Jami T. (scowlette) reviewed F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Bernice Bobs Her Hair" in the 90s. on + 3 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Published in the mid-1990s, Nelson's debut was originally released as adult fiction. The titular girl is Andrea, a boring wallflower who undergoes a transformation in between her freshmen and sophomore year. Falling in the footsteps of Angela Chase from My-So-Called-Life and inspired by her friend, Sybil, Andrea goes from Plain Jane to alterna-chic. The story follows her until high school graduation.
Something I liked about this book, and what may have been the reason it was originally published as an adult novel, is the sexual autonomy given to Andrea. In many female coming-of-age stories the girl is seen as a victim of male sexuality, often pressured into sexual situations by boys/men. Rarely are teenage girls portrayed as enjoying sex, especially without judgement, or punishment (in the form of broken hearts, sexually transmitted diseases/infections, or pregnancy). In Girl, Andrea has and enjoys sex. She also doesn't enjoy sex, but isn't traumatized by it. There are situations, early on, where she is pressured to have sex. I felt like these situations were dealt with in a way that doesn't make Andrea a victim and allows her to have her own voice.
Something I didn't like about this book was it's redundancy. I felt like it could have been shorter and more concise. I also would have liked to know more about some of the minor characters, like Sybil.
Overall a decent read. I would recommend this for a mature young adult reader or someone who came of age during the 1990s.
Something I liked about this book, and what may have been the reason it was originally published as an adult novel, is the sexual autonomy given to Andrea. In many female coming-of-age stories the girl is seen as a victim of male sexuality, often pressured into sexual situations by boys/men. Rarely are teenage girls portrayed as enjoying sex, especially without judgement, or punishment (in the form of broken hearts, sexually transmitted diseases/infections, or pregnancy). In Girl, Andrea has and enjoys sex. She also doesn't enjoy sex, but isn't traumatized by it. There are situations, early on, where she is pressured to have sex. I felt like these situations were dealt with in a way that doesn't make Andrea a victim and allows her to have her own voice.
Something I didn't like about this book was it's redundancy. I felt like it could have been shorter and more concise. I also would have liked to know more about some of the minor characters, like Sybil.
Overall a decent read. I would recommend this for a mature young adult reader or someone who came of age during the 1990s.
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