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The Company of Women
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
81 posts | 2 read | 3 to read
Mary Gordons extraordinary novel about a young Catholic woman who pursues father figuresonly to wrestle to break free of them Felicitas Maria Taylor was brought up in a cocoon, raised by five devoutly religious women. The death of her father while she was still a baby has caused her to seek out the extreme in men, and that is what she finds in Father Cyprian, a priest whom Felicitas visits during summers in upstate New York. The charismatic Cyprian fosters the young girls gifts and intelligence, but, no lover of worldly things, he demands a severe loyalty. When Felicitas comes of age and begins her studies at Columbia, everything seems poised to change. At the university, she falls under the spell of another domineering mana professor surrounded by young activist acolytesand this time, the stakes couldnt be higher. The Company of Women is a story of dangerous attachments and challenged faithand of finding an endurable future.
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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Pickpick

There is only one character I wasn‘t raving mad at, at least once throughout the story. Even when I was annoyed at most of the characters, I just had to know what happened, so I kept reading. This book is philosophical and has many layers to it. It is REALLY judgemental about non-Christians, in really rude ways, in places.
👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻

GingerAntics The grammar and mechanics of this book are all over the place. Starting not only sentences but paragraphs with the word “but.” That‘s usually a huge pet peeve for me, but for some reason, with this one author I was able to overlook it and hardly notice. Some of the sentences felt like a comma party, but usually I only noticed when going back to a particular quote. 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 5y
GingerAntics Due to modern society and all that has come out about bad priests, it‘s really easy to worry about the relationship between Father Cyp and Felicitas (in different ways, on different levels, the two main characters of this book), but luckily that is nothing to worry about with this book. It is a cliche that luckily Gordon did not decide to run with. 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 (edited) 5y
GingerAntics I totally understand how @Centique had a hard time deciding how to rate this book. There are so many layers and so many complicated, complex emotions tied to this book. I think the entire spectrum of human emotion is explored within this book. It‘s well worth the read, especially if you have a religious (especially catholic) background. (edited) 5y
GingerAntics It certainly covers both justified and unjustified guilt and shame, as well as the love-power dynamic so frequently found in catholic households that seem perfectly ordinary to people within it, and entirely destructive and crazy to those outside of it. 5y
Centique Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with me as you read this book. It has been like a real book club - one where both people actually read the book! Having the reflections of someone versed in the Catholic faith (as well as your other insights) has given me a deeper understanding of the book - and I‘ve enjoyed it even more. 5y
13 likes5 comments
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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Aaaaaand she‘s just a little morbid. Yup, I‘m definitely more Linda than I am Felicitas.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

11 likes
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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This kid doesn‘t miss anything. I love her!!!
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

10 likes
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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What a perceptive child.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

9 likes
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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I audibly gasped when I read this!!! @Centique for a highly traditional man (this guy still insists the mass must be in Latin for Pete sake) this is absolutely EARTH SHATTERING!!! Cyprian has been reformed. This book almost isn‘t really about Felicitas (well, obviously it is on the surface), but underneath the obvious, it‘s about the evolution of Cyprian/Philip.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife
Sorry, I far prefer the name Philip.

Centique I thought this was a great realisation/change but I didn‘t realise how massive it was from the Catholic pov. That‘s really fascinating. Cyp‘s character has gone through a greater transformation than Felicitas! 😍 5y
GingerAntics @Centique oh lord, there are adult catholics now that would have your head for every suggesting a woman could ever be a priest. These would be folks Linda‘s age, even younger. From the catholic POV it‘s damn near heresy. Hell, even the thought that a priest could be married is just a very tiny step down from the sacrilege of this statement. 5y
GingerAntics @Centique You could have told me after the first chapter that he‘s say this at the end of the book and I never would have believed you for a second. I would have thought you were messing with me. 😂 5y
Centique @GingerAntics 😂😂 5y
12 likes4 comments
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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@Centique HE KNEW!!! HE ALWAYS KNEW!!! He saw exactly what she was doing. He knew exactly why she was the way she was. He felt is human weakness that made him allow her to continue on. It‘s kind of sad that even Cyp doesn‘t really like her company, doesn‘t really feel like she belongs to the group. Maybe if she wasn‘t such a stuck up jerk to everyone. “The child” has a name buttercup.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

