Citizen Girl
So, it's been a while since I've reviewed any books from my Spring Into Reading 2008 list. Never mind the fact that I'm over half way through it, and I've even added/read a few that should have been on the list in the first place. So much for following my word that I would post reviews faithfully. Just be prepared for multiple book reviews over the next few weeks because it there's one thing I dislike to do, it's not keeping my words...
I didn’t read The Nanny Diaries. I didn’t see the movie either. But the cover of the sophomore writing - Citizen Girl
- written by McLaughlin and Kraus, caught my eye, so I thought, why not?
What do you get when you take two authors with a previous bestseller and give them a contract to write another blockbuster?
Crap. Pure unadulterated crap, which I realize is an oxymoron. That should have been my "why not"…
How vile an offering this waste of good paper was! It was bitter, harsh and ugly, with nary a moment of hope or usefulness. I cannot scour my mind enough from several passages of this repulsive storyline. It is right on par with Happiness Sold Separately, which, if you recall, is anything but a compliment.
Girl, the recent graduate with high hopes of entering a world of business where women support and embrace the efforts of other women, is a feminist in the sense that she things women deserve equality from men and women. Yet she starts out in a position where she is constantly trampled by her female employer. She then gets fired, which should be a good thing. Enters new position into which she completely muddles her way, where she is again berated and treated poorly only this time… it’s by men of all stereotypes: chauvinistic, gay, unconcerned, domineering, lazy – take your pick for there are those that fit each category. Girl – “the woman of character” – continually sells herself to the paycheck, allowing herself to be dominated, humiliated, and used for whatever purpose the men need her. Why? Because in “this market” you don’t say no to any job, as if political leaders were to blame for her lack of backbone, as if anything in the name of money is acceptable. I realize that I'm making her sound like a prostitute, but that's not what I mean. If anything she's a "corporate whore" who is selling herself to the corporate world. Where is her sense of pride? Where are the morals that she often mentions as a part of who she is? Sheesh! It was revolting to see her bend over time and time again as if she had no other choice.
Throw in the fact that she has no idea what love is, but she is more than willing to jump into bed with someone she just met. Oh, wait… excuse me. She waited a week. That obviously makes it all right. And then, after a week, she has the gall to play the part of the mad lover because he goes to a bachelor party that serves up porn and a stripper. Or she has the tendency to get angry because he’s not there for her. He often reminds her that he is taking flack from his friends because he is with her. (Hello! Clue to get out!) Or she has the audacity to get angry over her coming home drunk from an extremely erotic club, coming onto her sleeping boyfriend and then crying about his forceful sexual play after basically requesting it… Ummm, ever heard of saying “no”? Obviously not. Ever heard of actually finding out something about a person before shacking up? That would also be a no. Ever heard of having standards? I’m not even going to answer that. She was so desperate for attention or psuedo-love that it makes sense that she would want to be with this type of jerk. At the end she keeps going back to this idiot who she does not know, but continually tries to change to her idea of a good man. Any fool can see that they’ll never work or be happy because neither of them know what it means to commit or to be selfless or even how to be honest with each other.
I don’t even want to go into the idea of these authors use of women for playthings, the gay/lesbian lifestyles that are flaunted throughout the book, the lack of decency from EVERY character… no matter their sexual orientation ot life situation. No one was kind or courteous for any length of time, not even the protagonist that the authors wanted you to like, to support or to cheer. Ugh. Yuck. Patooey. I really need to take a shower now. Does anyone have a brain enema I can use?
What incenses me the most is that I didn’t quit reading this piece of literary feces. I actually read to the end. Who’s the idiot now? Me. That’s who deserves a good head-knocking.
I’m off to read something else, anything else that will remind me that words, if put together well and with a minutely hopeful storyline, can be a balm to a stormy soul. (Jeana, I’m even thinking that the next Mitford book that I need to read would be perfect right about now... even if it's not on my list!)
I didn’t read The Nanny Diaries. I didn’t see the movie either. But the cover of the sophomore writing - Citizen Girl
- written by McLaughlin and Kraus, caught my eye, so I thought, why not?What do you get when you take two authors with a previous bestseller and give them a contract to write another blockbuster?
Crap. Pure unadulterated crap, which I realize is an oxymoron. That should have been my "why not"…
How vile an offering this waste of good paper was! It was bitter, harsh and ugly, with nary a moment of hope or usefulness. I cannot scour my mind enough from several passages of this repulsive storyline. It is right on par with Happiness Sold Separately, which, if you recall, is anything but a compliment.
Girl, the recent graduate with high hopes of entering a world of business where women support and embrace the efforts of other women, is a feminist in the sense that she things women deserve equality from men and women. Yet she starts out in a position where she is constantly trampled by her female employer. She then gets fired, which should be a good thing. Enters new position into which she completely muddles her way, where she is again berated and treated poorly only this time… it’s by men of all stereotypes: chauvinistic, gay, unconcerned, domineering, lazy – take your pick for there are those that fit each category. Girl – “the woman of character” – continually sells herself to the paycheck, allowing herself to be dominated, humiliated, and used for whatever purpose the men need her. Why? Because in “this market” you don’t say no to any job, as if political leaders were to blame for her lack of backbone, as if anything in the name of money is acceptable. I realize that I'm making her sound like a prostitute, but that's not what I mean. If anything she's a "corporate whore" who is selling herself to the corporate world. Where is her sense of pride? Where are the morals that she often mentions as a part of who she is? Sheesh! It was revolting to see her bend over time and time again as if she had no other choice.
Throw in the fact that she has no idea what love is, but she is more than willing to jump into bed with someone she just met. Oh, wait… excuse me. She waited a week. That obviously makes it all right. And then, after a week, she has the gall to play the part of the mad lover because he goes to a bachelor party that serves up porn and a stripper. Or she has the tendency to get angry because he’s not there for her. He often reminds her that he is taking flack from his friends because he is with her. (Hello! Clue to get out!) Or she has the audacity to get angry over her coming home drunk from an extremely erotic club, coming onto her sleeping boyfriend and then crying about his forceful sexual play after basically requesting it… Ummm, ever heard of saying “no”? Obviously not. Ever heard of actually finding out something about a person before shacking up? That would also be a no. Ever heard of having standards? I’m not even going to answer that. She was so desperate for attention or psuedo-love that it makes sense that she would want to be with this type of jerk. At the end she keeps going back to this idiot who she does not know, but continually tries to change to her idea of a good man. Any fool can see that they’ll never work or be happy because neither of them know what it means to commit or to be selfless or even how to be honest with each other.
I don’t even want to go into the idea of these authors use of women for playthings, the gay/lesbian lifestyles that are flaunted throughout the book, the lack of decency from EVERY character… no matter their sexual orientation ot life situation. No one was kind or courteous for any length of time, not even the protagonist that the authors wanted you to like, to support or to cheer. Ugh. Yuck. Patooey. I really need to take a shower now. Does anyone have a brain enema I can use?
What incenses me the most is that I didn’t quit reading this piece of literary feces. I actually read to the end. Who’s the idiot now? Me. That’s who deserves a good head-knocking.
I’m off to read something else, anything else that will remind me that words, if put together well and with a minutely hopeful storyline, can be a balm to a stormy soul. (Jeana, I’m even thinking that the next Mitford book that I need to read would be perfect right about now... even if it's not on my list!)
posted by Shalee at 6:14 AM
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