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0live_tr33's review
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Sexism, Fatphobia, Bullying, and Adult/minor relationship
helendeu's review
4.0
At first, this book felt like a cross between Thelma and Louise and The Catcher in the Rye. Worse, it felt like whiney girls who broke rules for the hell of it but then, it hit its straps and the complexity of the seemingly simple tale became apparent. It created its own path and pulled me along.
These girls were enraged by the treatment they have received and they acted it out in a way that people might find confronting, unacceptable or just plain childish. People often find female anger confronting but the anger these girls had was written so well. Rosa was determined to tell her own story, fed up with others telling women their own stories. Rosa comes across as indifferent but I suspect it was carefully crafted as a shield to protect herself, like those who speak of their trauma in off hand ways as a coping method.
We are seeing finding your identity/coming-of age-stories including female rage appear the way they did for male teens in the 50s/60s. People didn’t like it then but began to accept it. I wonder how long it will take people to accept our stories or if they will?
These girls were enraged by the treatment they have received and they acted it out in a way that people might find confronting, unacceptable or just plain childish. People often find female anger confronting but the anger these girls had was written so well. Rosa was determined to tell her own story, fed up with others telling women their own stories. Rosa comes across as indifferent but I suspect it was carefully crafted as a shield to protect herself, like those who speak of their trauma in off hand ways as a coping method.
We are seeing finding your identity/coming-of age-stories including female rage appear the way they did for male teens in the 50s/60s. People didn’t like it then but began to accept it. I wonder how long it will take people to accept our stories or if they will?
desterman's review
4.0
When I first started reading Felicity Castagna’s 2021 novel 'Girls in Boys Cars', I thought it was going to be just another cliché teen angst coming of age tale. I was so wrong - it is much more than that. This novel is written in a way that gives such great insight into the complexities of being a teenager in modern Australian society. Rosa and Asheeka are teen girls living in Parramatta in Western Sydney. Rosa is a good student, smart and bookish, but struggling after the demise of her parents’ marriage and the death of her grandfather. Asheeka is not as invested in school, misses her deceased father and is struggling under the burden of the cultural expectations of her mother. After a tense incident with Asheeka’s dropkick boyfriend, the girls steal his precious car and escape on a road trip.
The story is told in first person from the perspective of Rosa. Rosa is now in juvenile detention after all that happened and tells the story in flashbacks of what took place on their road trip to land her in such trouble with the law. The novel explores the complexities of female friendship, child and parent relationships, and the massive pressure on young women who, despite recent progress, are still not entirely free to be themselves. As Rosa reflects from her cell, “Girls’ anger is a different type of thing from boys’. You have to cram that anger into your body every day. It’s large and it’s loud and it stretches and swells and cracks until it leaks out of your pores. People are always surprised. Girls can have so much anger.”
I really enjoyed this book, both the setting, and the excellent character development. You don’t always empathise with the girls, but you do understand their actions and motivations. Their perspectives are captured so beautifully.
The story is told in first person from the perspective of Rosa. Rosa is now in juvenile detention after all that happened and tells the story in flashbacks of what took place on their road trip to land her in such trouble with the law. The novel explores the complexities of female friendship, child and parent relationships, and the massive pressure on young women who, despite recent progress, are still not entirely free to be themselves. As Rosa reflects from her cell, “Girls’ anger is a different type of thing from boys’. You have to cram that anger into your body every day. It’s large and it’s loud and it stretches and swells and cracks until it leaks out of your pores. People are always surprised. Girls can have so much anger.”
I really enjoyed this book, both the setting, and the excellent character development. You don’t always empathise with the girls, but you do understand their actions and motivations. Their perspectives are captured so beautifully.
jesseb's review
adventurous
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
this is the kind of book that i would have really loved reading for school when i was 13
lawbooks600's review
2.0
I don't know about this book, but I felt it wasn't for me, due to the maturity of this book, and also the characters and the detailing weren't that impressive. 6/10
clamotte's review
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
nicolap's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ari_reading_'s review
2.0
This book was very disappointing, I thought I would enjoy it since it's a YA contemporary set in Australia, I didn't. The book starts off ok and intriguing, at first, I thought Rosa was alright. Eventually, it began to drag on and on, the setting was familiar but I couldn't relate to the characters.
The girls as time went on, became less likable.
After the ending, I'm guessing there's a sequel in the works?
However, I loved the diversity and the multicultural aspects of the story, it's nice to have a YA Aussie contemporary with multicultural aspects.
I just wish I had enjoyed the book.
The girls as time went on, became less likable.
After the ending, I'm guessing there's a sequel in the works?
However, I loved the diversity and the multicultural aspects of the story, it's nice to have a YA Aussie contemporary with multicultural aspects.
I just wish I had enjoyed the book.
nafridh's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0