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College Girl
“A raw and resonant debut novel” (Megan McCafferty) and a vivid portrait of life on a modern college campus.
College senior Natalie Bloom is beautiful and ambitious, but also painfully insecure. At twenty, she’s still a virgin, never even having had a boyfriend. At school, Natalie hides out most weekends in the library—until she meets Patrick, her fantasy (she thinks) of a cultured, intellectual Prince Charming. But the more time they spend together, the more Patrick brings out her worst insecurities. And before Natalie’s ready, she winds up losing her virginity— and her sense of direction, as her emotional responses take a dangerously self-destructive turn. Soon it’ll take only the most extreme measures to reclaim her sense of self, her confidence, and her ambition.
Insightful, moving, and achingly self-aware, College Girl is an intensely real portrait of a character whose insecurities are recognizable to us all, and of a time of life that changes everything.
College senior Natalie Bloom is beautiful and ambitious, but also painfully insecure. At twenty, she’s still a virgin, never even having had a boyfriend. At school, Natalie hides out most weekends in the library—until she meets Patrick, her fantasy (she thinks) of a cultured, intellectual Prince Charming. But the more time they spend together, the more Patrick brings out her worst insecurities. And before Natalie’s ready, she winds up losing her virginity— and her sense of direction, as her emotional responses take a dangerously self-destructive turn. Soon it’ll take only the most extreme measures to reclaim her sense of self, her confidence, and her ambition.
Insightful, moving, and achingly self-aware, College Girl is an intensely real portrait of a character whose insecurities are recognizable to us all, and of a time of life that changes everything.
326 pages, Hardcover
First published December 26, 2008
17 people are currently reading
822 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 228 reviews
February 16, 2009
Stop me if you've heard this story before: A beautiful, young, over-achieving student from a poor family feels out of place at her fancy East Coast college. She’s embarrassed by her background, her appearance, and her lack of sexual experience. She meets a boy. He pressures her for sex. Her grades suffer. She becomes depressed, she hates herself, she engages in self-destructive behavior. Finally, she loses her virginity, and hates herself more than ever. Times are hard for a while, but eventually she gets together with the "nice guy," who’s been in the background all along. This pretty much fixes everything, and she slowly grows comfortable in her own skin.
If this synopsis reminds you of I Am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe, you're not alone. One big difference is that College Girl is told in the first person, which only makes the protagonist’s whining more prominent—and more annoying. It's hard to feel any sympathy for Natalie Bloom; she's self-absorbed and judgmental, and constantly sabotaging herself. In some ways, this is realistic and relatable; most college students have probably experienced the embarrassment of infatuation, dating, and awkward sex. Readers will cringe at Natalie's poor choices and constant humiliation.
While reading, I couldn’t help thinking Natalie might have benefited from taking a Women’s Studies course. Perhaps instead of throwing around words like "slut" and "whore" and buying into the idea of sex as a form of “leverage” in relationships, she could have stood up for herself a lot sooner. Instead, she keeps quiet about unwanted sexual attention from her roommate’s boyfriend, and caves to her own "boyfriend" when he pressures her into performing oral sex despite her protests.
Even the "nice guy" in the novel, Jack, doesn’t take no for an answer:
"...I squeezed my eyes shut, hard, and lay my head back on the pillow. Tears started to fall as my pants slipped over my hips, followed by my underwear. 'Stop,' I said. He didn’t stop. 'Please?' I begged. He kept going, and after a minute, I relented..."
The truly disappointing thing is that Natalie is actually grateful to Jack for not respecting her wishes. This kind of “I said no, but I really meant yes” rationalization is an incredibly irresponsible message. Ultimately, College Girl is a thoroughly depressing book. It may, in fact, be a realistic depiction of a young woman’s first romance—which may be the most depressing part of all.
Review by Kellie Powell
If this synopsis reminds you of I Am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe, you're not alone. One big difference is that College Girl is told in the first person, which only makes the protagonist’s whining more prominent—and more annoying. It's hard to feel any sympathy for Natalie Bloom; she's self-absorbed and judgmental, and constantly sabotaging herself. In some ways, this is realistic and relatable; most college students have probably experienced the embarrassment of infatuation, dating, and awkward sex. Readers will cringe at Natalie's poor choices and constant humiliation.