GingerAntics I mentally gasped when I read this. 5y
9 likes1 comment
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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😢😢😢
I‘m keeping my fingers crossed that in the final chapter here, Cyp doesn‘t die. I‘m not sure I could handle it at this point.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

9 likes
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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@Centique he seems to still struggle from time to time with this long held belief that these women “who have nowhere else to go” are somehow less than, but I think it‘s their love for him, and him realising his love for them sustains him, that pulls him away from that.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

8 likes
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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This chapter became truly beautiful.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

11 likes
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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@Centique I think when he lost Frank, he felt he wasn‘t allowed to grieve, and this hurt him greatly. I think he channeled everything into Felicitas, and that made him feel guilty. I think he‘s finally realised he still gets to be human.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

Centique I like that take on it. His grief for Frank diverted. That makes a lot of sense and makes me a lot more sympathetic towards him. 5y
GingerAntics @Centique yes, this was the point at which I started liking him again. 5y
10 likes2 comments
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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@Centique this is where you had the benefit of the rest of the book. He did see the women as not as good or less than, but I don‘t think he does anymore. Old Cyp is the best Cyp.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

Centique Ah that‘s where it came from. Old Cyp is definitely the best Cyp. 5y
GingerAntics @Centique yes, you definitely got that directly from the book. Wow this book was a mental trip. 5y
Centique @GingerAntics wasn‘t it just? That insight about Cyp diverting his grief onto Felicitas has helped. I was so disappointed that F ended up back in the circle of women following Cyp around - even though I did appreciate that she learnt to value the women and not see their lives and their sacrifices as small. I wanted some kind of independence and achievement for F. I guess she got that in the end, just not as overtly as I‘d thought/hoped she would. 5y
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GingerAntics @Centique I definitely think that after Cyp dies, Muriel will be in pieces and I‘m not sure anyone will pick her up, but I think they will all then gather around her. She‘ll be the new leader. I think if Muriel has any hope of comfort after Cyp‘s death, it‘s going to be F and Linda. 5y
GingerAntics @Centique the more I think about it, the beginning and the end mirror each other. The second chapter was Cyp‘s and the second to last chapter was Cyp‘s. Those two chapters together make you like him and forgive/understand what‘s in between. (edited) 5y
Centique @GingerAntics yes it has this circular feel to it - almost like Felicitas gets a do-over of her mother‘s life and makes some changes. And I guess Cyp gets a do-over with Linda and will do better too. I like your take on what will happen to Muriel. 5y
GingerAntics @Centique I hadn‘t thought of Linda as F and Cyp‘s do over, but that‘s exactly what she is, really. I‘d still love to be a fly on the wall when Linda hunts down Robert and Richard one day. 🤣😂🤣 5y
GingerAntics @Centique I was so sad when Cyp said he didn‘t even like her company. She thinks he‘s the only one who likes her, but in the end he was just being nice so he didn‘t have to be alone. I kind of feel bad for her, sort of. 5y
Centique @GingerAntics I‘d like to be a fly on the wall too! Yes I do feel sorry for Muriel 😕 5y
GingerAntics @Centique is anyone else wondering why no one came looking (or at least asking) after the dogs?! That really made me lose a lot of respect for Richard. He leaves his apartment one day and the dogs are there. He comes home and they‘re not there, neither is the girl he‘s so infatuated with, and he just shrugs and goes on with life? Seriously?! What about the stuff she was in the middle of writing for the paper? 5y
GingerAntics @Centique I still don‘t particularly like Muriel. She‘s a good old fashioned stick in the mud. I do feel bad for her and I don‘t want her to suffer when Cyp dies, but I fear there may be no way around it. Still shocked that Cyp knew all long that she was in love with him. 🤯 5y
Centique Yes! I‘m unimpressed that Richard does nothing. Can‘t even report a missing person or something? 🙄 I know someone a bit like Muriel. I feel sorry for her and try and be her friend but she can be insufferably righteous and arrogant. 🤷🏻‍♀️ 5y
GingerAntics @Centique I thought Richard was a better man than Robert, until then. They‘re more alike that I thought. That‘s a perfect way to describe Muriel. The other women tried and continue to try with her, but there is only so much they were going to take before it was just like “well, you‘re here. We‘ll be pleasant, but you‘ve gotta give us something to work with beyond that.” 5y
9 likes13 comments
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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Cyp sees himself very clearly. He‘s honest about his own short comings, and honest about what has brought him back from the edge.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

