A review by tristy
Girlhood by Melissa Febos

4.0

A thick collection of essays with the overall theme of unpacking the challenges of growing up in a female body, but is really the very personal story of the author with a lot of research to back up her experiences. Many sections of the book are a hard read, as I recognize my own brutal journey from girlhood to pre-teen hood, when the world suddenly became a violent place where I must always be aware of men and their needs to survive. My favorite sections are the author’s unpacking of her Cuddle Party experiences and realizations, and the last essay where we experience Paris in two very different ways. I ultimately enjoyed the insightful writing, but as with most essay collections, the tone and pace shifts from each chapter were a bit jarring.