Rhi Axtell – Writer

The one big thing I took away from Holly McNish’s book Slug is that I should steal more packets of sugar. With the ever-growing pile of sugar packets in my backpack, I think that advice has very much been taken to heart.

That’s a lie, of course.* Slug is a collection of essays and poems on a variety of topics from death to sex to periods to parenting. They swing wildly from hilarious to heartbreaking and back again and are all captured in Holly’s down-to-earth and no-nonsense voice.

*Okay, it’s a half-lie. I do have a growing collection of sugar packets, it just wasn’t the biggest thing I took away from the book.

This book was a journey. It took me a while to read it only because I wanted to sit and let each chapter digest a little before I moved onto the next. Combining the poems with essays (often linked in subject) and it leads to a thought-provoking smorgasbord which you can dip in and out of with ease.

I always think you shouldn’t read poetry too quickly, anyway. You got to marinate in the words a bit. Now I’m hungry.

Although this book feels very much aimed at women (McNish talks directly to the reader a few times, and clearly expects to be talking to a woman), I think men should definitely 100% without-a-doubt give Slug a read too.

As a man reading this, my eyes were opened to misconceptions I had grown up with, that society had planted in my brain, and it’s really got me re-thinking my approach to a lot of things, from periods to body-positivity.

Here’s an example:

In the book, there is a section titled ‘Blood’. The focus is the shame around menstrating and how this perfectly natural (often quite painful) bodily function is seen as ‘disgusting’ and women are made to feel bad for it.

My wife once said she was on her period and I replied ‘ew’. I now feel very bad for saying this. Next time she tells me, I will make a hot water-bottle and give her all the chocolate she desires. Also, I’m looking to see what period-products I can buy that will make her life easier.

I actually meant for this book review to be quite short. Just one jokey paragraph suggesting you read it, but I realise now that this book spoke to me in a surprisingly profound way.

It also uses the word ‘c*nt’ a lot, and that always makes me giggle cause it’s naughty heehee.

Long story short, buy this book and read it.

(Also, I’m sorry Holly McNish, and I know how the word ‘Feminist’ makes you feel uncomfortable, but you totally are one and so am I)