Normal Girl: A Novel

by Molly Jong-Fast

"Randa, what's wrong with you?"
"Nothing. I mean, I'm a crazy cocaine addict with a hankering for heroin, but other than that, I'm just a nice Jewish girl from the Upper East Side with Prada shoes. How could anything be wrong?"

Molly Jong-Fast's Normal Girl is striking-and as funny as it as real. Inspired by her own experiences growing up in the decadent, fast-paced netherworld of New York City's jet set, Jong-Fast's debut novel is a hilarious, hard-edged walk past the velvet rope.

At just nineteen, Miranda Woke seems to have it all. Her parents are famous socialites, she's already been written up on Page Six sixteen times, she's on all the right invitation lists, and drugs and alcohol are never in short supply. But while her image screams "It girl," she'd rather be a normal girl, and the A-list feels even more uncomfortable than her Manolo Blahnik shoes. In fact, she's become the "living embodiment of an awkward phase" with "more issues than Harper's Bazaar." Neither Xanax nor Deepak Chopra tapes help. And now that her junkie party has trashed her parents' house, she has to liquidate her trust fund to pay Mom's decorator for a quick fix. But worst of all, Miranda thinks she just murdered her own boyfriend.

In an all-too-glamorous world where the cell phone is always ringing, Miranda sees no escape other than a downward spiral of cocaine, Valium, and heroin. It takes friends who offer more than air kisses to force Miranda to look in the mirror and get some help.

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Adult Fiction, Young Adult, Humor

208 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Gracie Tomblin · Rating 2 out of 5]

For this reading cycle I read Normal Girl by Molly Jong-Fast. The genre of this book is realistic fiction because some things in the book could actually happen in real life. The genre realistic fiction is defined as “a genre consisting of stories that could have actually occurred to people or animals in a believable setting. These stories resemble real life, and fictional characters within these stories react similarly to real people.” This book is a must read in my opinion. The book talks about expectations parents have for their teenagers and their lives.
This book is all about a girl named Miranda who is a teenage crackhead who murdered her boyfriend, but nobody knows that except for her. The guilt of her boyfriend being gone because of her really starts to get to her when she’s at his funeral around all of his family and friends. Miranda had already been doing drugs long before her boyfriend died, however once he was gone Miranda went out of control, and got seriously addicted to all types of drugs and going out every night partying with random guys she meets. MIranda’s close friends start to realize that she is going off the deep end and even more out of control than usual. Night after night Miranda goes out to clubs and gets herself into more trouble when she always finds herself in the public bathroom snorting cocaine off of dirty toilet seats to get her to last through the night.
I would rate this book with ⅖ stars because I think that this book was dragged on for too long at the end. In the beginning of the book I was hooked and excited to see what was going to happen next and if Miranda would ever be able to stop doing drugs and fix her life, but the whole rest of the book talks about a different night she went out each time. One chapter would be about her being hungover and then going out to a new bar with a new guy or person she meets, and the next chapter would be the same thing but a different night. In my opinion I think the author should have written more about Miranda’s personal life and less about her doing drugs and ruining her life night after night.

[Rebecca Shields · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick and easy read. I'm surprised there are so many bad reviews, but it seems like there was too much focus on the first half of the book rather than the second half. The main character is a 19-year-old unlikable socialite with a trust fund and a huge drug problem, but it shows a change of attitude throughout rehab and afterwards with AA meetings. I think if the book was a bit longer it could have focused even more on the afterwards, but to me it was still a decent book if you make it to the end.

[Clackamas · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Funerals are the cotillions of the nineties, where young people go to meet and mingle."

---I think I killed my boyfriend but was too coked out to be sure... Gee his funeral sure is boring.

"Children of famous people are like Communism--Better in concept than in practice."

---I'm going to run around New York using any drug I can get my hands on, whining about how nobody loves me, and hanging out with people who are just as screwed up but somehow able to stay employed and out of jail, and generally treating people like cr*p for 120 pages. But you, dear reader, should still love me and care about what happens to me... 'cuz I'm you know, the kid of famous people... kinda like my author... Hm. Maybe there's a connection there.

"I close my eyes and the realization comes to me, not because I want it to, just because it does. I'm going to die if I drink or use drugs again."

---BOOM, Baby!!! That's all it takes! ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: Kicking Drug Addiction Yep. That's all there is to it. Don't you admire my understanding of the addiction and recovery process?

Only an alcoholic would miss the days of vomiting on family members.

---But, you know... I'm cured. I'm so cured that I can go to clubs where everyone is using and stay clean. I can tell off my friends who make fun of my sobriety. I can live with a guy who was willing to fly me home from rehab early to go to a party with him, in a house with a stocked bar (But the bottles are dusty so I'm totally not tempted). I can just forget about how depressed I was that my parents ignore and abandon me even though nothing has changed. I'm SO much better than everyone else who's ever had a drug problem and OMG, I absolutely DON'T have any mental health issues to work out. Go ME!