While reading, I couldn’t help thinking Natalie might have benefited from taking a Women’s Studies course. Perhaps instead of throwing around words like "slut" and "whore" and buying into the idea of sex as a form of “leverage” in relationships, she could have stood up for herself a lot sooner. Instead, she keeps quiet about unwanted sexual attention from her roommate’s boyfriend, and caves to her own "boyfriend" when he pressures her into performing oral sex despite her protests.
Even the "nice guy" in the novel, Jack, doesn’t take no for an answer:
"...I squeezed my eyes shut, hard, and lay my head back on the pillow. Tears started to fall as my pants slipped over my hips, followed by my underwear. 'Stop,' I said. He didn’t stop. 'Please?' I begged. He kept going, and after a minute, I relented..."
The truly disappointing thing is that Natalie is actually grateful to Jack for not respecting her wishes. This kind of “I said no, but I really meant yes” rationalization is an incredibly irresponsible message. Ultimately, College Girl is a thoroughly depressing book. It may, in fact, be a realistic depiction of a young woman’s first romance—which may be the most depressing part of all.
Review by Kellie Powell
November 8, 2010
I wanted to read this book for several reasons. Just look at its beautiful cover! Luckily, my awesome friend Kristin sent me a copy and I devoured its pages. As a recent college graduate, I could easily picture Natalie Bloom walking around campus. Like Natalie, I had my own special spot in the university library. Like Natalie, I had a memorable dorm roommate. It was just so easy for me to picture her in college settings that I grew accustomed to seeing while in school.
This is a coming of age story. While I didn't enjoy everything that happened to her (I hated her family, by the way!) I stayed interested the entire way through. I knew Patrick was bad news, just like I knew a certain character was bound to resurface. I liked that the book took place during the 90's, a time before text messaging or social networking sites were around and students had to look in directories and make phone calls to contact each other. Do you remember that time? But there were things I could relate to and I really liked that about this book.
Recommended for college students or those who have already graduated and want to feel like they are back on campus again!
This is a coming of age story. While I didn't enjoy everything that happened to her (I hated her family, by the way!) I stayed interested the entire way through. I knew Patrick was bad news, just like I knew a certain character was bound to resurface. I liked that the book took place during the 90's, a time before text messaging or social networking sites were around and students had to look in directories and make phone calls to contact each other. Do you remember that time? But there were things I could relate to and I really liked that about this book.
Recommended for college students or those who have already graduated and want to feel like they are back on campus again!
February 3, 2009
Hansen recommended this books and I finally finished reading it this morning on the metrolink (Public transportation is working well for my "reading fun books").
Here is my favorite part that sums up this coming of age novel and finding your passion in life.
"It was never about the guy.
I was never about the sex.
I was never about love.
Really."
Weitz is a talented writer and I had some fun flashbacks to college and years seem very far away. Enjoy!
Here is my favorite part that sums up this coming of age novel and finding your passion in life.
"It was never about the guy.
I was never about the sex.
I was never about love.
Really."
Weitz is a talented writer and I had some fun flashbacks to college and years seem very far away. Enjoy!
January 30, 2009
WOW. This is the best book I've read in quite a while. I like any kind of coming of age books, but this one is especially great. The narrator is very believable, and her working class CT background reminded me a bit of Rita Ciresi.
I don't want to give anything away. Just promise me that you'll read this. Wow.
I don't want to give anything away. Just promise me that you'll read this. Wow.
February 4, 2009
Stop me if you've heard this story before: A beautiful, young, over-achieving student from a poor family feels out of place at her fancy East Coast college. She’s embarrassed by her background, her appearance, and her lack of sexual experience. She meets a boy. He pressures her for sex. Her grades suffer. She becomes depressed, she hates herself, she engages in self-destructive behavior. Finally, she loses her virginity, and hates herself more than ever. Times are hard for a while, but eventually she gets together with the "nice guy," who’s been in the background all along. This pretty much fixes everything, and she slowly grows comfortable in her own skin.
If this synopsis reminds you of "I Am Charlotte Simmons" by Tom Wolfe, you're not alone. One big difference is that College Girl is told in the first person, which only makes the protagonist's whining more prominent—and more annoying. It's hard to feel any sympathy for Natalie Bloom; she's self-absorbed and judgmental, and constantly sabotaging herself. In some ways, this is realistic and relatable; most college students have probably experienced the embarrassment of infatuation, dating, and awkward sex. Readers will cringe at Natalie's poor choices and constant humiliation.
