Even Cowgirls Get the Blues
Women are dope and can accomplish great things, but centuries of historical and cultural prejudices have often stifled, discouraged, and discounted female contributions. This novel, written by ~a man~, throws up a big middle finger to anyone who wants to do just that. In actuality, he does so by throwing up a big thumb. Let me elaborate…
Sissy Hankshaw, our spunky main character, possesses extraordinarily large thumbs. While others mock her mutation, she proudly wields them—specifically as a means to hitchhike. Gasp! A non-female-friendly sport. Sissy is certainly no sissy; she leaves her family at an early age to hit the road and learn about herself and her unusual dexterities. She ends up at a cowgirl-run ranch called the Rubber Rose. Promiscuity and self-exploration is a crucial (and intriguing) component to this novel. There is a fluidity to gender and sexuality here that I have never before seen. Women are not confined to conscripted roles, desires, or lovers because of their gender; yet the novel isn’t so heady that it reads unrealistic or idealistic. The author Tom Robbins—as bohemian chic as he is—still grounds his ideas in relatable, convincing characters.
While we’re on the subject, Robbins is a certified badass. This guy writes like no one I’ve ever read before. He chooses storylines so wildly obscure and so seemingly distant from his own experiences…and renders them readable without losing their mystique. I mean, this novel involves:
An outlandish, homosexual feminine hygiene mogul
A woman with thumbs the size of a foot. Uma Thurman plays Sissy in the theatrical rendition and she looks absurd (and fabulous)
A flock of endangered, drugged whooping cranes
A group of eccentric cowgirls bent on advocating for *free love*
An enigmatic Asian male who whispers ambiguous aphorisms to himself in the mountains
A Mohawked male in denial of his Indian roots
Yet, these men and women have recognizable fears, hopes, and insecurities that any reader can appreciate. I’m officially a Robbins stan and I give Even Cowgirls Get the Blues 5 out of 5 flames. I originally came across it on some reputable “100 books to read before you die” list; now that I’ve read it, I can rest in peace.
PS: I’ve reviewed a few other Tom Robbins books since this original review. Go check them out: Jitterbug Perfume, Still Life with Woodpecker, and Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas.
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