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geriatricgretch's review against another edition
4.0
What a weird book - I really liked it, but I could see others not feeling as strongly. Equal parts tragic/gothic family history and the history of Jell-o/the women's movement in the 20th century, this was strange and off-putting but in a way that appealed to me deeply. Rowbottom is a punchy writer, and her tutelage under Maggie Nelson makes a lot of sense.
rachel_from_avid_bookshop's review against another edition
5.0
This is the second masterful memoir I've read in 2018 about the impact of the complicated and fascinating relationships between mothers and daughters (see also THE ELECTRIC WOMAN by Tessa Fontaine). Allie Rowbottom shares the history of her family's business (Jell-O) while also detailing the lives of generations of women oppressed by the patriarchy and dismissed as hysterical. Highly addictive, JELL-O GIRLS is the perfect book club pick, especially if you want to dive into the mother witch archetype and disrupting the patriarchy.
theromanticace's review against another edition
1.0
I hate to be so critical, but why was this a story that someone felt needed to tell? I really disliked this book, as it clearly came from a place of privilege and all the parts didn’t make sense molded together. Truly wish I could have that time spent reading back.