Green Girl

Even if you admit to yourself that you used to be young, shallow, and stupid about life, it's common to completely write off that phase of your life. Either you retroactively read another meaning into that time or just (embarrassed) refuse to examine it. I thought GG was very interesting to read for that reason, I can't think of another book that dissects that state of being so beautifully, without trying to make it heroic.

Loved it. Vividly captures the ennui of young women. We as young women aren't allowed to define ourselves, and even when we eventually decide we no longer buy the performance we've been taught we must undertake as women, we still can't win.

A fast read by an author who enjoys making literary references and has strategically situated her own work squarely in the literary tradition of female coming-of-age/coming-undone stories. "Green Girl" was written to be dissected in literature classes, and for that reason I absolutely rolled my eyes at many points. However, there are a few very positive things of note about this book.

1) The narrative grabbed me almost immediately.
2) Zambreno's treatment of the body is very well done and reminds me of some contemporary Scottish and Welsh fiction.
3) As others have noted, it's important that we have books that tell stories of women living impossible, demented, painful youths. There isn't a lot out there, hence the many comparisons to the show more "Bell Jar" that I see in other reviews. Are these appropriate comparisons? Debatable. But, still, the two books do belong in some ways to the same tradition.

All in all, I would only suggest this book if the story of a beautiful 20-something blazing and bulldozing her way through life (while being miserable and harangued) is something that either attracts you or does not violently repel you. I think that the book will probably stay with me for some time, but I can't honestly say I will casually suggest that others read it too. show less

I loved this book though it is hard to put into words. We meet Ruth, a young, lost girl, American living in London, working for Harrods and loathing it. Ruth is a blank slate, the reader follows her on her journey that seems to have no destination.
The writing was amazing, I actually started reading this after I was disgusted by the poor writing of a novel that had been showered with praise. This novel was like a palate cleanser for my brain. I loved it so much, I decided I needed a paperback copy. I have a feeling that this is a book I will re-read at least once a year.

Green Girl by Kate Zambreno was a chore for me to read. Oh, the writing is good, the imagery vivid, the capturing of a character spot-on - it's just that I disliked Ruth, green girls, and the whole idea of rampant consumerism, alienation as a way of life, and the whole angsty/ennui surfeit of this young woman and her self-destructive wonts. I think the problem is that I am so diametrically opposite that I certainly can't relate to her now, and couldn't when I was her age. Sorry but this is a did not finish for me. Reviews make it clear that many people appreciated Green Girl much more than I after the first third of the novel.

Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy of HarperCollins for review purposes

Shocked at all the reviews comparing this book to The Bell Jar. Did I read a different edition? This book was full of imagery and references that felt like they were supposed to be sly and clever, and were instead unsubtle and obnoxious.

A difficult book to discuss. I spent over 1000 words at RB trying to sum up my thoughts and come to a ratings consensus. Mostly, I just feel numb - like when listening to "Avalanche" by Ryan Adams and wanting to just, exactly as that song's protagonist does: "fall apart in the avalanche, fade out like a dance, crawl back into bed when it's over." It is a book about the existential sadness - depression barely describes it - that strikes twentysomethings when faced with a world that just doesn't work for them. Even the best of us, who have mostly awesome days, get struck by it. Ruth is far less lucky than that - and that makes this book just as difficult to read as it is to experience one of those days.

I go on about this quite a bit more show more at Raging Biblioholism - and would love to strike up a discussion with other youngish readers about the book. There's something thought-provoking here but that doesn't necessarily make it a great book. The full review is here: http://wp.me/pGVzJ-mc

But seriously, let's discuss. show less