A review by anniewill
Anthropology of an American Girl by Hilary Thayer Hamann

2.0

There was so much about this book that irritated me. I ended up forcing myself to read it because I had a mild interest in what happened to Evie- quite possibly one of the most annoyingly self absorbed female characters I have ever read. If there was a man in the book who was not in love with her----and not just "in love" with her; completely entranced by her beauty and sexuality----I didn't come across him. Even the gay characters were enraptured with her!

And, why? She was so dull and depressing and dreary, as were her male love interests. Oh.my.god. Make the torturous relationship with Rourke just end already! Who cares? Really, Evie? Just because the relationship ended (in a way in which I never quite understood why), doesn't require you to drift through life as if in a coma for the next three years. And, why is she with Mark? Why is she so dependent on men? Why isn't her mother (an ardent feminist) more interested in her relationship choices? Why is she such a pathetic character? Annoying.

Although Evie is a few years older than me, I was coming of age about the same time she was and honestly, I didn't know any women like her. I just can't imagine it!

I think this book could have used a good editor (a common complaint I have with current literature)- someone who could have knocked off at least 200 pages of HTH's superfluous writing. Man, that woman likes her own writing. And I found some of her supposedly wise insight laughably naive and obvious. Sheesh.

I found myself thinking that maybe this is a book for young women. I imagine HTH revisiting this book in her forties and cringing at the writing. At least, I hope she will have matured as a writer and will find her "insight" cringe worthy. I certainly did.