8 likes
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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This moment, this chunk of the book that allows Cyprian to explain himself is wonderful and beautiful. The inner life of the man is rich, troubled, and raw. The fact that Gordon thought through every part of each character‘s life is astounding.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

7 likes
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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Christianity/Catholicism is the only friendly religion. ??? Huh?! This seems a bit ridiculous. What other religions does she know anything about? She‘s 60-some-odd years old and she‘s been a catholic for all of them. This is another eye roll moment, along with anyone who is not a Christian is a poor slob. 🙄
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

15 likes
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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This may actually be true. I could possibly quite strongly agree with this.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

11 likes
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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I have to respect that she told her child the truth. Too many times, parents lie, thinking it‘s easier, but in the end it‘s only easy for the parents. It hurts the kids. I have no idea why parents think they can teach their children to be honest if they spend their children‘s entirely childhoods lying to them (and often laughing about it later).
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

9 likes
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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I originally thought that I was going to most closely related to Felicitas, but in the end I think I relate far more closely to Linda.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

9 likes
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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It‘s interesting that getting pregnant seemed to bring Felicitas and Cyp back together. I‘m beginning to think these two are so much a like and that‘s where their problems stem from.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

8 likes
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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Again, Felicitas shows a keen understanding of herself. “I like to think,” but I could be deceiving myself.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

8 likes
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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This stood out to me almost more than the first quote I ever heard of this book. It‘s from the same section as the last quote. I like that Felicitas at least has some concern for her daughter. I‘m still not sure she loves Leo, and I‘m not a fan of anyone marrying (or staying married) for a child. It doesn‘t end well for anyone.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

8 likes
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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I finally found the passage with the quote that began my interest in this book. It‘s much different in context than I expected, but I still quite like it.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

9 likes
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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It seems she has rather a clear view of herself. @Centique #MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

8 likes
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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Felicitas has a strange, very judgemental way of looking at herself, but in a way I find some of it to be justified.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

7 likes
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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Felicitas and Cyp, together again.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

9 likes
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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Ah, the fearsome twosome is back!!! I can‘t describe why, but this makes me profoundly happy. @Centique I‘m glad I kept reading.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

Centique Redemption in the diner! 😂 5y
GingerAntics @Centique I think this was the point at which I finally started to not hate Felicitas again. I really hated her there for a minute. 5y
11 likes2 comments
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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Oh, poor Joe. I‘m so glad Mary Rose finally got to marry him, though.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

9 likes
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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🤣😂🤣 Oh my god this is awesome!!! 🤣😂🤣 “They Head Canon Sam have noticed the difference.” 🤣😂🤣
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

9 likes
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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Waxing poetic about abuse, neglect, and abandonment is bad enough, but now she‘s waxing poetic about killing her own baby. Felicitas is a monster. Someone please take her child away from her. What the hell happens when Linda decides to not be what her mother wants? Will she regret not having killed her when she was a baby? Ugh.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

GingerAntics @Centique the thing that is pushing me forward at this point is the hope that somewhere, Cyp told her off for being a selfish little 🤬 and to either act like a mother or let someone else raise her child. For 🤬 sake!!! 5y
Centique The only redeeming thing I can think is that all this talk is some kind of post natal depression. Or is Gordon showing us that after F left the safety of her mother and Cyp - went against their instruction, rebelled - life dealt her a big retribution. Baby = cosmic punishment. Which is HORRIBLE - but F seems to take it like that. 🤷🏻‍♀️ 5y
GingerAntics @Centique I guess I didn‘t think of it as post natal depression. That would be reframing to an extent. She did mention feeling numb and depressed earlier on the pregnancy. That‘s very likely. It makes that parts a little better. I suppose she could look at her pregnancy as god punishing her. I like that Cyp didn‘t take that stance, even if F did. 5y
9 likes3 comments
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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Oh my god, she‘s whining about her life choices, claiming birth was more traumatising for her than her baby, and not understanding why no one gave her sympathy. I‘m starting to agree with Cyp about Felicitas.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife @Centique

10 likes
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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WTLF?! #MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife
@Centique Felicitas is a selfish little 🤬 who is whining about her own life choices, punishing her child for them, and identifying with abuse, neglect, and abandonment. WTLF?! Why am I still reading this book. I can‘t stand this little twit.

