A review by lauredhel
How to Ditch Your Fairy by Justine Larbalestier

3.0

Tenth book of the Australian Women Writers Challenge for me!

I confess that I didn't actually much like this book. Some of the world-building showed promise, but then it all vanished in a puff of smoke, with the happy ending coming too abruptly for me. The made-up slang seemed a bit pointless and overworked - I would have liked a lighter touch.

But I think mostly I was bothered by the "every-boy-likes-you" fairy, and the depiction of quite horrendous ongoing daily sexual harassment and even assault being a result of a girl having that personal fairy. Because (a) that put the cause of this harassment within the girl; and (b) that stuff isn't caused by boys liking you. Quite the opposite.

Don't let this put you off Liar, though. Liar is brilliant.