Reviews

Diário de Uma Garota Normal: Um Relato em Palavras e Imagens by Phoebe Gloeckner

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kabpoetry's review against another edition

3.0

Gloeckner's writing is sharp and clear, there is no doubt about that. Although this is based on her life as a teenager, I found it incredibly hard to find any sympathy for Minnie. She's very intelligent, very talented, yet continually makes awful, awful choices, which isn't typically the hallmark for intelligent people. Yes, she is also manipulated adults, in particular, the lecherous Monroe. Every single character in this book is extremely unlikable. Still, this is clearly not the average teenage girl in America's account of their lives. Again, this is well written, but it's so filled with needless debauchery and a lack of accountability that it would make anyone fear being the parent of a teenage girl.

anniep95's review against another edition

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5.0

Minnie’s definitely the closest thing I’ve found to a female Holden Caulfield (not that that’s a hot take obviously).

closetdiscoqueen's review against another edition

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5.0

I LOVED this how this book was multimedia, written in journal entries, letters, panels, and full-page illustrations.

This book made me think very hard about all of the men I've encountered in my life, relatives or not, jerks, friends, or boyfriends. Reading through the reviews before I checked out the book, I was curious why many were offended- especially when the author/illustrator dedicates it to all girls. I guess I can see why some didn't like it, but mostly I'm thankful for Phoebe Gloeckner's brutally honest and exposed look into her childhood. I think that any girl can relate to Minnie on at least some level.

I followed this up with the movie released in 2015 under the same title. The book was so dark to me, filled with longing and desperation- whereas the movie seemed lighthearted. Drugs in the book were Minnie's distractions and her way of coping, whereas the movie glorified it much more. Her relationship with Munroe in the book makes my stomach churn, but the movie made me forget how much older he is. I'm not sure how I feel about this.

I walked away from the book thinking about so much, I even called my mom about it (she hasn't read it). I highly recommend the novel over the movie.