While reading, I couldn't help thinking Natalie might have benefited from taking a Women’s Studies course. Perhaps instead of throwing around words like "slut" and "whore" and buying into the idea of sex as a form of "leverage" in relationships, she could have stood up for herself a lot sooner. Instead, she keeps quiet about unwanted sexual attention from her roommate’s boyfriend, and caves to her own "boyfriend" when he pressures her into performing oral sex despite her protests.
Even the "nice guy" in the novel, Jack, doesn't take no for an answer (Trigger Warning):
"...I squeezed my eyes shut, hard, and lay my head back on the pillow. Tears started to fall as my pants slipped over my hips, followed by my underwear. 'Stop,' I said. He didn't stop. 'Please?' I begged. He kept going, and after a minute, I relented..."
The truly disappointing thing is that Natalie is actually grateful to Jack for not respecting her wishes. This kind of "I said no, but I really meant yes" rationalization is an incredibly irresponsible message. Ultimately, College Girl is a thoroughly depressing book. It may, in fact, be a realistic depiction of a young woman's first romance — which may be the most depressing part of all.
This review originally published by FeministReview.org
If this synopsis reminds you of "I Am Charlotte Simmons" by Tom Wolfe, you're not alone. One big difference is that College Girl is told in the first person, which only makes the protagonist's whining more prominent—and more annoying. It's hard to feel any sympathy for Natalie Bloom; she's self-absorbed and judgmental, and constantly sabotaging herself. In some ways, this is realistic and relatable; most college students have probably experienced the embarrassment of infatuation, dating, and awkward sex. Readers will cringe at Natalie's poor choices and constant humiliation.
While reading, I couldn't help thinking Natalie might have benefited from taking a Women’s Studies course. Perhaps instead of throwing around words like "slut" and "whore" and buying into the idea of sex as a form of "leverage" in relationships, she could have stood up for herself a lot sooner. Instead, she keeps quiet about unwanted sexual attention from her roommate’s boyfriend, and caves to her own "boyfriend" when he pressures her into performing oral sex despite her protests.
Even the "nice guy" in the novel, Jack, doesn't take no for an answer (Trigger Warning):
"...I squeezed my eyes shut, hard, and lay my head back on the pillow. Tears started to fall as my pants slipped over my hips, followed by my underwear. 'Stop,' I said. He didn't stop. 'Please?' I begged. He kept going, and after a minute, I relented..."
The truly disappointing thing is that Natalie is actually grateful to Jack for not respecting her wishes. This kind of "I said no, but I really meant yes" rationalization is an incredibly irresponsible message. Ultimately, College Girl is a thoroughly depressing book. It may, in fact, be a realistic depiction of a young woman's first romance — which may be the most depressing part of all.
This review originally published by FeministReview.org
June 30, 2017
Every once in a while, I’ll absolutely fall in love with a story that gets tremendously bad (or, at the very least, mediocre) reviews. The sort of reviews that are so well articulated and point out such obvious flaws that, after seeing them, you decide to put the book in question back and watch a movie on Netflix instead. College Girl by Rachel Weitz is definitely one of those stories. It has the number one thing I usually hate in a novel: a reactive protagonist with no self-esteem who gets eaten up by boy problems--which the reviews all seem eager to point out. If I’d learned that before reading it, I’d have shelved the book so quickly I never gave it a second thought. But I’m very glad I didn’t.
A lot of people have called Natalie Bloom, the novel’s protagonist, derivative and cliche. To me, that description just seems to miss the mark. I doubt very much those readers have ever had the experience of transfering to a university two years after everyone else seemed to have settled into their place, or felt ashamed of coming from a working class background, or at a total loss when it came to connecting to other people after spending so much time focused solely on getting good grades.
College Girl is not a fun coming-of-age story about a naive college girl who gains confidence and becomes empowered like any strong, feminist character should after a few brilliant lectures and fun hookups. It’s a dark, not-so-pretty look at what happens when an unenlightened perfectionist who has spent zero time focused on building interpersonal relationships (or an intrapersonal relationship, for that matter) takes her first shaky steps as an adult--and falters terribly while doing so.
