I’ll admit that at first I hated this novel. The opening of  scene How to Build a Girl by Caitlin Moran has a girl masturbating, or wanking as they call it across the pond, next to her four-year-old brother. While I like to think that I am sexually comfortable, this Book made me realize maybe not so much. However, as I continued reading I found that young Johanna Morrigan is a wonderful and vibrant character that any young woman can relate to.

The book tells the story of a girl growing up in essentially what is the projects in England. Her dream is to leave this place and to become much more than fat and poor Johanna Morrigan. After a terribly embarrassing moment on public television, Johanna has decided she’s had it with being her. Instead, she remakes herself into Dolly Wilde, a trouble-making Music expert with a sexual vendetta. However, it takes a while for Johanna to actually be successful as this new person. She has to work hard to get her voice heard until she eventually gets picked up as a writer at a famous music magazine. This is where her life starts to pick up and finally look like what she’s wanted. However, it seems that eventually she begins to realize more about Johanna than she ever could about Dolly.

One thing that I really loved about this novel was how much the main character was flawed. She is a character on the surface that I don’t think anyone would want to be. Although once we get to know her better, we learn that there is actually a bit of Johanna in each of us. This is because we have all been through those awkward stages where we feel fat and have one long eyebrow. This character is someone who is right in all the wrong ways and it’s beautiful.

 Another aspect that I loved about this novel was how much the author, Caitlin Moran, put herself into it. Very much so this is a novel based off of her life in many ways. That makes it something special because the reader can feel the love and care Moran has put into each character. Reading about the author in the back of the book always brings me joy but this time, it was even more so because Moran is the type of person who flies off the page and literally does not give a shit about what anyone thinks. If you’re looking for a real-life, full of flaws, and yet who is an absolutely stunning role model, then you’re in luck. Here she is.

Current music: Everlasting Light by The Black Keys