A review by raerni
The Riot Grrrl Collection by Lisa Darms

informative inspiring medium-paced

2.0

As a teenager in the 2000s,  I was fascinated by riot grrrl. I wished I had been born a decade earlier in a city where things happened. Teenage me would have loved  this collection: teenage me would have been inspired to start a zine, to pick up an instrument, to organize a meet-up. But as a more middle-aged adult, I found myself a bit bored. I wanted more analysis—more historical narrative or critical reflection. I think I was hoping for a curated tour through the history and politics of riot grrrl, but what this books offers is a slice of the archive. And then I’m ultimately unsatisfied with this slice of the archive, as it is not complete  enough for me to unpack the history and political trajectories. I appreciate the effort that went into this collection, but ultimately it wasn’t for me.