When members of Wet Leather, the fictional band in Teresa McWhirter’s third novel for adults, are asked if they’re feminists, they answer, “Duh.” The only problem is it’s hard to believe them. The back cover of Five Little Bitches claims the novel offers a “psychologically charged feminist perspective,” but the band’s philosophy is as unconvincing as its trajectory. Many a punk band has been built out of nothing, but Wet Leather’s meteoric rise comes across as fairly implausible: after just one show they’re invited on tour with an established act, and their successes accumulate from there despite spotty performances.

Anyone looking for the poetic prose of McWhirter’s 2002 debut, Some Girls Do, won’t find it here. Told in the straight-ahead manner of 2007’s Dirtbags, McWhirter delivers an in-your-face style to match the grit of her characters, who aren’t easy to like. While bandmates don’t need to be friends to be functional on a professional level, the ups and downs of Wet Leather’s members feel underdeveloped and contradictory.

Despite its supposed importance, the band’s feminism is barely explored, and seems tacked on the few times it is brought up. When tampons are called “cunt sticks,” for example, is this taking ownership of a divisive word, controversial even in feminist circles? If bassist Kitty Domingo is so tough, why does she rely on guys to avoid being alone? Why is it okay for some female characters to obsess over sex while others are harshly judged? 

And why does this band – collectively and individually – so often look to men for validation and career success? Each character is defined by hurt, rejection, and need – often stemming from relationships with men – rather than independence. They are supposed to be strong and magnetic, but come across as powerless to improve their self-esteem, vices, and destinies.

Until the end, their feminist attitudes remain a mystery, as does any indication of whether this book is meant to poke fun at musicians or celebrate them. The band’s party-driven antics come across as over-the-top, adding a cartoonish element throughout. By the end of Wet Leather’s saga, it’s not hard to say goodbye to this band that never was.