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Book Review of Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper

Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper
reviewed on + 38 more book reviews


She's written and sold screenplays to Hollywood. She dated a musician from Minneapolis whose five year old (nickname "Peanut" to protect the innocent) loved her. She worked a straight job while stripping part-time. How bad could the book be?

Bad. It's just bad. Granted, Diablo Cody (birth name Brook Busey) grew up in a suburb of Chicago with a relatively normal family, suffered no incident of child molestation, and graduated from college. However, the story comes off (no pun intended) as if she just couldn't leave her youth behind. Too many faux-clever zingers and descriptions of strippers and patrons, too many nights taking off her vinyl panties or popping a silicone device between her legs for the paying purview of the customers, too many descriptions of lame-o men and "bitchface" hardtimers who wore wigs, press-on nail extensions and wads of cash strapped into their garters.

Why did she choose to be a stripper? I'm getting to that section in the book. I'm guessing the payoff won't be any too sweet, and, like most candy ill-consumed with gluttonous intent, leave a bad taste in my mouth.