Because of that, this book is not for everyone. People who grew up without her struggles, especially now, in an era where feminism is more widely discussed and understood, will quite understandably find Natalie Bloom insufferably annoying for her flaws, and even disturbing for some of her views. However, I suspect there are more than a few girls who, despite their best attempts at stability, will relate deeply to Natalie Bloom’s unbalanced approach to college life, and will find both solace and strength in reading about her gradual, painful ascent into adulthood--even if her insecurities keep her from ever being anything close to a good role model.
A lot of people have called Natalie Bloom, the novel’s protagonist, derivative and cliche. To me, that description just seems to miss the mark. I doubt very much those readers have ever had the experience of transfering to a university two years after everyone else seemed to have settled into their place, or felt ashamed of coming from a working class background, or at a total loss when it came to connecting to other people after spending so much time focused solely on getting good grades.
College Girl is not a fun coming-of-age story about a naive college girl who gains confidence and becomes empowered like any strong, feminist character should after a few brilliant lectures and fun hookups. It’s a dark, not-so-pretty look at what happens when an unenlightened perfectionist who has spent zero time focused on building interpersonal relationships (or an intrapersonal relationship, for that matter) takes her first shaky steps as an adult--and falters terribly while doing so.
Because of that, this book is not for everyone. People who grew up without her struggles, especially now, in an era where feminism is more widely discussed and understood, will quite understandably find Natalie Bloom insufferably annoying for her flaws, and even disturbing for some of her views. However, I suspect there are more than a few girls who, despite their best attempts at stability, will relate deeply to Natalie Bloom’s unbalanced approach to college life, and will find both solace and strength in reading about her gradual, painful ascent into adulthood--even if her insecurities keep her from ever being anything close to a good role model.
February 7, 2009
This was pure Lifetime Television for Women fare. (Except to be a Lifetime movie, it would need the obligatory colon. "College Girl: The Natalie Bloom Story.") Beautiful-but-doesn't-know-it girl from unpleasant blue collar family tries to make good in fancy college filled with drunken frat boys. For the first 95 percent of the novel I wanted to smack the heroine really hard and tell her to stop pining after stupid boys and get her damn degree; the character magically heard me and shaped up in the last chapter. So, three stars for bending to my will.
January 8, 2010
This wasn't a very good book, but it was much better than I expected it to be. It did a fair job of portraying college life and some of the common insecurities girls have, especially when they are in an abusive/manipulative relationship where a guy is using them for sex. That said, it was cliche, predictable, and unoriginal. As Feminist Review already mentioned, there's a very troubling scene where the heroine is handcuffed and forced to recieve oral sex despite her crying and clear protest against it. It sends a bad message to readers, in the long tradition of the "women secretly want to be raped/forced into sex/taken against their will/etc." This may be true for fantasies, but it is irresponsbile to portray a guy who refuses to stop when he has already promised to if asked in such a positive light.
January 31, 2009
Through the eyes of Natalie Bloom, a third-year transfer student to UConn, first-time novelist Patricia Weitz takes us back to school, where academics are only half the battle. Natalie's blue-collar upbringing colors her experience at the venerated campus in many ways, but none so much more than in her relationship with Patrick, a smooth-talking son of privilege with whom Natalie falls hazardously in love. Weitz creates believable characters and brings them to life in this story of one coed's journey from a "girl" to a young woman who grows much more comfortable in her own skin. The story really comes alive when Natalie returns home for winter break and the worlds of her upbringing and that of the object of her affection clash in clearer focus. Weitz' clear writing is uncluttered, and there's a timelessness to the school days she recalls through her heroine. Her characters have the ring of truth to them, from Natalie's roommates and friends on campus, to her parents and siblings and former colleagues at the plant in her hometown where she worked to save money for school. There's a tragic back-story involving the suicide of one of Natalie's siblings that informs much of her parents' behavior as well as Natalie's perspectives. Weitz' quiet prose speaks powerfully in relating this tale, which by the end will have you rooting for its gutsy protagonist.
August 1, 2013
Hey ladies! Did you know that you can be a strong, independent woman as long as you don't have a man in your life, because the minute those boys come around, your academic life will be in shambles and your self-esteem will go to zero, all because of sex!?
Hey, guys! Did you know that you're probably just going to wreck the lives of all the women you encounter, all because you have one thing on your mind, and that thing probably involves what's between your legs?!
