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Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'
One in a Millennial: On Friendship, Feelings, Fangirls, and Fitting In by Kate Kennedy
2 reviews
lindsayerin's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Religious bigotry and Mass/school shootings
Minor: Sexism, Fatphobia, Toxic relationship, and Sexual assault
dogbuttsandbooks's review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-paced
2.25
I’ve been following Kate and Be There in Five since the beginning. I literally had a custom doormat! So I was so excited to get an early copy of Kate’s book. But, at the risk of sounding like a mean girl from a Mary Kate and Ashley movie, it was not worth the read. It comes it at a whopping 330 pages, and the chapters take long, meandering trips to get to the point (don’t even get me started on the pages about some song called Quack Diddly Oso in the chapter about sleepovers) — which speaking of, I’m not sure the blurb even knows what the point of the book is? Is it a memoir? Is it an analysis of the early 2000s? I’ve read the whole thing and I’m still not sure.
Kate’s turn of phrase and word play works so well on her podcast, but it is so incredibly heavy handed in this book. I hope it works better on the audio version.
The best parts of this book are the random interstitials and snorkels Kate does into specific pieces of pop culture — this is what I wish the whole book had been. Chapter 11, about how the term “basic” and the way women’s popular interests are used to undermine and discredit 50% of the population was the best chapter and should’ve been the first chapter and outline for the book. I truly wish we could’ve seen more of that conversation. Because girls rule and boys truly drool.
I think Kate is a fun, kind person who has created a wonderful place on the internet, but unfortunately her sheltered life as a middle income white women with almost every privilege on the planet does not make a her the prime person to be the voice of women’s empowerment. Reading dozens of pages about Kate, a thin, white, conventionally attractive, blonde woman wasn’t able to land guys in college … until she shortly after met her husband… just doesn’t sit well in 2023. Despite the hundreds (thousands?) of pop culture references, I remember only a handful about trends and moments that included or would’ve been pivotal for people of color.
All that being said, I know many of her listeners will love this book and in the spirit of Kate’s message to embrace what you love, regardless of others’ opinions, I hope it’s what their dreams are made of (hey now).
The best parts of this book are the random interstitials and snorkels Kate does into specific pieces of pop culture — this is what I wish the whole book had been. Chapter 11, about how the term “basic” and the way women’s popular interests are used to undermine and discredit 50% of the population was the best chapter and should’ve been the first chapter and outline for the book. I truly wish we could’ve seen more of that conversation. Because girls rule and boys truly drool.
I think Kate is a fun, kind person who has created a wonderful place on the internet, but unfortunately her sheltered life as a middle income white women with almost every privilege on the planet does not make a her the prime person to be the voice of women’s empowerment. Reading dozens of pages about Kate, a thin, white, conventionally attractive, blonde woman wasn’t able to land guys in college … until she shortly after met her husband… just doesn’t sit well in 2023. Despite the hundreds (thousands?) of pop culture references, I remember only a handful about trends and moments that included or would’ve been pivotal for people of color.
All that being said, I know many of her listeners will love this book and in the spirit of Kate’s message to embrace what you love, regardless of others’ opinions, I hope it’s what their dreams are made of (hey now).
Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the free advanced release copy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Eating disorder, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship
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