Centique I know, I know! It just didn‘t go where I thought it was going to go! 5y
GingerAntics @Centique I very nearly stopped reading, but I pushed on. I think she won me over again when she softened herself with Cyp and went against all the women and told Linda the truth about her father. If she‘d lied to Linda, like her mother wanted her to, I can promise I would have been done with this book, inched from the finish line. 5y
10 likes2 comments
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️
Felicitas is still an idiot.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

10 likes
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

10 likes
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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Oh my god, this mentality. 🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️ I can‘t even. @Centique I‘m not ever sure I like Felicitas anymore.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

10 likes
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

8 likes
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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Well then.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

10 likes
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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It was hard not to see this coming. The douche was supposed to do what, now?
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

TheBookHippie 🤣😂💀 5y
GingerAntics @TheBookHippie this was a really intense chapter, but I still chuckled at that. “It‘s happening baby!!! You‘re having a baby!!!” 5y
TheBookHippie @GingerAntics I swear sometimes writers do that so we breathe! 5y
GingerAntics @TheBookHippie that‘s a good way to put it. In this case, I don‘t think any reader didn‘t see this coming, but it was very heavy. It certainly needed a bit of comic relief and deep breath. It gets even heavier after that. 5y
8 likes4 comments
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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“She was not that kind of person.” Felicitas is secretly a MAN?! @Centique you could have warned me and I wouldn‘t have believe you!!! 🤣😂🤣 So judgey this book, yet I just keep reading.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

Centique 😂😂😂 5y
11 likes1 comment
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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@Centique this is a note a made in my reading journal very early on in the book (probably the very first chapter). The more I think about it, the more I see thier relationships as Felicitas grows up, I‘m thinking it‘s actually something different. Cyp is always “you do what I want/say or you don‘t love me.” That‘s a very catholic view and Charlotte holds it with Felicitas to an extent. All of the women do, in fact...

GingerAntics @Centique Felicitas holds this view even. It‘s why she wants to please Robert so badly. She genuinely believes that because she loves him, she must do what he wants her to do. It‘s why she goes and sleeps with Richard. (I think the lack of this type of dynamic is why Sally couldn‘t bring herself to sleep with Richard.) 5y
GingerAntics @Centique like I said, this was an observation I made really early in the book. Now, though, I think what‘s happening is Cyp wants everyone to do want he wants/asks so he knows they love him. In return, Cyp is what each woman wants so they know he loves them. Cyp is always angry at Felicitas because she‘s not playing the game with him anymore, so he doesn‘t know what to do with her. She‘s decided not to play with him, but to play with Robert. 5y
GingerAntics @Centique sorry, I know that‘s a lot, but I didn‘t know how else to explain it. I think there is a very subtle (possibly passive aggressive) game being played that can still be seen in many a catholic household today, sadly. #MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife 5y
See All 6 Comments
Centique @GingerAntics that‘s really interesting 😊 I hadn‘t thought of it in quite that way and I like that you‘ve got me rethinking it! I think you‘ve noticed a kind of reward he gives them for playing the game - his attention, his intimacy. I was oblivious to that. I wonder if it‘s unconscious on his part? 5y
Centique @GingerAntics and interesting that F has gone on to do the same thing with Robert. I wonder why she can‘t see past her own infatuation when she‘s been so clear minded before. I guess that‘s just the nature of infatuation. Love is blind etc etc 🤷🏻‍♀️ 5y
GingerAntics @Centique it‘s probably not conscious on anyone‘s part. It‘s taken me a long time to be able to recognise it, and even I can‘t tell when I‘ve been doing it until after I‘m out of a particular situation. So I don‘t think Cyp knows he‘s doing it, and F might recognise it later after she clears her head of Robert. A reward system is a good way to put it. 5y
10 likes6 comments
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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@Centique I do not like any of the male characters of this book. They all annoy me. Cyp is one extreme and Robert is the other. I suppose Richard isn‘t so bad.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

