lindseymoore14's review against another edition
4.0
Oh, I loved this book. It has all of the wit, humor, and feminism that I expect from a Caitlin Moran book. 4 out of 5 stars because it took awhile to really hook me, but I loved it once it did. If you're looking for a feminist coming of age story, this is a good one.
mamalemma's review
5.0
The tale of a rocky, raunchy launch to adulthood of naïve, ungainly, awkward and poverty-stricken Johanna Morrigan, aka the savage and fearless music critic/party girl Dolly Wilde, is a study in masquerade. As awkward Johanna reinvents herself as ferocious Dolly, so too does the book masquerade its inner heart with an aggressive mask. Filled with shockingly blunt language and descriptions of bad behavior, you would never guess from its surface how deep is the content. There are great, meaningful truths here, all presented in a coming of age story that would be horrifying to live through (or watch happen to a family member). This is smart, moving commentary on what it means to grow up, and hilariously funny to boot. There were lines of prose so meaningful that I had to stop listening just to write them down — a first for me among audiobooks.
The characters are fully drawn, with surprising depth. The audiobook narration is outstanding; one of the finest I’ve ever heard, imbuing the characters with urgency, confusion, defiance and melancholy that brings the story to life. This is not a book for everyone, but for those undeterred by strong language, it’s terrific.
The characters are fully drawn, with surprising depth. The audiobook narration is outstanding; one of the finest I’ve ever heard, imbuing the characters with urgency, confusion, defiance and melancholy that brings the story to life. This is not a book for everyone, but for those undeterred by strong language, it’s terrific.
zoecarter's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
wombat_88's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
a_violentfemme's review against another edition
4.0
I found this an enjoyable but in places problematic read. I can't say that I liked Johanna at the end of the novel but I understand her and my younger self definitely relates to her in many ways. I loved the music references- the music I myself love and I understand what it's like to live in a council house that is far too small for your family, being raised by a mum who only ate cereal so she could afford to clothe you and your siblings but I found the portrayal of mental health issues disingenuous. I found the end too sharp and was left wondering about too many things to feel a sense of closure.
carstensena's review against another edition
5.0
It's been a long time since I've dog-eared so many pages or laughed out loud quite that often. I just loved reading this book. Such insight in to the pain and humor or growing up, albeit under outrageous circumstances!
ambiiumm23's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
amylou215's review against another edition
3.0
A quirky, brutally-honest, hilarious read from start to finish, offering the insight into the whacky mind of a 17 year old girl who wants nothing more than to sleep around, drink gin and whisky every night before bed and chain-smoke like cigarettes are going out of fashion. Surprised myself with how much I actually enjoyed it. Brilliant