I picked this up out of a bargain bin for the kids at work (Teen mental health/addictions rehab) but I don't think it will have any therapeutic value. The quotes above were the best parts. The italicized bits pretty well covered the rest of the plot. I awarded two stars instead of one for the alcoholic one liner and because at least it only took about an hour to read.

[Steen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I only finished this because it was so short and I was pretty well done when I realized that nothing was going to happen. I remember in my youth being so disappointed with this book and I still feel the same way today. Time to get rid of this book off my book shelve.

None of the characters are likable or memorable, and that includes the main character. They all run together and I really didn't care enough about them to try and figure out who was who. I mean I spent a lot of the time thinking that Janice was her mother and that she just called her by her first name, but then realized that Janice was a separate person. I didn't care to back track and figure out who she was because frankly, I just didn't care.

I ended up skimming the last 100 pages or so. The plot, if you could call it that, basically is going from party to party, taking crazy amounts of drugs, getting tanked passing out and starting again the next day. Then she goes to rehab where we don't learn ANYTHING about her, see no internal reflection of Miranda and are introduced to a bunch of new people that just run together as one character. The whole book was a bit confusing and jumbled. She stays for 10 weeks gets out of rehab and is considered a success. She still goes to partys but is able to resist all the bad habits, she pouts about her father and mother not being a big part of her life/not there when she comes home and then it ends.

oooookay. Seriously don't waste your time.

[Jane Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about the daughter of a rich family in the Upper East Side of New York City. Due to her high influence, she is addicted to various substances and parties hard. This book is a recollection of her journey to rehab, in rehab and outside. I would recommend. this book to anyone who likes stories about drugs. I know I don't hate them. Careful though, there's a high amount of drug use in this book. And language. Not so much sex though, which seems weird due to the fact its about an addict and most addicts are hooked on sex like they're hooked on drugs. Hm, gives you something to think about doesn't it? i gave it 3 stars, as opposed to 5 because it was short. And to be honest, it seemed too easy. Spoiler: She gets out of rehab, then confronts all her old drug-buddies and tells them she wants to help them? I'm sorry, but for some reason it happened too quickly. The book itself is a quick read, and in some instances that is good. But when a story like this one can be elongated without you wanting to harm yourself if you read another page, it should have had more detail. On everything.

[Sara · Rating 1 out of 5]

Argh, just the thought of this book makes me shudder. I like to think that I can stomach just about any kind of writing and I can usually appreciate the book for what it is, even if I don't enjoy it myself. But honestly, there are no redeeming qualities to this book. None. It's self-involved, self-indulgent, vapid, depressing drivel. I reviewed this book when it first came out ages ago for my college newspaper. I had to force myself to finish it for the review's sake, and all I kept thinking while reading it was "God, I hope she doesn't hurt herself patting herself on the back for how clever she thinks she is." I swear, the amount of wink-wink-nudge-nudging she does to the reader is so completely annoying and unnecessary. She spends so much of the book trying to prove how culturally aware and culturally relevant she and her main character are, when in actuality, neither is true. Stay far, far away from this book ... unless you're into masochism. In which case, have at it!

[Angela · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought this was a poor man's version of Glamorama, from a female point of view. The things that would have made the book more interesting were barely skimmed over, instead focusing on odd acronyms and boring details.

I'm glad I didn't read the author bio until I was 10 pages from the end, otherwise my view would have been even more tainted by the famous last name. I wish that a book by an unknown author had been published in the place of this.

It's short and a quick read, but it won't enrich your life in any way by reading it, just waste a few hours of your time if you're bored.

[Iris Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this book. Really hilarious at times, but it also seemed a little sporadic. And although the main character is meant to eventually become more than one-dimensional, I don't think it really works, for the most part. Her transition in rehab wasn't very believable...she goes straight from junkie to recovering addict without a substantial event happening. Yes, it's meant to be a quick, fun read...and it is. But that's pretty much ALL it is. It got some good laughs out of me, but I didn't feel any other emotions for Miranda or any other characters. Just...meh.

[Kim Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is truly one of my favourite books of all time. Molly Jong-Fast really throws you into the life of this damaged socialite with such detail, you feel as if you are watching her every move. I felt this was a very realistic rendition of a young woman's personal struggles with substances and relationships. I would recommend this to anyone, but especially to those who enjoy reading about the lives of the rich and famous, as it definitely shows you a darker side to their world.

[Judy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I kept hoping, at some point this book would get to the story. Doing drugs, going to rehab, and coming home are not my idea of a good story There wasn't any depth. The author is from a privileged family, which she writes about in the book. I was more than halfway through and waiting for something to happen other than going from party to party being wasted, drunk and semi-conscious. I won't be passing this one on to any friends.