Centique Oh yes. Richard is better for sure. The only one I like is Joe, Mary Ann‘s boss at the theatre. Robert enrages me even more than Cyp! 5y
GingerAntics @Centique I don‘t know. At the moment, Cyp and Robert are tied for me. I like Joe. He seems to just want her to not have any regrets and have a good life. I feel like he‘s not judging her really, just pointing out where she‘s done a total 180. Richard, I kind of feel bad for him. He‘s infatuated with her. I wonder if she wouldn‘t like him more with Robert out of the picture. 5y
Centique @GingerAntics yes! If Robert wasn‘t there maybe some feeling for Richard could slowly develop. (edited) 5y
13 likes3 comments
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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I love that some of the women are starting to see what they‘ve done. They‘ve put her on this pedestal and when she fell off they got pissed. When she climbed off they got even more pissed. I‘m torn between if they enjoyed her company when she was younger (because she deferred to them?) or if her being around meant they could all spend as much time together as they wanted, because it was “good for Felicitas”? Hm.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen

11 likes1 comment
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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Love this. Charlotte blames her own daughter for his heart attack because she was stubborn. ??? But Cyp was the type to just have a heart attack whenever he felt like it, any old time. ??? Nuns in mini-skirts. That‘s not even a thing now. That is a DISTURBING image. Just wow.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

12 likes
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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@Centique And now he‘s having a pitty party. 🤦🏼‍♀️ You‘re not what I want you to be, you‘re not going what I say, you don‘t love me. 🤦🏼‍♀️ FFS I can‘t even with him.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

Centique A pity party! Yes, I reckon that‘s it exactly. 😒 5y
GingerAntics @Centique it seems to me he‘s acting like a big baby, an insolent child. 🙄 5y
10 likes2 comments
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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@Centique Cyp has spent his entire bloody adult life gathering these women, these worshipers, and now he‘s not happy with them. WTF?
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

Centique I know right? He thinks he got the consolation prize cos they‘re not men 🙄🙄🙄 5y
GingerAntics @Centique is that the reason? He felt he should have been made abbot or something? His order ultimately rejected him, so he‘s stuck with just these women? Hell, they defer to him. They wait on him hand and foot. I think any hint that they might be considering doing something independent of him, and he jumps to “they don‘t love me.” 5y
Centique I‘m not sure whether you‘ve had that couple of little glimpses into his past yet? Love to know what you think of those when they happen. 5y
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GingerAntics @Centique about where he has to do the plumbing and the golfing and the chinos? That was in part one. It was fascinating, and it‘s why I think he likes the women because they accept him. I really feel like the old traditional catholic idea that if someone loves you, they‘ll do what you tell them comes into play. It‘s true for Cyp, but it‘s also true for the women. 5y
Centique @GingerAntics oh good. I didn‘t want to jump ahead. I think he finds the women more malleable to his way of thinking, more inherently spiritual even - but I feel like he‘s carrying bitterness that it didn‘t turn out the way he wanted it to when he was with the men. He loves the women for their acceptance, love, and obedience as you say - but does he feel the real “glory” was denied him? 5y
GingerAntics @Centique I‘m not sure if he sees it as the “real” glory, but he didn‘t get the respect from the men he felt he was due. 5y
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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Well, at least Robert knows he‘s worth it.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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🤬🤬🤬 A 63 PAGE CHAPTER?! 🤬🤬🤬
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife
@Centique holy mother!!! This could take me a few days.

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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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I think it‘s often that we are annoyed by or despise in others what we see as a reflection of ourselves. I‘ve certainly noticed this, especially when it comes to the legalism and authoritarianism I was raised with. I notice it in how I look at people sometimes and how I talk my students sometimes.
OH THIS BOOK!!!
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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This book. My god this book!!!
I fully expected to see myself in this book, even before I bought it; however, I did not expect to see myself in this book in the ways I have. I haven‘t seen myself in this book in any of the ways I‘ve expected, but I still really see myself in this book. What. A. Trip.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife
@Centique Part II almost feels like a different book from Part I, maybe a sequel.

