Eva's Man

This was a very interesting read about a woman who kills her lover. The narrative switches back and forth between Eva's present in prison, and her remembering of the events that led up to her killing the man. A mystery novel of sorts.

I found the buildup to the event very interesting -- particularly considering the time it was written. Eva has experienced much sexual harassment / assault throughout her life, and has always been assumed to be "available" for the taking as a black woman. While this explanation seems quite common now as a reason why women have killed their abusive partners, this is one of the earliest writings I've read on women choosing the role of victimizer over victim. I think about this book particularly in context of some of the second-wave feminist writings I've read during that time; this seems a particularly strong and absolute work in light of those. ( )