The Bostonians vs The Women's Room: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Feminists, Feminism, Social conditions, Women, Fiction
The Bostonians
First published in 1886, The Bostonians is one of James' wittiest social satires. It begins with the arrival in Boston of Basil Ransom, in search of a career. The book turns on the relationship between Ransom, a…
1 film adaptation
vs
The Women's Room
“MIRA WAS HIDING in the ladies' room.”
Relates a woman's experiences and changing attitudes from her marriage in the 1950's to her increasing independence in the 1970's.
The verdict
- Readers rate The Women's Room highest: The Women's Room 4.0 · The Bostonians 3.6.
- The Women's Room is the quickest read — about 9 hours vs 12 for The Bostonians.
- The Women's Room has the widest readership — 9562 ratings behind its score.
- The Women's Room reaches further in scholarship and criticism — cited 76 times.
How to choose
Want a one-evening read?
The Women's Room
≈ 9h vs 12h for The Bostonians
Just want the better-reviewed one?
The Women's Room
4.0 vs 3.6 from readers
New to the genre?
The Women's Room
Moderate vs Demanding for The Bostonians
Want the literary heavyweight?
The Women's Room
cited 76 times vs 11 for The Bostonians
Scores by source
| The Bostonians | The Women's Room | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 3.6 (8208) | 4.0 (9562) |
| Hardcover | 3.2 (10) | 4.2 (10) |
| Apple Books | 3.5 (6) | 4.0 (27) |
Reception
| The Bostonians | The Women's Room | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 8208 | 9562 |
| Editions | 130 | 28 |
| Citations | 11 | 76 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | 14036 | — |
| Reading it now | 813 | — |
| Written reviews | 728 | — |
| Wikipedia attention | 2492 | 1259 |
| Pages | 696 | 492 |