Blueprints for Building Better Girls

I want to buy 1,000 copies of Blueprints for Building Better Girls and hand them out to random passersby on the streets. I want this book to be read, immediately, by everyone I've ever known or will ever know. This is incredible stuff. Easily the best book I've read this year. Possibly the best book I've ever read.

It is a series of short stories that center around women and the relationships we have with one another, with our lovers, with our spouses, our children, our parents. Most of the stories intersect with another story in some way. There was laughing, there was crying. There was one particular 8 page section that I had to read out of the corner of my eye because I just couldn't face it head on.

It is brave, and honest, and show more exceptional in every way. This book made me a wiser person.

Thank you, Goodreads First Reads program for sending me this book and thank you Elissa Schappell for writing it. show less

This got a lot of great reviews and I enjoy short stories from time to time. These were insightful and painful and had a lot of sadness in them all. I'm not sure how to build a better girl, I just hope she has a better life than all of these characters. Maybe it is sad because they sound so utterly true and possible. I'm glad I read it all but am equally glad that I am now done with it.

I loved how all of the stories tied together. These are short stories that are spaced out over three generations. Each story highlights little pieces of that generations difficulties of being female in a society that does not value being female.

As with all short story collections there are ones that are favourites and ones that are not. I am going to leave that up to other readers to decide on their own. The over all collection is definitely worth the read.

Highly recommend

4.5 stars

This is a collection of connected short stories. The writing was honest and insightful. This is a super fast, engaging read and a nice palate cleanser after some of the darker things I have read recently. Definitely recommend.

Excellent book of short stories with recurring characters, but as seen from various perspectives and at different times in their lives.

Honestly, I was so sick of reading this book I skipped the last story. I did enjoy a couple of the stories, "Aren't You Dead Yet", "A Dog Story" and "The Joy of Cooking" but the other stories just didn't hit it for me. I might revisit those particular stories at some point, but I don't see myself revisiting this collection.

Maybe I just need to read more short stories.

Enjoyed this collection of short stories, although some were rather depressing.