Welcome to the world of College Girl, a pandering, surface-level mess of a narrative about a straight A student who, in her senior year of college, finally gets involved in the world of sex and socialization. The boy is, of course completely wrong for her, the situation of course sends her into a depressive spiral, and no one around her seems to understand because she's so withdrawn and introverted.
The book is compared a lot to Curtis Sittenfeld's Prep, a book I was somewhat underwhelmed by but still found memorable in retrospect. This is like a book that was commissioned to be "like Prep," and comes across as a knockoff from start to finish. Limited characterization, stock characters, no obvious statement to be made by the end...just unfortunate.
Skip this.
Hey, guys! Did you know that you're probably just going to wreck the lives of all the women you encounter, all because you have one thing on your mind, and that thing probably involves what's between your legs?!
Welcome to the world of College Girl, a pandering, surface-level mess of a narrative about a straight A student who, in her senior year of college, finally gets involved in the world of sex and socialization. The boy is, of course completely wrong for her, the situation of course sends her into a depressive spiral, and no one around her seems to understand because she's so withdrawn and introverted.
The book is compared a lot to Curtis Sittenfeld's Prep, a book I was somewhat underwhelmed by but still found memorable in retrospect. This is like a book that was commissioned to be "like Prep," and comes across as a knockoff from start to finish. Limited characterization, stock characters, no obvious statement to be made by the end...just unfortunate.
Skip this.
March 1, 2009
Lindsay said I had to. AND I'm glad she did. Mainly because this is my favorite type of book. I've said it before and I'll say it again.... Losing myself in the inner world of someone who is slightly tortured, contemplative, and observant, but clearly evolving. These people's perspectives are often skewed and painful (especially at first), but that fascinates me!! I guess that's what they call "coming-of-age." But the journey is a constant, so we never really come of age until... we die? Whatever! I loved this book. High entertainment for me.
March 4, 2012
I did not enjoy this book at all. I thought Natalie was incredibly stupid. She was so dependent on everyone around her that it made me want to scream. She constantly had to put people into groups and think of them as that group. I could see why she had no friends, she was annoying, whiney, and seemingly-suicidal. Also, I had zero interest in Patrick. I didn't understand at all why she stayed with him. He was a complete jerk. She was just being stupid. I wasn't very fond of any of the characters, actually. They all just seemed one-dimensional and shallow.
September 3, 2008
I was fortunate to receive an ARC of this book. At times the character and what she was going through emotionally absolutely broke my heart, even painful to read at times.
Highly recommended for those who would like to reminisce about their college years--particularly dating and living in the dorm--and for young women who are heading off to college.
Highly recommended for those who would like to reminisce about their college years--particularly dating and living in the dorm--and for young women who are heading off to college.
January 29, 2009
An interesting story that I felt mirrored what I saw happening to girls in college whom I knew. I didn't like that Patrick seemed to have no redeeming qualities at all, but the end rang true. Good stuff.
August 10, 2008
I'm currently reading this book, I love it.
February 10, 2009
Couldn't put this down. I loved it!
April 5, 2009
Eh. It was ok. Kind of depressing. Made me want to put my daughters in a bubble, away from awful boys.
June 12, 2020
There’s a scene in Patricia Weitz’s debut novel College Girl, when the protagonist, 20-year-old college senior Natalie Bloom cuts off all her hair. I don’t know if the scene was inspired by J.J. Abram’s character, Felicity, but it was the first thing I thought of when I read it.
Natalie makes the decision to cut off her hair after she loses her virginity.
…I wanted my reflection to be as ugly as I felt, but it wasn’t and it angered me. I was vile. Base. Life was traveling in a direction I had never wanted it to go in. I hd to stop it. I had to regain control. It scared me where this slippery slope might lead.
I am probably not the demographic for Weitz’s novel or Abraham’s show (which I love collegeand have watched straight through on more than one occasion.) Still, Natalie Bloom’s story resonated on so many levels for me. It shot me straight back to my university days; not the rose-coloured view I have now, but the awkard, muddled, feeling-my-way experiences I actually lived.
Natalie is the youngest of six; she has five older brothers, one of whom killed himself when she was just ten. On top of navigating her final year of college, it seems like the residual grief over her brother’s suicide is just now catching up to her. She has questions, but the answers are not forthcoming. Her older brothers mostly make fun of her; her father is a taciturn man; her mother, kind but flustered by talk of feelings.
