Title: More Than One Way to Be a Girl by Dyan Sheldon
My Ratings: 3 Stars
Publisher: Walker
Source: Pansing Malaysia
Goodreads Synopsis:
From the writer of Confessions of A Teenage Drama Queen and My Worst Best Friend comes this hugely entertaining teen read, all about what it really means to be a girl. ZiZi likes to think of herself as a girly girl: her wardrobe is almost exclusively pink, her daily makeup routine can take upwards of an hour and she loves a bit of a flirt. Her best friend Loretta is very different: all of her clothes are black, she doesn’t wear any makeup whatsoever and she doesn’t like the way ZiZi dumbs herself down for boys – or her old-fashioned ideas about “a woman’s place”. One day, they decide to make a bet. Can ZiZi stand looking like Loretta for longer than Loretta can bear dressing like ZiZi? As their summer unfolds – often hilariously – the pair are surprised to find they have a lot to learn from each other.
My Review:
Always and forever a big fan of fluffy summer read, this book came at the right time to give me the much needed summer fix. It’s an incredible concept, really, to match a high achiever with a girl who doesn’t think past her look, and to have both of them to realize how a balance between those two could really improve their life.
I really adore the beginning and literally burst with laughter. The writing catches you off guard, and it was truly a good beginning. This wit, however slowly flushed out as the story progressed, such a shame.
Loretta is the kind of girl you would love to hate. Come on! Who would actually like “A Know it All”? She fights for woman’s rights, which is why she hates seeing Zizi being one of those who condone stereotypical ideas about woman. Zizi takes hours to get ready and wouldn’t mind to play dumb to impress her man. She thinks Loretta is too critical, and well, she feels that Loretta should try harder to be a girl, which brings them both to a bet. A bet where they both should switch personalities from one to another for the whole summer- an ordeal which has taught Loretta & Zizi that they in fact have loads to learn from one another.
If you have been following my reviews, you would know that I am not into slow paced books. Well the pace in here did try to put me off quite a bit. Luckily, I enjoyed the story and was really intrigued to find out what’s going to happen at the end.
I also really liked the dual perspectives concept. It helps me to see how these two girls think and perceive the same situation, differently. Interesting!
To be honest, as an adult reader, these two girls may or may not irk you to no end. Their thinking processes are a little typical. But, this book will serve as an excellent message to teenage girls who are exploring their identities and personalities. More than a way to be a girl- a perfect book that encourages young women to understand themselves better.
Thank you Pansing Malaysia for this review copy in exchange for my honest review! Till the next review, lovelies! Take care!
Advertisements Share this:
