Title: The Wonder Down Under: The Insider’s Guide to the Anatomy, Biology, and Reality of the Vagina
Author: Nina Brochmann, Ellen Støkken Dahl
Publication Date: March 6, 2018
Pages: 304
Publisher: Quercus
Date Started: February 13, 2018
Date Finished: February 15, 2018
Format: Kindle

*I would like to thank the publisher, author, and NetGalley for providing an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

I was meant to review this book. Seriously. I study vaginas (in butterflies) and along comes a book… ABOUT VAGINAS!! I was unnecessarily excited about this, you can ask any of my friends and coworkers. I just couldn’t stop talking about it! And somehow, this book still surpassed my expectations and will be finding a place of honor on my bookshelf.

The Wonder Down Under is a book I wish I had access to when I was much younger, yet still find use for today. It is a medical book that contains answers to the questions women have about their nether regions. This is a big deal because, if you are a woman reading this then you are already aware, but there isn’t much information out there on what happens down there and what constitutes “normal.” Sex-ed hardly covers it and the internet is full of so much misinformation, if you look anything up you can convince yourself you have cancer (you probably don’t).

Brochmann and Dahl exude confidence in their writing and provide the perfect mix of scientific fact and professional opinion intermixed with humor. While this book covers essential information on such varied topics as various cervical mucous states, what happens during an abortion, and the effects of douching, it does leave out one major topic, and that is pregnancy and childbirth. They reason this away, stating that this topic has been covered by many others, but I would go one step further, and request the authors consider writing a sequel to dispel the numerous misnomers when it comes to that part of some women’s lives. So clearly, I recommend this book highly, so much so that I would keep reading on various topics if it were only an option.

To leave you with just a taste of knowledge you might gain from partaking in this book: Your cherry doesn’t actually pop. The hymen can even heal and grow back. Now, go forth with your new found knowledge, and pick up this book immediately!

Overall, 4.5/5 moose