Critic Reviews
Mixed
Based on 3 reviews on
When Rachel Krantz met and fell for Adam, he told her that he was looking for a committed partnership--just one that did not include monogamy. Intrigued and more than a little nervous, Krantz decided to see whether their love could coexist with the freedom to date other people. Could they strike an exquisite balance between intimacy and independence, and find a way to feel passion for each other once the honeymoon phase ended?
Krantz documents her dive into polyamory, from Brooklyn sex parties to swinging and beyond, in her extraordinary debut memoir. As she attempts to write a new plot for her love story with Adam, she runs up against miscommunications, gaslighting, and ancient power dynamics, and seeks solid ground in a relationship where the rules are ever-shifting. An award-winning journalist, she interviewed scientists, psychologists, and people living and loving outside the mainstream as she searched to understand what polyamory would do to her heart, her mind, and her life.
With an unflinching eye and page-turning storytelling, Open is groundbreaking in both its documentarian approach to polyamory and its explicit subject matter. From debilitating anxiety spirals to heart-opening connections with the men and women she dates, Rachel puts her whole self on the line as she attempts to redefine what a relationship is--or could be.
Kate Willett is a comedian and writer.
It’s tough to thread the needle when talking about how some men weaponize the language of sex positivity to coerce bc you don’t wanna feed the puriteens/trads/religious right/swerfs. Best book I read recently on the topic is Open by Rachel Krantz, she held a principled line https://t.co/fCgfwaQhSv
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This week on the Handsell, Amanda recommends Open by Rachel Krantz: https://t.co/6I3QOfHlhG
Brad Listi is an author and podcast host.
➡️...annnnd at #8 of 2022, we have Episode 756, my conversation with @RachelKrantz, author of OPEN: AN UNCENSORED MEMOIR OF LOVE, LIBERATION, AND NON-MONOGAMY. an excellent conversation. this is a book & an episode that don't shy away from complicated truths. air date: 1.26.22 https://t.co/unL61D3sTI https://t.co/7zl6Th2Gzk
"Open has all the makings of a juicy beach read--romance, sex, deception, and twists--except that it's an 'obsessively documented' account, per Krantz, of her real-life open relationship."--Vogue
"[Krantz's] breathtaking honesty in probing the serious downsides of polyamory while eschewing outmoded patriarchal codes of morality should allow for an overdue dialogue about what makes any relationship work."--Los Angeles Times
"A sexy, messy, necessary look at polyamory."--The Advocate
"Heavily researched and incredibly vulnerable."--Shondaland
"Generous and fearless . . . Open is an insightful and compassionate reminder that nonmonogamy--like any other intimate relationship--is only as viable as the humans involved make it."--Bitch
"Krantz's experiences with non-monogamy are plenty engrossing in and of themselves. But she doesn't stop there. Instead, Krantz uses her considerable journalistic talents to widen her lens, including perspectives that are too often marginalized. A valuable contribution to the growing body of work on non-monogamous relationships."--Molly Roden Winter, author of the New York Times bestseller More: A Memoir of Open Marriage
Open is a raw and courageous exploration of the complexities of non-monogamous relationships. I couldn't put it down! Through meticulous documentation and unflinching honesty, Krantz navigates the highs and lows of her journey, offering readers a deeply personal and thought-provoking look at love, sex, power dynamics, and self-discovery."--Jessica Fern, author of Polysecure
"Open is a smart, original, ambitious, and deeply absorbing memoir, in part because Krantz wants no less than to help us rethink the concepts of love, sex, and power as we know them. She succeeds by bringing us deftly and irresistibly into her most intimate pains and joys, stretching our understanding of what commitment and autonomy mean."--Dr. Wednesday Martin, author of Untrue and Primates of Park Avenue
"Seamlessly shifting from a critique of evolutionary biology to the first touch of his hand on her thigh, this polyamorous coming-of-age story crackles with equal parts erotic energy and searching commentary. A perfect guide to our new world, the only problem I had picking up this book was putting it back down."--Terrence Real, bestselling author of Us: Getting Past You and Me to Build a More Loving Relationship
"Krantz offers an unflinchingly honest account of the highs and lows of non-monogamous relationships, beautifully illustrating the ways that opening up one's relationship can offer tremendous freedom and painful imprisonment."--Lux Alptraum, author of Faking It: The Lies Women Tell About Sex --And the Truths They Reveal
"Titillating . . . Krantz sweeps readers into a narrative that seduces and educates in equal measure . . . [Open] offers an alluring and insightful look at a life lived outside of conventional structures."--Publishers Weekly