lmshearer's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
This novella, when read as a period piece, works for the most part. Its plot and characters are indicative of the attitudes of the early 21st century and I appreciated where each of the characters ended up by the end. One of the pull quotes on the copy I read described Shopgirl as a fairytale, and to an extent that's true, but I found it to be equally grounded and etherial (again, when read through a year-2000 lens -- consider Sex and the City for another cultural touchstone of the era). It's 2022, however, and certain problematic features, such as casual fatphobia and a constant male gaze, have aged like milk.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia
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