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3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
I picked this up as a random op shop purchase. Had not heard anything about it nor did I recognise the author name. But 'a memoir about pop culture, feminism and feelings' really grabbed me. So I thought 'why not' popped it into my shopping basket in hopes that I would actually pick it up before the end of time.
Just under 3 years later I listened to the audiobook and here we are now. (and, it's narrated by the Author! Yay!)
This started out really strong. I agreed with Lancaster's views and really felt for her situation. I don't really have much to comment on in the way of her views on 'feminism and feeling', because for the most part, I wholeheartedly agree. We move onto the 'pop culture' part of the book, and this is where you need some knowledge of some particular artists, specifically One Direction. As a fan of the band (but yet would not consider myself a Directioner, a title that Lancaster wears with pride) I understood the conversations that were being had, but seemed to find that a lot of readers of this book were confused by, due to not having the prior knowledge needed of the band before picking this up. So my first note; do your One Direction homework, or maybe just skip this book entirely (a LOT of this book requires this knowledge at different intervals).
Then we got to the Kayne / Taylor incident. Lancaster states she wholeheartedly supports the artist inappropriately bashing another artist on stage with a simple "well, he's right". As Lancaster explains, the reasons behind the announcement were to expose how the awards favour white artists over deserving black artists, which I see and agree with. It is the execution of this stunt and the subsequent attacks Kanye (and his recording studio) deliver against Taylor, is the reason I cannot excuse this behaviour fully. And, to note that, no, I'm not a massive Taylor Swift fan. This whole essay just seemed off from her previous remarks of "not to tear women down" and "women supporting women", this felt like a way to do just that, and honestly left me disappointed.
There's a lot I will take from this novel, and some things I will happily leave. I'll go searching for some of the feminist Zines and comics mentioned in the Afterward, and take these essays for what they were.
Just under 3 years later I listened to the audiobook and here we are now. (and, it's narrated by the Author! Yay!)
This started out really strong. I agreed with Lancaster's views and really felt for her situation. I don't really have much to comment on in the way of her views on 'feminism and feeling', because for the most part, I wholeheartedly agree. We move onto the 'pop culture' part of the book, and this is where you need some knowledge of some particular artists, specifically One Direction. As a fan of the band (but yet would not consider myself a Directioner, a title that Lancaster wears with pride) I understood the conversations that were being had, but seemed to find that a lot of readers of this book were confused by, due to not having the prior knowledge needed of the band before picking this up. So my first note; do your One Direction homework, or maybe just skip this book entirely (a LOT of this book requires this knowledge at different intervals).
Then we got to the Kayne / Taylor incident. Lancaster states she wholeheartedly supports the artist inappropriately bashing another artist on stage with a simple "well, he's right". As Lancaster explains, the reasons behind the announcement were to expose how the awards favour white artists over deserving black artists, which I see and agree with. It is the execution of this stunt and the subsequent attacks Kanye (and his recording studio) deliver against Taylor, is the reason I cannot excuse this behaviour fully. And, to note that, no, I'm not a massive Taylor Swift fan. This whole essay just seemed off from her previous remarks of "not to tear women down" and "women supporting women", this felt like a way to do just that, and honestly left me disappointed.
There's a lot I will take from this novel, and some things I will happily leave. I'll go searching for some of the feminist Zines and comics mentioned in the Afterward, and take these essays for what they were.
I'm a sucker for a pop-culture reference, especially when they involve Gilmore Girls and Broad City, so Brodie's memoir hit the absolute sweet spot for me. Touching on personal cues such as body image and online relationships, to her unwavering love of 1D and the popular sport of Kanye-bashing, Brodie's refreshing anecdotes and life lessons left me laughing, sulking and induced many 'OMG! me too!!' moments.
4.5 / 5
4.5 / 5
I enjoyed most of this book - I found her writing style very accessible and charming. I enjoyed the blend of memoir and pop culture and especially enjoyed her chapter when she moved to New York at the age of 21. It took me back to when I was 22 and lived in Holland for 6 months alone away from family and friends. Living in a city is very different to visiting as a tourist - the different language, food, rules! It's really challenging and I felt she captured that beautifully.