smithel's review against another edition
4.0
I have to be honest, I didn’t want to love this book. I’m not good with cringe humour, and there are so many places, especially towards the beginning, where I was overwhelmed with excruciating vicarious embarrassment. But the more I read, the more I admired the heroine, and the more I responded to her passionate demand to be let into a world that she wasn’t prepared for and wasnt prepared for her. This is class commentary from the heart.
gaby_inz's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
snehajmandal's review against another edition
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
alexandraloyd's review against another edition
3.0
how to build a girl is quite literally a fine mix between the bell jar and daisy jones & the six. johanna is a 17 year old girl living at home with her family of 7 in poverty, rationing food, selling the tv in exchange for the water bill, and sharing a room with 2 of her brothers. what else is a girl to do in that situation but enter the world of celebrities and earn her keep? so johanna walks to the library, borrows as many cd’s as she can, lays on her bed and listens, and writes music reviews. she sends hundreds a week to any magazine that will listen, until somebody does.
this story was so lighthearted for covering such heavy topics -but the mind of a 17 year old is so innocent in such a hard world that it was impossible not to laugh at the way she handled her hardships. the author is an INCREDIBLE creative writer and i loved the way she described things so effortlessly. i wanted to underline so many beautiful lines but alas, this was a library book
this story was so lighthearted for covering such heavy topics -but the mind of a 17 year old is so innocent in such a hard world that it was impossible not to laugh at the way she handled her hardships. the author is an INCREDIBLE creative writer and i loved the way she described things so effortlessly. i wanted to underline so many beautiful lines but alas, this was a library book
bethgee's review against another edition
4.0
The heroine is confused, crass, misguided, but a little bit inspiring and brilliant as well. I only wish we had learned more of her journey. Definitely some NC-17 stuff, so not for the faint of heart.
cmars83's review against another edition
4.0
The first two thirds of this book would have earned a rating of 3, but part three bumped it up to a 4.
This book started as an entertaining romp through dysfunctional families, sexual awakenings and rock and roll and ended up being a really genuine and touching coming of age story. 15 year old me would have been scandalised and thrilled by the sex and drugs and would have inevitably found solace in how Johanna ends up tearing down (or falling apart) and then rebuilding herself as a girl in the last third of the book. I really enjoyed this book. It doesn't hurt that I have a crazy girl crush on Caitlin Moran. I really really do.
This book started as an entertaining romp through dysfunctional families, sexual awakenings and rock and roll and ended up being a really genuine and touching coming of age story. 15 year old me would have been scandalised and thrilled by the sex and drugs and would have inevitably found solace in how Johanna ends up tearing down (or falling apart) and then rebuilding herself as a girl in the last third of the book. I really enjoyed this book. It doesn't hurt that I have a crazy girl crush on Caitlin Moran. I really really do.
cluckingbell's review against another edition
4.0
Caitlin Moran's at least semi-autobiographical love letter to her teenage self and daughter(s) is full of '90s pop culture and a strong "to thine own self be true" message. It also had me laughing on numerous occasions, owing in no small part to a lively audiobook interpretation by Louise Brealey (of BBC's "Sherlock"). Some of the plot developments seem thinly supported or stretching belief, but so much is drawn directly from Moran's life that I can understand why she may have taken some things for granted. For that reason the book may not hold up as well for those unfamiliar with Moran's (life) story or in an unforgiving mood, as I often am, but I was nonetheless able to enjoy it completely.
stephgreed's review against another edition
dark
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
eotero's review against another edition
emotional
funny
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0