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A review by serru
What Girls Are Made Of by Elana K. Arnold
4.0
This was a raw and unflinching look at the experience of being a girl. Nina Faye is finally dating the boy that she has liked for years, and she will do anything to prove that she is "worthy" of him.
The author really wrote with such honesty that at times it was really painful to read about what Nina was going through, or even the things she was doing herself, the choices she made (however bad). But haven't we all been there at some point, desperately clinging to a guy because we wanted to be loved? I felt so bad for Nina but at the same time, I totally got where she's coming from so I couldn't help but like her. I also love the fact that the author wrote frankly about bodily functions-- gross but absolutely a part of the realities of life and growing up-- I love it when fiction refuses to gloss over this stuff.
The story is interspersed with bits of Nina's writing-- short stories about virgin martyrs and saints. They were kind of an interesting peek into Nina's head, but they didn't do that much for me. I thought the story was already great without these bits.
The author really wrote with such honesty that at times it was really painful to read about what Nina was going through, or even the things she was doing herself, the choices she made (however bad). But haven't we all been there at some point, desperately clinging to a guy because we wanted to be loved? I felt so bad for Nina but at the same time, I totally got where she's coming from so I couldn't help but like her. I also love the fact that the author wrote frankly about bodily functions-- gross but absolutely a part of the realities of life and growing up-- I love it when fiction refuses to gloss over this stuff.
The story is interspersed with bits of Nina's writing-- short stories about virgin martyrs and saints. They were kind of an interesting peek into Nina's head, but they didn't do that much for me. I thought the story was already great without these bits.