The only good thing that I can say about this book, is that Ms. Cappelle is a very accomplished writer, but she has unfortunately produced a simply dreadful book. The author is a French feminist who deplores gender inequality, the patriarchy, all of which she errantly attributes to capitalism. What she misses is that capitalism only began in 1765 in Northcentral England and all of her other bugbears predate market driven economic systems by thousands of years. The books that Ms. Cappelle must read are three efforts in serious scholarship that were all written by sociologist Steven Goldberg and include "The Inevitability of Patriarchy: Why the Biological Difference Between Men and Women Always Produces Male Domination" (1973), "When Wish Replaces Thought" (1991), and "Why Men Rule: A Theory of Male Dominance" (1999). Finally, Ms. Cappelle's book is based largely on social media sources where people post, almost any nonsense that they wish. Ergo, one can find comments that support any topic or belief that they desire, and this almost never leads to any useful research results.

I enjoyed parts of Collapse Feminism, but overall I found it disjointed. Alice Cappelle looks specifically at the proliferation of anti-feminst and anti-woman views online, which is fascinating. However, the conclusion could have been stronger. I wasn't familiar with Cappelle's video essays before reading this, so I don't know whether the shift in format accounts for the disjointedness.

More detailed review coming soon; in short, I liked this book, but it would benefit from stronger editing. I also think that perhaps I am not the target audience, as the author presumes her readers sound l spend as much time on YouTube as she does.

Much gratitude to #RepeaterBooks and #NetGalley for making an ARC available.

DNF @20%

I liked the premise behind this work, however I felt like at times I was reading a undergraduate students dissertation.

Collapse Feminism proved to be a highly informative introduction to contemporary issues and diverse feminist perspectives. Cappelle skillfully presented the material in an easily digestible and accessible manner, striking a commendable balance between approachability and substantiated arguments. The exploration of current media, including TikTok trends, was particularly intriguing, offering a relevant and insightful analysis of their significance and impact on modern feminism.

Cappelle demonstrated an impressive ability to unravel the complexities of various perspectives while maintaining a firm stance on her own views. The narrative, at times, took on a style reminiscent of a video essay rather than a traditional book, enhancing its accessibility and engagement. This unique approach not only made the content more palatable but also added an extra layer of interest to the overall reading experience.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

I found Collapse Feminism to be an informative introduction to current issues and feminist perspectives. It was written in an easily digestible and accessible way, but managed to balance this with facts and well sustained arguments. I found the way Cappelle unpicked current media, such as TikTok trends, and expanded on the significance and effects of these to be intriguing and incredibly relevant to current feminism. She managed to acknowledge a multitude of perspectives, whilst remaining to hold a firm view of her own. At times, it read almost like a video essay as opposed to a book, but this made it accessible and engaging. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and would strongly recommend it.

With a title like that you wouldn't necessarily expect it but this book is a great introduction to feminist thought, especially if you're a little uncomfortable with the label of feminist or if your interests are firmly in the here and now.

I found this book to be great in regard of its portrayal of the current states of affairs and as a reminder to think beyond the notion of "everything is f*cked" which is hard, but not impossible, to avoid right now. The tone also avoided the austere seriousness of older feminist work and the tendency to get overly jargony.

I was particularly impressed by how Cappelle understood the notion of a middle class as a something that prevents and/or dissuades solidarity between workers and with her thinking regarding aesthetic.

I have to admit that I was entirely unfamiliar with Cappelle's work before requesting an ARC of this book upon an insomnia fueled book acquiring spree I have since indulged in a few of her videos which are as easy to listen/watch to as this book was to read. While very enjoyable I find both lacked a little teeth, a sacrifice to being more approachable and reasonable sounding I guess. I also found the idea of the internet as a space of experimentation and especially the part about how in some instance it (through VR chat) can be escape from the panopticon to be perhaps a little naive.

Many thanks to Repeater Books and NetGalley for providing me an eARC for review consideration.

This book is probably one of my favorite non-fiction works I've read all year. This book goes into how women are represented online, both by themselves on their platforms, and by men in masculine spaces. I liked how each chapter and part of the book dived into a different online community.

I would recommend this book to those wanting to understand internet culture and online communities better.

What this book is not: retelling of age-old stories and theories.
What this book is: perfect for those who live NOWADAYS and who are facing internet daily, including all the comment sections, and who are trying to navigate the world as it is now.
It felt like a fresh breath of air. Feminism filled one. Definitely a great book for younger generation to make them realize what feminism is and why it matters, and why it is still very much needed in the world.

Maybe it’s because I read this book while suffering from the brain fog of Covid recovery, but I’m not quite sure what to say about Collapse Feminism.

I certainly enjoyed it. Some chapters, like the ones focused on toxic masculinity or purity culture, are pretty standard if you’ve ever read a book on feminism. That’s not to say that Cappelle has nothing unique to say about these topics. With a focus on conservatism and internet culture, Collapse Feminism definitely felt more contemporary and relevant than a lot of what I’ve read lately. (If you’ve ever found yourself on the strong independent divorcée side of TikTok, rolled your eyes at mens’ out-of-touch-with-reality dating profiles, or felt nauseated by the violent opinions of manosphere podcasters, this book may be for you.)

But I think the parts I enjoyed most were the ones that also challenged capitalism in really direct ways. Cappelle examines the social realization that women’s work does not equal women’s liberation - though it can provide more independence and freedom. She also makes a truly fascinating connection between the pushback against #girlboss mentality and the rise of tradwives, especially within conservative social media circles.

Overall, Collapse Feminism was a lovely little read that has placed a fascinating new light on much of the social media that I am exposed to on a daily basis.

An interesting look at different internet communities and subcultures in regards to their backlash against women/feminism. Overall, I really enjoyed the writing but I wish the conclusion packed a bit more of a punch.