoyed these telling and thought provoking short stories. They are all names under the guise of ‘ the woman who’ and some of them were really clever. I found that I could only read a couple at a time and wanted to spend time thinking and absorbing them.

Thirty stories, each about a different woman, are presented in Roar by Cecilia Ahern – a compilation of allegorical urban fables. They creatively try to portray a current societal issue that women face and offer a solution that revolves around themes of independence, self-awareness, self-care and reflection. Some are predictable whilst others have a twist, but each one tackles a theme that should be something the modern woman can relate to.

For me, the stories which hit home the most were the ones that dealt with feminist issues the least. I had a weird juxtaposition of absolutely loving some stories so much I wanted to immediately share them with my friends, and being so irritated by some that I closed the book.

My favourites – the Roars – include The Woman Who Ate Photographs, The Woman Who Sowed Seeds of Doubt, The Woman Who Was a Featherbrain and The Woman Who was Swallowed by the Floor. These stories I would recommend to all my friends – both male AND female, and honestly could have been reversed in gender.

In the poignant tale of The Woman Who Ate Photographs, a woman recaptures the feelings she felt at the time of a photo being taken by eating it, which should strike a chord with anyone who reads it as we all have memories that we would love to relive. The Woman Who Sowed Seeds of Doubt will appeal to anyone who has ever looked for clarity in their decision making and struggled, only to come to a different realisation than the one they were searching for. The Woman Who Was a Featherbrain is about taking time and caring for ourselves, and The Woman Who Was Swallowed by a Floor will appeal to literally anyone who has ever struggled with an embarrassing or awkward moment and wished the ground would literally, swallow them up. Such great themes, but I honestly don’t see them as being feminist ones.

Some stories shuffled by with more of a quiet meow. I didn’t really identify with the themes of sex and relationships, and was confused and slightly annoyed by the cliche stereotypes portrayed in stories The Woman Who Had a Ticking Clock and The Woman Who Returned and Exchanged Her Husband. I actually think that these stories in particular do women a disservice; the theme of women having a biological clock that is ticking away and can only be quietened by finding the correct mate is pretty outdated and borderline offensive so those, who like me, had a child rather late in life.

Ultimately, a bit of a hit and a miss. These contemporary stories are written with humour and pizzaz, quick reads that are best consumed one story at a time with a break between for reflection, but don’t expect them all to hit the mark.

I really wanted to love this book. I love books that encourage you to feel good about yourself but I felt these stories were a little too preachy and tried a bit too hard. I normally love Cecilia Ahearn and was really looking forward to reading it but I wasn t sorry when I finished it. I did like that the stories were short enough to pick up when you had 10 Minutes - at pick up from Scouts etc but they just didn’t make me feel good

A gréât uplifting read. Very liberating and totally addictive. You can find yourself in so many of the short stories

I’m rather late in reviewing Roar by Cecelia Ahern, I’ve seen so many slating reviews but I’m finding it rather clever as well as a mix of emotions!
It’s 30 women in 30 different mini stories. The titles are quirky and some of the stories absurd/ strange, but I can see what she’s getting at!
I’m currently reading The woman who lost her common sense!
She’s claiming someone has stolen it! With that beautiful explanation I think I will have to use it myself at some point! I haven’t lost it, it was taken! 🤪
Don’t expect usual story writing of Cecelia Ahern as this is very different, read it and see!

I have not read a Cecelia Ahern book in a while and so i was quite excited to get my hands on a copy of this book. Its slightly unusual,, as its short stories, for women, about women. Glad i had the opportunity to read it. Worth reading.

This felt like I was reading Aesop’s Fables for feminists. The stories are too short to connect with, quite random and sometimes feel a bit forced to make a point. Not something I’d want to read again or recommend to anyone.

Firstly I would like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for my free ARC.
I'm not usually a lover of anthologies in books or movies but I am a believer in the right time and place for a short story, so I am pleased to tell other readers that this is perfect bibliotherapy. Easy to dip into, these stories are the perfect empowerment; they are inspirational, motivational and enlightening - like a window into pieces of your life and the lives of your female friends.
This book is available on Audible and this is a good way to experience these thirty short stories.

A series of stories that claims to be fiercely feminist this is an engaging and often very funny collection. Fiercely feminist though? I don't think so. Feminists will hate the story of the ticking clock for instance. But if you forget that description and just read it as a series of short stories this is very enjoyable. I especially like The Woman Who Ate Photos and The Woman Who Walked In Her Husband's Shoes. Throughout it reminded me of those books for kids, the story a day books where there's bite size reads, almost always with a moral. A fun and fantastical read.

Roar is a collection of astute and quirky short stories. Written in Cecelia Ahern's inimitable style, each story told from the viewpoint of an unnamed woman, the collection will delight the reader.