Reason read: Reading 1001, animal in title
This is a short story by D.H. Lawrence and it is set during WWI. Two late twenties females are trying to farm. One Nellie is masculine and Jill is feminine. The farm animals (poultry) are harassed by a fox until there is nothing really left of the farm. They had two cows; one ran off looking for a mate and the other pregnant and they were afraid so they sold it before it calved. Nellie tries to kill the fox but ends up entranced by the fox. One day a young man comes to the door of their home. He kills the fox and he becomes the fox who menaces March and Banford.
It's a short novel with themes of gender roles, sexuality, and femininity. The conjecture would be that Nellie and Jill are in a relationship that is disrupted by the dominate male sexual relationship that is destructive and violent. ( )

As duas mulheres eram jovens e bonitas.
Viviam juntas naquela pequena granja.
Tranquilas. Isoladas do mundo.
Primeiro apareceu uma raposa, ameaçando a criação
Depois apareceu um jovem estranho, ameaçando tudo.

“Apenas uma mulher” conta a história de duas mulheres, March e Banford, que viviam sozinhas numa fazenda isolada — bem organizadas, independentes, sem homens — bastando-se uma à outra. A natureza nervosa de Banford encontrava segurança na força calma de March. Um dia, um jovem soldado chega à fazenda. Vivera ali em outros tempos com o avô. Banford recebeu-o como a um irmão mais moço, alguém com quem poderia tomar chá e conversar. Mas March começou a sentir uma vaga inquietação, a perigosa agitação de um desejo angustioso e adormecido…

3.8 stars
Really quick read. Loved the tension in the book. Which would typically make it a 4 star book.
On the other hand the the allegory/metaphors in the book were so heavy handed I had to take away a star. (Shades of Old Man and the Sea - *shudder*)

The characters were very flat, but in a short story it worked for me, and added a humor & lightness to the story that I enjoyed.
( )

Un vagabondo irrompe nella fattoria mandata avanti da due signore inglesi. La volpe, astuta e seducente, compare e scompare nel racconto.