*I received a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
This book provides many personal stories about the relationship between women and their own physical appearance and how society's expectations and judgments affect that relationship. Some of the reflections hit very close to home, as I am a woman in my mid-fifties. But overall I was unenthused about the entire book. The focus is on the experience of white women with few or no financial constraints. I think the book would have been better if it had examined the experience of a wider swath of women. But I appreciate the willingness to address this topic with honesty. ( )

Face by Justine Bateman is a work that tried so hard not to be too jargonish or theoretical that it became hard to discern what points are actually being made. While I think the book will still be empowering for many I also think another large group will be left scratching their heads.

I think the idea of presenting the types of things women go through with respect to appearance, and specifically the face, in short story form can be a very useful method. I recently read another book that did something similar. But what that book added that this book didn't was some context and theory around the stories. It really wouldn't have taken much, maybe grouping the stories by a common concept and offering a short conceptual chapter for each group explaining what is being shown and what we can learn and change in that area. Instead, it just becomes a collection of stories that leaves the reader largely wondering what they can gain from them.

I will still recommend this but mostly for those already well-versed in the theories surrounding this topic so that they can essentially insert their own conceptual chapters as they read. If I were still teaching any WGS courses I could see myself selecting some of these examples to highlight other more theoretical readings and discussions. I found her book Fame to be insightful and had expected something similar, so I would warn readers who think the same thing to temper their expectations.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via LibraryThing Early Reviewers. ( )

So not what I thought it would be. The stories for the most part are very superficial. Sure, that was the point, to show how superficial we are in judging people and especially women, by their looks or disregard women as they age and lose their youthful looks, but I was expecting more deeper stories. ( )

I understand what Bateman is attempting to do here, but it’s uneven and repetitive, in large part. Also, the blurred line between what’s “real” and what’s been “fictionalized,” for the sake of the story, kept getting in the way. ( )

What a wonderful insight into how women are treated based solely on their looks. I know this is not new information to any woman, but to read little snippets of reactions and responses to how we age was reassuring, that most of us are and should embrace our looks at any stage in life. ( )