dejaentendu's review
4.0
More like three and a half stars than four if I'm honest. Liked but did not love and will never pick it up again.
ria_mhrj's review
4.0
I love Hadley Freeman's writing, she has an effortless conversational quality, reading this feels like speaking to your smart, awesome (obvs) friend, who will put the world to rights for you. Lots of thought-provoking comment and generally excellent advice for women, I wish I had read this book in 2012/2013...! Ah well, read now, loved now.
sara_collier's review
5.0
Well this was awesome. I love Hadley's columns in the Guardian - she manages to say what I'm also thinking in a more eloquent. funny and interesting way. All the way through I nodded along at her observations. I particularly loved the chapter on what not to say to your single friend who is feeling depressed about it (might not be the exact title) - so very very true and relevant! Also the fact that she put Decca Mitford in one of her top 5 awesome women, say anything in a list of 5 awesome films, and love,actually in a list of non-awesome films. I concur big time!
Looking forward to seeing Hadley at the Edinburgh Book Festival next month.
Looking forward to seeing Hadley at the Edinburgh Book Festival next month.
aligeorge's review
4.0
This is more a 3.5 star book I think - there are some very funny parts, some less so. I really like Hadley's columns and this is essentially a collection of those; some funny, some insightful, and one or two that left me cold. I think after reading funny feminist books along the lines of 'How to Be A Woman' and 'Let's Pretend This Never Happened' I was perhaps expecting a similar narrative hook, but whilst Hadley gives some insight into her life growing up, this book is not presented in the heart-on-sleeve personal way of the aforementioned. Perhaps as a result it doesn't have the same belly laughs or desperately sad moments - it's just a collection of eminently sensible, practical advice. Which is actually quite refreshing.
I suppose in some ways she is preaching to the converted (ie me, long time reader, first time reviewer), and that might be the reason why I was underwhelmed by some sections. Essentially I was going 'come on, I knew that, tell me something we don't both already know!' - but of course the fact I think she's stating the obvious doesn't mean everyone else will. In fact I have several friends who do not think the same way and very much need to read this, particularly some of the points around body image.
Some of the content is brilliant and it is consistently interesting - it's given me reading recommendations and inspiring female role models to find out about, which is always interesting for a history graduate. I could have done with more surprising things, for instance the piece about how we have internal, fictionalised versions of ourselves was a highlight - but overall this is worth a look, because it's life affirming and in parts very funny. Worth buying for the awkward teenage girl in your life, who probably needs a no-nonsense reminder to be awesome.
I suppose in some ways she is preaching to the converted (ie me, long time reader, first time reviewer), and that might be the reason why I was underwhelmed by some sections. Essentially I was going 'come on, I knew that, tell me something we don't both already know!' - but of course the fact I think she's stating the obvious doesn't mean everyone else will. In fact I have several friends who do not think the same way and very much need to read this, particularly some of the points around body image.
Some of the content is brilliant and it is consistently interesting - it's given me reading recommendations and inspiring female role models to find out about, which is always interesting for a history graduate. I could have done with more surprising things, for instance the piece about how we have internal, fictionalised versions of ourselves was a highlight - but overall this is worth a look, because it's life affirming and in parts very funny. Worth buying for the awkward teenage girl in your life, who probably needs a no-nonsense reminder to be awesome.
deniqd's review
2.0
This book was just ok. It had interesting parts and it had rubbish parts. I read it in one sitting, as the chapters are short and there are lots of lists, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I will.
miametro's review
2.0
Good lord this book was preachy. It had such a promising title but in no way did it make me feel awesome, just irritated and annoyed. I feel like it was aimed at women who don't know much about feminism, not women who already know they're feminists. I want to smack Hadley Freeman quite honestly. We all hate the Daily Mail love, you don't have to mention it a thousand times. We get it.
goldbirdcages's review
2.0
It took me over 6 months to finish this book. I don't really agree with a lot of Freeman's ideas of feminism (she spends a lot of time dumbing it down in order to appeal to men) and she also says that a Woody Allen film is one of the top 5 films of all time. How any self respecting feminist could say that, I'm not sure, and it rubbed me up the wrong way.
cezzie's review
1.0
First DNF of the year.
I wanted to love this so much but Freeman's writing often went off into nonsensical rambles and there was no actual constructive & empowering advice on how to 'be awesome'.
I thought this would be an inspiring read to start the year but it just came off as a series of messy blog posts.
It was also clear that if Freeman really was setting out to empower women with her words, she only had one type of woman in mind:
In a chapter entitled 'ten awesome books', she lists books by 9 white women and a white man.
In a chapter entitled 'ten awesome women', she lists 8 white women, Miss Piggy, and Nina Simone.
In a chapter about '5 awesome films and 5 very un-awesome films', she has a Woody Allen film in the 'awesome' list.
I'd recommend this book for women who brand themselves feminists but have no idea what intersectionality is and are unwilling to break out of their white feminist bubble. I'd also recommend it to people who don't mind reading pages after pages of narrative that has clearly never been touched by an editor.
What a disappointment.
I wanted to love this so much but Freeman's writing often went off into nonsensical rambles and there was no actual constructive & empowering advice on how to 'be awesome'.
I thought this would be an inspiring read to start the year but it just came off as a series of messy blog posts.
It was also clear that if Freeman really was setting out to empower women with her words, she only had one type of woman in mind:
In a chapter entitled 'ten awesome books', she lists books by 9 white women and a white man.
In a chapter entitled 'ten awesome women', she lists 8 white women, Miss Piggy, and Nina Simone.
In a chapter about '5 awesome films and 5 very un-awesome films', she has a Woody Allen film in the 'awesome' list.
I'd recommend this book for women who brand themselves feminists but have no idea what intersectionality is and are unwilling to break out of their white feminist bubble. I'd also recommend it to people who don't mind reading pages after pages of narrative that has clearly never been touched by an editor.
What a disappointment.
ingridboring's review
3.0
I'll admit I didn't read all of this, but what I did read was 70% great, 30% meh/awkward. One to dip in and out of perhaps, and a good book for women who deny being feminists.