Centique It‘s not what I expected either! It turns a sharp corner into a life away from the church. But boy, Gordon can write those clear eyed insights into motivation and human behaviour. So many good quotes you‘re finding 😍 5y
GingerAntics @Centique she sure does. I was just noting last night, she starts sentences and whole paragraphs with the word ‘but‘ which is a massive pet peeve of mine. It normally drives me nuts, but in her case, the story and the writing is so good outside of that, I really only notice it in passing. I‘ll notice when I‘m posting a quote, hey, this is a badly constructed sentence grammatically. Didn‘t even notice while I was reading. 🤷🏼‍♀️ 5y
GingerAntics @Centique sadly, this sentiment (my love can go away, then you‘re on your own/I only love you when you‘re what I want you to be/you‘re only loveable when you‘re good) seems to be at the center of Catholic parenting. This resonated SO much with me for so many reasons. I‘m 33, this BS is still part of the dynamic in my relationship with my mother. 5y
Centique @GingerAntics oh I‘m sorry that this is still going on for you. 🙁 It‘s so easy for parents to believe they‘re supposed to create these perfect miniatures of themselves. And then to treat their grown children like aliens because they‘ve moved off that idealised track. It‘s a mindset that‘s destructive for everyone. Best wishes to you for that situation 💕💕 5y
GingerAntics @Centique eh. 🤷🏼‍♀️ It is what it is. I‘m not going to say it doesn‘t bother me at times, but I know she doesn‘t know anything different. It‘s how she was raised, and how her mother was raised. My mother is very much Felicitas, accept I highly doubt she ever slept with a professor in college. 🤣 I imagine I would be the outcome of Felicitas having Robert‘s baby and moving back home with Charlotte. Wow, that sounds kind of like hell to me. 🤣😂🤣 5y
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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Oh no no no, the body and the emotions are sinful. Only the mind can peruse god. 🙄 This is probably the hardest thing (maybe the second hardest thing) to learn (unlearn?) after a lifetime of being told passion and emotion are wrong, sinful, deadly.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife
@Centique this chapter was a ROLLERCOASTER!!! That all happened much faster than I expected. I‘m exhausted. So much to take in and process from this chap.

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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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Okay, so he just came right out with it then. Well alright. I hope he‘s good in bed. At least he seems fully aware she‘s a virgin and clueless. I‘m not sure whose going to need more help, him or her. Maybe they both will.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife
@Centique he just put that out there real quick. Wow. This suddenly got interesting in a whole new way (but it‘s probably going to get ugly, too...really ugly).

Centique Yup. It took a real left turn here didn‘t it? 😳😳 And my god, how coolly he suggests just dropping the course. As if it has no value for her. 5y
GingerAntics @Centique right? It‘s all about him and what he wants. That whole time in his apartment seemed really weird to me. He tried to get her stoned, why? Then the weird breakfast and getting her to skip class? Total left turn, then I felt like there was some swerving. Vigorous swerving that made me slightly dizzy. 5y
Centique @GingerAntics it‘s so fun for me to see you go through the same WTF moments I went through 😁🙌🤣 Dizzying is right. 5y
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GingerAntics @Centique I‘m so glad I‘m not in this alone. It‘s so weird. This book is SO odd, but for the life of me I have to know what happens. I don‘t know how you managed to get through this book with no one to talk to about it. 5y
Centique @GingerAntics I‘m making up for it now. Thanks to you! 🥰 5y
GingerAntics @Centique I can‘t not post some of this stuff. It‘s crazy, and weird, and I have to keep reading. I am so confused about how I feel about this book. It‘s a total mental trip. 5y
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GingerAntics
GingerAntics
The Company of Women: A Novel | Mary Gordon
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This is going to end well. 🙄 Been there. Done that. There is no T-shirt because no one would want one. Good luck, Felicitas. That‘s all I can say. Good luck.
#MaryGordon #TheCompanyOfWomen #readingmylife

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