YA- fiction- coming of age and self image
What Girls are made of ~ Elana K. Arnold
my rating: 4 goodreads rating: 3.7
description: When Nina Faye was fourteen, her mother told her there was no such thing as unconditional love. Nina believed her. Now Nina is sixteen. And she’ll do anything for the boy she loves, just to prove she’s worthy of him. But when he breaks up with her, Nina is lost. What if she is not a girlfriend? What is she made of?
Broken-hearted, Nina tries to figure out what the conditions of love are. She’s been volunteering at a high-kill animal shelter where she realizes that for dogs waiting to be adopted, love comes only to those with youth, symmetry, and quietness. She also ruminates on the strange, dark time her mother took her to Italy to see statues of saints who endured unspeakable torture because of their unquestioning devotion to the divine. Is this what love is?
what I thought: I had a love/hate relationship with this book and it being written for the young girls audience. wow! Surprised me. If you’re looking for something that is going to push boundaries, and not hold back on much of the goriness of being a girl, this could well be the kind of book you’re after. She talks about miscarriages, masturbation, and martyrs. About self-induced orgasms vs. unsatisfying sex with the object of her affection. She works in a high-kill animal shelter and talks openly about the dogs that are more likely to be adopted than others, and what happens to the animals who are put to sleep and EVEN MORE.. The only part i was not sure on how realistic was the abortion part because i have never met a girl who did not have hurt over having one even if it was a horrible situation but maybe there are some that are so happy they did. This is not for adult readers who would get easily upset by young girls learning or openly sharing these things. I went back and forth in my feelings as a parent and my feelings of what it was like when i was a girl. I mean it is realistic just not sure how i feel about a author talking to them about those things. Over all I came out liking it. It is real and the struggle of girls and women hood is not an easy one.
My favorite passage: In this particular book I felt so bad for the girl most of the book so I would have to say my favorite part did not come til the last few pages of the book but they were a lifesaver. I WILL SAY THIS…it helped to read the authors note at the end of the book and i would suggest reading it first. whew…hardcore this author is. I think you will either love it or hate it not much in between.
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