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franoflittlespoons's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5
I didn't expect to relate to the main character as much as I did. But the uncertainty of being a young woman is so perfectly captured.
Heartbreaking and hilarious, I highlighted so many passages!
Heartbreaking and hilarious, I highlighted so many passages!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny and Sexual content
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
Dubious consent, violence committed in a sexual settingellen_is_reading's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Alcohol
Minor: Vomit and Drug use
jencolumb0's review
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I picked this up at exactly the right time and gobbled it up in a single night. Perhaps, like Lucy, I think too much about things, but I found this book to be a multi-layered exploration of modern female agency. The BDSM angle makes the whole thing skew salacious (at least at the beginning) but it’s a surprisingly good tool for unpacking some of the issues Fitzpatrick addresses and demonstrating Lucy’s emotional growth.
I really liked the fact that Fitzpatrick spent so much time on Lucy, end-stop, and not her, defined by her status as a caretaker (as women are more often than not portrayed in media). As a result, I think the more worthy comparisons are to Apple TV’s Physical or even Sex Education. Fleabag is so thoroughly, almost pathologically unlikeable that the comparisons between the show and this book land as ham-handed, missing a lot of the contours of Fitzpatrick’s work and far too quickly writing off Lucy for her proverbial warts. Comparisons to The Secretary feel lazy, given the extensive conversation Fitzpatrick has in this book with both the short-story and the movie and it’s status as one of the few, relatively mainstream depictions of BDSM. This book has far more going for it than kink and it underscores the book’s point about the treatment of women and their value at this point in history if that element is your focal point.
I really liked the fact that Fitzpatrick spent so much time on Lucy, end-stop, and not her, defined by her status as a caretaker (as women are more often than not portrayed in media). As a result, I think the more worthy comparisons are to Apple TV’s Physical or even Sex Education. Fleabag is so thoroughly, almost pathologically unlikeable that the comparisons between the show and this book land as ham-handed, missing a lot of the contours of Fitzpatrick’s work and far too quickly writing off Lucy for her proverbial warts. Comparisons to The Secretary feel lazy, given the extensive conversation Fitzpatrick has in this book with both the short-story and the movie and it’s status as one of the few, relatively mainstream depictions of BDSM. This book has far more going for it than kink and it underscores the book’s point about the treatment of women and their value at this point in history if that element is your focal point.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Misogyny, and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Abortion, Vomit, Violence, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Torture
james1star's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Thank you to NetGalley and Bespeak Audio Editions for accepting me as a prepublication reviewer for the audiobook of Good Girl. I do feel obliged to highlight the book’s good points but they do want an honest review and this is my authentic take.
The ‘plot’ follows Lucy who is a mid-twenties chaotic mess of a person. She’s working at a bookstore but really wants to pursue writing. She has sexual desires for a man to beat her and just very into kinky BDSM stuff in that department. She finds out about a 70s teen music magazine and this ignites a passion for writing again where she delves further into this media world of the time - specifically the experiences of woman. There is more to this but I don’t really care to explain it.
There are some interesting and important discussions on many topics: feminism, consent, BDSM/rough sex, women in media, female objectification of men, the reality of porn, friendships, among others. These are okay but nothing is fully explored or expanded on, I didn’t really learn anything new or that insightful. Lucy touches on her relationship with her mum and childhood in some ways but again not deep enough to understand why she has a preference for rough sexual acts like being beaten, tied, verbally abused, controlled, etc - like why? She never really thought about this. It sort of gives the impression that such a relationship is one people can go into lightly which I don’t think is a very position outlook. I did like how Lucy does have this interest and explores different types in a way and teeters on the role of consent. I guess it’s a voice I have yet to come across in books that I have read, so explicitly sharing her sexual fantasies, specifically ones we may have thoughts/desires about but rarely explore ourselves. I just needed more reasoning. Lucy’s research and interest into the media world of the 70s via her interviews with members of the SMASH magazine throw up important discussions on the role of women and the toxicity surrounding it but then it doesn’t really go anywhere. This is a running theme with many of the different plot lines is this book: they all are left rather unfinished, I would be more annoyed at this if I had been interested in them but really I wasn’t. But still it irked me.
