Normal Girl

When I was walking through the bookstore, the hot pink cover of this book caught my eye. As I am one of those awful people who browse during the last 10 mintues of thier lunch break, I was in a rush to find something. And boy, did I find it!! The book, or at least what I have read so far, is a gem among the poorly written novels out there. Miranda is one of the most vibrant charcters I have read of in a while, coming closly to my personal favorite, Lisa in Girl, Interrupted. This book is on my must read over and over again list, as it has a great plot and excellent writing technique. Molly is on her way to becoming a top ten bestseller.

I don't normally even LIKE this kind of book, which is why it's been sitting on my shelf for over a year. However, once I began to read, the original language and the highly imaginable scenes drew me in. I'm a little puzzled at the intensity of the negative reviews here--Jong-Fast did what she set out to do (deglamorize the druggie life), and she did it tidily and skillfully. No, we don't much like Miranda, but we badly want her to get well--that's quite a writing trick to have pulled off. I also disagree with those who feel Jong-Fast's mother's fame was of help to Jong-Fast in getting published and reviewed. No real writer wants to be accepted on any basis but merit--and this young woman is a real writer.

this book is insightful, interesting and funny. Written with a refreshingly honest voice and great deal of style. It deserves to be the book of the this and many summers. It is almost impossible to read this book and not learn something, while also laughing until it hurts. This is the beginning of a great literary career.

Many young women--and men--will identify with this savage, fiercely funny story of privilege and despair in New York City. It's about a young woman battling drugs, cynicism, bulimia, trying so hard to be cool that she almost kills herself in the process. Dark, satirical, finally full of grace and hope, Normal Girl is a Catcher in the Rye for the nought-nought generation.

If you ever had that feeling that being young and cool just wasn't working for you anymore, here's a terrific read that captures that sensibility with a rare precociousness. Miranda's extreme life of who you know and what you wear and how often do you use is tempered by Jong-Fast's hilarious ride through New York City and the nuts who live here (some of whom *aren't* ex-boyfriends). A perfect beach read!