[Micaela · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh my. When I first read this, I was 16 years old and more than a little enamored with the idea of living in New York, so I enjoyed it as a light, escapist read. I hadn't read any Jay McInerney or Bret Easton Ellis yet -- years later, when I flipped through Normal Girl again, it was painfully clear that Jong-Fast is indebted to both. The writing is subpar and the story is quite dull.

[Sheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

a hard one for me to get into--and I almost quit, but I hung in there and made it through! Having a brother that is a recovering addict, it gave me a small glimpse at what his life was (and is) like at times.

[Renee · Rating 1 out of 5]

A spare, druggy novel of manners written by a precocious, reportedly druggy undergraduate: ring any bells? What does any of this mean and how bad does it look for all the indie authors out there who just want to write? Well it does look that bad, bleak and dark. Dont give up

[Adrienne Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

A girl with a trust fund and too-easy access to drugs, both off the street and from the doctor's office (hello, Xanax). Living too hard and fast can only end up in a disastrous crash. Told with humor, it makes the seriousness of the subject easy to swallow (pun intended).

[Kate Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Normal for her is so not normal for me! It was so fun getting caught up in this lifestyle that I will never live:)

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daughter of Erica Jong and Jonathan Fast, Molly's first book is witty, funny and totally relevant. I loved it.

[Nicole Nash (Costanza) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Miranda has it all: fame, money, and an unlimited amount of drugs. But how far can she spiral down before it's too late to come back from her addiction?

I know, I put no effort into that summary...but I didn't like this book...at all.

I read this when I was younger and I have no idea why I kept it. I found myself skimming through this and re-reading sections because I became lost...

The drug usage scenes also made me extremely queasy. Those types of scenes bother me 😭

What I liked:
• To be honest, maybe Brett? He was the only one I liked (but I didn't care for him. I didn't care for anyone...)

Other than that...nothing

What I didn't like:
• The characters...no one had real depth or emotion to them. I really didn't care about anyone.
• The writing was very choppy; it never flowed smoothly.
• The conversations were lackluster and provides no depth to the story.
• I honestly didn't feel bad for Miranda; no explanation or backstory as to how her drug usage started. Maybe if we knew more background on her, I would have felt something.
• Little to no descriptions, it was hard to picture the setting. Characters were also difficult to picture...
• I felt scenes were also very repetitive... (at least in my opinion)

I wouldn't recommend unfortunately. Even though this was a quick read I didn't like it at all ☹️

[Amie Rachel]

I’m not the type of reader that needs to like characters. In fact, I’m quite a sucker for unlikable narrators. However, the spoiled, drug-fueled brat of NORMAL GIRL is not interesting enough to carry this story - and the story isn’t much of a story. There are many other choices in the same vein as this novel that are more interesting and rewarding. Not quite enough depth to feel involved, and not enough cool detachment to live on style alone. It lies somewhere in-between and doesn’t offer enough either way to be fulfilling.

[Derek Siegel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked this up at a book sale in Boston. I always want to give credit where due: "Normal Girl" is a quick, entertaining read with a b*tchy narrator (which we love) and ... ok there are a lot of drugs. While entertained, however, I didn't feel connected to the plot or the characters. Which on one level makes sense, if the narrator is experiencing all these transient relationships as a byproduct of her drug use. On the other hand, it all feels incredibly low stakes and I just wanted "more." Wouldn't recommend though I do recommend my browsing strategy of "choose the most pink cover."

[cristiianclemente · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5⭐️
questo è girl interrupted/my year of rest and relaxation per persone privilegiate e disgustose ed è un libro scritto anche in maniera penosa. Ah e la protagonista è solo un’eroinomane ricca, nothing interesting about her.Probabilmente se vi è piaciuto questo libro non avete letto my year of rest and relaxation o altri libri con narratrici “insufferable and unreliable”, sembra veramente un misto fatto male.

[Mia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Spoiled nepo child of a second generation American feminist published for this reason. No need to read: these women are intolerable enough in real life, never mind making it permanent by writing it down.
Will the world ever get any peace from these whiny coddled underperformers? Even her mother wasn't that great a writer.
This writer is more of a specialist in ultra-liberal war mongering; she seems to be better at acting like Hilary Clinton than like her mother.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very quick read. Not recommended reading for prudes. Unfortunately I didn’t gain any insight or enjoyment from this story that is solely a monologue of a self-centered drug addict (not referring to the author).

[Ambie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm rating this 4 stars because I remember really liking it when I read it. I Think I was 14 or 15.

[Courtney Goode · Rating 1 out of 5]

Horrible

[Trudy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Incredibly quick YA read

[Leonardo Tomás Cardillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Normal Girl: A Novel by Molly Jong-Fast
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/cart/view...

[Rhiannon Rabby | 31 · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was just okay.

[thereadingcup · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Doon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Occasionally engaging, but reads like a first draft, unfocused, with lots of repetition. Wants to be Prozac Nation-y I think, but doesn’t quite manage Wurtzel’s unapologetic confessional style.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book at 19 and it’s changed my life.