The characters were all kinda insufferable. I found them all quite annoying, unrealistic, shallow, un-relatable and just very ‘meh’. Lucy did so so many things that just pi**ed me off like I wanted to shake her, she didn’t follow though with things and I dunno I could not care for her. Nora was very unrealistic in my opinion, the way she speaks, her attitude and just everything was so forced. Sasha is Yhh alright, she’s a decent friend and I agree with her morals in part but I would say she was kinda jarring and hypocritical. Lucy’s mum was alright I guess, she showed her daughter love albeit in some embarrassing ways - but like I did feel Lucy should have been more appreciative… I dunno. Danny was Yhh fineish but his character super super underdeveloped. The other men were all so crap: Malcolm, Henry, Sasha’s bf (forgot and don’t care about his name), the man she went to LA to speak to (forgot his name too) and just like they were all annoying, shallow and ehh. Nigel the dog was the only good character for obvious reasons: she was just a dog.
The writing was alright. I didn’t find it particularly great or intriguing. I did laugh at a few things but for the most part, the humour or ‘wittiness’ was rather forced and just not for me. The dialogue did flow but wasn’t realistic. There were many many times I felt super cringed with what was being said or happening and a plethora of ‘eye roll’ moments. If a certain thing happened near the end I would literally have thrown my phone at a wall. So yes I am extremely happy with that decision, mostly for my phone and not an appreciation for the story. It was that or physically throwing up at how cringy that would’ve been. That’s all I say on the matter.
The ‘plot’ follows Lucy who is a mid-twenties chaotic mess of a person. She’s working at a bookstore but really wants to pursue writing. She has sexual desires for a man to beat her and just very into kinky BDSM stuff in that department. She finds out about a 70s teen music magazine and this ignites a passion for writing again where she delves further into this media world of the time - specifically the experiences of woman. There is more to this but I don’t really care to explain it.
There are some interesting and important discussions on many topics: feminism, consent, BDSM/rough sex, women in media, female objectification of men, the reality of porn, friendships, among others. These are okay but nothing is fully explored or expanded on, I didn’t really learn anything new or that insightful. Lucy touches on her relationship with her mum and childhood in some ways but again not deep enough to understand why she has a preference for rough sexual acts like being beaten, tied, verbally abused, controlled, etc - like why? She never really thought about this. It sort of gives the impression that such a relationship is one people can go into lightly which I don’t think is a very position outlook. I did like how Lucy does have this interest and explores different types in a way and teeters on the role of consent. I guess it’s a voice I have yet to come across in books that I have read, so explicitly sharing her sexual fantasies, specifically ones we may have thoughts/desires about but rarely explore ourselves. I just needed more reasoning. Lucy’s research and interest into the media world of the 70s via her interviews with members of the SMASH magazine throw up important discussions on the role of women and the toxicity surrounding it but then it doesn’t really go anywhere. This is a running theme with many of the different plot lines is this book: they all are left rather unfinished, I would be more annoyed at this if I had been interested in them but really I wasn’t. But still it irked me.
The characters were all kinda insufferable. I found them all quite annoying, unrealistic, shallow, un-relatable and just very ‘meh’. Lucy did so so many things that just pi**ed me off like I wanted to shake her, she didn’t follow though with things and I dunno I could not care for her. Nora was very unrealistic in my opinion, the way she speaks, her attitude and just everything was so forced. Sasha is Yhh alright, she’s a decent friend and I agree with her morals in part but I would say she was kinda jarring and hypocritical. Lucy’s mum was alright I guess, she showed her daughter love albeit in some embarrassing ways - but like I did feel Lucy should have been more appreciative… I dunno. Danny was Yhh fineish but his character super super underdeveloped. The other men were all so crap: Malcolm, Henry, Sasha’s bf (forgot and don’t care about his name), the man she went to LA to speak to (forgot his name too) and just like they were all annoying, shallow and ehh. Nigel the dog was the only good character for obvious reasons: she was just a dog.
The writing was alright. I didn’t find it particularly great or intriguing. I did laugh at a few things but for the most part, the humour or ‘wittiness’ was rather forced and just not for me. The dialogue did flow but wasn’t realistic. There were many many times I felt super cringed with what was being said or happening and a plethora of ‘eye roll’ moments. If a certain thing happened near the end I would literally have thrown my phone at a wall. So yes I am extremely happy with that decision, mostly for my phone and not an appreciation for the story. It was that or physically throwing up at how cringy that would’ve been. That’s all I say on the matter.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing and Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Pedophilia, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Sexism, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault
Minor: Abortion, Drug use, Alcohol, Homophobia, and Toxic friendship
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