A review by oatieoats
I'm Not Your Manic Pixie Dream Girl by Gretchen McNeil
2.0
Um what the heck did I just read?
I finished reading this book 5 minutes ago and I don't have words. Not in a good way.
Lets break it down.
Beatrice and her friends have been bullied all their school year, so Beatrice comes up with a formula (because this is normal, An Abundance of Katherines much?) to change their lives.
Then all of the sudden people automatically welcomes them as if nothing, because that's exactly what people do when you change the way you dress. Even though you've been bullied all your life, you change your outfit and TA-DA--because kids are that nice.
"The cool kids" as them to sit with them, suddenly everybody in school wants to be friends with them, etc etc.
this didn't bother me so much: the unlikeliness of it all, a change of clothes and you keep the bullies away.
What bothered me was the whole Manic Pixie Dream Girl thing. Like we've all seen these types of girls in books and movies but apparently everybody except Beatrice and Toiles actually understand how they work.
The point of these characters is that they are cool, unique, artistic, fresh, a bit indie BUT THEY DONT DRESS LIKE CRAZY!
AND THEY SURELY DONT TALK LIKE CRAZY!
rainbows, cotton candy, unicorns, rain and stuff. Not all of them have kindergarten ADHD.
This is what bothered me the most, these girls (Trixie and Toiles) were dressed like crazy and I wonder how no one made fun of them but actually just rolled with it.
Im pretty sure if someone dressed like that in my school, she would probably get bullied (which is not cool but you know how kids are).
Let's revisit the typical MPDG:
Zoey Deschanel in (500) days of summer, she dresses so cool. Her style is very Indiesh/hipsterish she doesnt wear mismatched shoes
-Elizabethtown, Kristen dresses simply: skirt, shirt and flip-flops. SHE DOESNT WEAR YELLOW SHORTS WITH BRIGHT TEAL LEGGINGS AND A PINK SWEATER.
Thats because she wasnt dress by a kindergartner.
-Roman Holiday/Breakfast at Tiffany's: Audrey dresses very classy and elegant. Certainly does not talk like this:
“Just say whatever pops into your head. It’ll sound more authentic that way.” Gabe morphed into character. “Bea, darling. I just love what you’ve done with your hair.”
Right. Whatever pops into my head. “Really? Thanks! I mean, I wasn’t really sure . . . The pink and all. It kinda looks like candy. Oh, have you ever thought about what’s in a Skittle? Think about it! Tasting the rainbow could mean a whole lot of different . . . Oh. My. GOD!” I turned to the window, pointing outside. “Check out those clouds! Doesn’t it look like a princess riding a pony jumping over the TARDIS?” I dropped the act. “What do you think?”
Besides the way Trixie dresses, talks and acts (with the swirling and hopping) I also disliked Beatrice. Her personality is awful.
-shes selfish
-shes arrogant
-she thinks she's superior than everybody just because shes good at math
-she thinks she's superior than everybody just because people aren't good at math/dont like math
-she's petulant
-she feels she's so mature, and she has to remind us all the time shes WAY more mature than her classmates and even her parents.
This book makes fun of the MPDG but Beatrice character is one I've seen often.
-control freak
-type A personality
-well behaved
-she gets good grades
-doesnt have many friends
-logical, never allows her emotions to show
-has OCD
anyhow 2.5 stars
I finished reading this book 5 minutes ago and I don't have words. Not in a good way.
Lets break it down.
Beatrice and her friends have been bullied all their school year, so Beatrice comes up with a formula (because this is normal, An Abundance of Katherines much?) to change their lives.
Then all of the sudden people automatically welcomes them as if nothing, because that's exactly what people do when you change the way you dress. Even though you've been bullied all your life, you change your outfit and TA-DA--because kids are that nice.
"The cool kids" as them to sit with them, suddenly everybody in school wants to be friends with them, etc etc.
this didn't bother me so much: the unlikeliness of it all, a change of clothes and you keep the bullies away.
What bothered me was the whole Manic Pixie Dream Girl thing. Like we've all seen these types of girls in books and movies but apparently everybody except Beatrice and Toiles actually understand how they work.
The point of these characters is that they are cool, unique, artistic, fresh, a bit indie BUT THEY DONT DRESS LIKE CRAZY!
AND THEY SURELY DONT TALK LIKE CRAZY!
rainbows, cotton candy, unicorns, rain and stuff. Not all of them have kindergarten ADHD.
This is what bothered me the most, these girls (Trixie and Toiles) were dressed like crazy and I wonder how no one made fun of them but actually just rolled with it.
Im pretty sure if someone dressed like that in my school, she would probably get bullied (which is not cool but you know how kids are).
Let's revisit the typical MPDG:
Zoey Deschanel in (500) days of summer, she dresses so cool. Her style is very Indiesh/hipsterish she doesnt wear mismatched shoes
-Elizabethtown, Kristen dresses simply: skirt, shirt and flip-flops. SHE DOESNT WEAR YELLOW SHORTS WITH BRIGHT TEAL LEGGINGS AND A PINK SWEATER.
Thats because she wasnt dress by a kindergartner.
-Roman Holiday/Breakfast at Tiffany's: Audrey dresses very classy and elegant. Certainly does not talk like this:
“Just say whatever pops into your head. It’ll sound more authentic that way.” Gabe morphed into character. “Bea, darling. I just love what you’ve done with your hair.”
Right. Whatever pops into my head. “Really? Thanks! I mean, I wasn’t really sure . . . The pink and all. It kinda looks like candy. Oh, have you ever thought about what’s in a Skittle? Think about it! Tasting the rainbow could mean a whole lot of different . . . Oh. My. GOD!” I turned to the window, pointing outside. “Check out those clouds! Doesn’t it look like a princess riding a pony jumping over the TARDIS?” I dropped the act. “What do you think?”
Besides the way Trixie dresses, talks and acts (with the swirling and hopping) I also disliked Beatrice. Her personality is awful.
-shes selfish
-shes arrogant
-she thinks she's superior than everybody just because shes good at math
-she thinks she's superior than everybody just because people aren't good at math/dont like math
-she's petulant
-she feels she's so mature, and she has to remind us all the time shes WAY more mature than her classmates and even her parents.
This book makes fun of the MPDG but Beatrice character is one I've seen often.
-control freak
-type A personality
-well behaved
-she gets good grades
-doesnt have many friends
-logical, never allows her emotions to show
-has OCD
anyhow 2.5 stars