Gen Z is selling out I Who Have Never Known Men, a ‘90s indie dystopian novel. The translated Belgian novel has gained its first wave of popularity—having been mostly unknown since it was published in 1995—after being re-released in 2022. In 2024, it sold more than 100K copies, actually making it hard for the small U.S. publisher to keep up with print demand. The story centers a young woman living in a world with only 39 other women and seemingly no civilization, after escaping an underground cage monitored by male guards. And its newfound success is mostly thanks to TikTokers latching onto it; with a Handmaid’s Tale appeal, it’s resurged as young women take interest in trends like “de-centering men” and the 4B movement. But it’s not only recommended for radical political reading, it’s also inspiring a conversation around the beauty of community, the privilege of reading, and simply the thought experiment it poses. (The Cut)
📊 YPulse data: 35% of 13-39-year-old females regularly read books / e-books for fun
