A review by debldroege
Blueprints for Building Better Girls: Stories by Elissa Schappell

4.0

A friend recommended this book to me based on my mentioning Lorrie Moore and Curtis Sittenfeld as authors I enjoyed. Basically, I said I enjoyed popular fiction by female authors with a literary edge. After reading Blueprints for Building Better Girls, I can see why he recommended Elissa Schappell to me. At times, the book is both humorous and heart-aching. The stories delivered what the back cover promised: so many of the stories resonated with me. The stories of high school and college age women reminded me of myself and women I knew at that time. The stories about married women and mothers made me think of older women I know and wonder about the life to come, about paths not taken. As someone who probably empathizes too much with books, it resonated so strongly with me that I felt a little downtrodden and sad for the woman I was and so many I've seen. I would have liked to see a little more hope (as I often do with books), but I understand this is not that kind of book. If you're looking for a light read, this might be too heavy. But if you're looking for a window into the lives of certain kinds of women, then take a peek. Despite the mood I felt settle on me while I was reading this, I am happy to have read it. Happy to know other women have shared similar thoughts and experiences. If the book does not meet the literary goal of amusement, it definitely meets the goal of allowing the reader to feel a shared experience.