Her family life definitely contributes to Natalie’s personality. She has difficulty articulating what she wants and people tend to walk over her. At school, she rooms with Faith, a “twenty-five-year-old college senior who looked like an eighties chick straight out of a Poison video.” The only person she is nominally friendly with is Linda who “liked everyone […] because she took it for granted that people were generally nice.”
Then Natalie meets Patrick Dunne. He figures larger-than-life in Natalie’s fantasies, but the reality of him is far less appetizing. This tentative first-relationship pushes Natalie firmly away from the shores of adolescence. It was frustrating to watch Patrick capitalize on her insecurities from this vantage point, but it also reminded me so much of my own experiences in my early 20s. I wanted to be liked, but I didn’t always know whose attention was sincere. I never trusted my own instincts.
I would certainly recommend this book to any young woman in her early 20s, but I also enjoyed this book. If nothing else, it made me happy that that part of my life is but a distant memory.
Natalie makes the decision to cut off her hair after she loses her virginity.
…I wanted my reflection to be as ugly as I felt, but it wasn’t and it angered me. I was vile. Base. Life was traveling in a direction I had never wanted it to go in. I hd to stop it. I had to regain control. It scared me where this slippery slope might lead.
I am probably not the demographic for Weitz’s novel or Abraham’s show (which I love collegeand have watched straight through on more than one occasion.) Still, Natalie Bloom’s story resonated on so many levels for me. It shot me straight back to my university days; not the rose-coloured view I have now, but the awkard, muddled, feeling-my-way experiences I actually lived.
Natalie is the youngest of six; she has five older brothers, one of whom killed himself when she was just ten. On top of navigating her final year of college, it seems like the residual grief over her brother’s suicide is just now catching up to her. She has questions, but the answers are not forthcoming. Her older brothers mostly make fun of her; her father is a taciturn man; her mother, kind but flustered by talk of feelings.
Her family life definitely contributes to Natalie’s personality. She has difficulty articulating what she wants and people tend to walk over her. At school, she rooms with Faith, a “twenty-five-year-old college senior who looked like an eighties chick straight out of a Poison video.” The only person she is nominally friendly with is Linda who “liked everyone […] because she took it for granted that people were generally nice.”
Then Natalie meets Patrick Dunne. He figures larger-than-life in Natalie’s fantasies, but the reality of him is far less appetizing. This tentative first-relationship pushes Natalie firmly away from the shores of adolescence. It was frustrating to watch Patrick capitalize on her insecurities from this vantage point, but it also reminded me so much of my own experiences in my early 20s. I wanted to be liked, but I didn’t always know whose attention was sincere. I never trusted my own instincts.
I would certainly recommend this book to any young woman in her early 20s, but I also enjoyed this book. If nothing else, it made me happy that that part of my life is but a distant memory.
February 1, 2023
This book consistently put me in a bad mood. Please avoid at all costs (I mean it).
May 28, 2016
College Girl by Patrica Weitz follows college senior Natalie Bloom as she navigates through relationships. When she first meets Patrick, he appears to be her perfect guy. However, he soon begins to pressure Natalie to perform sexual acts which trigger her downward spiral. As Natalie puts herself in uncomfortable and dangerous situations, she struggles to find her identity in her academic and social circles.
I first must give a disclaimer: this book contains a lot of sex. It is an adult fiction book that is intended for mature readers. I do not make it my habit to read books that explicitly talk about sex in such a vulgar way and debated if I should write a review for the book. However, I do think that this book does add something to the conversation that is worth paying attention to and ultimately decided it was something worth writing about.
I’ll briefly mention the aspects I enjoyed. It is well written. Weitz’s sentences have a natural flow and her voice is crisp. She paints vivid pictures; the words are engaging. Each character is well developed and has a unique personality that is very realistic.
However, the plot seemed unrealistic. Even though Natalie’s relationship with Patrick is the catalyst for her breakdown, it is clear that she had issues long before she met him. She grew up in a dysfunctional family that lacked good communication skills. Natalie’s sense of self-worth came from her ability to achieve high grades and a few mistakes crumple her confidence. It seems unrealistic that her problems would be magically solved by a new relationship and a quick conversation with her parents. This story could have depth, but was poorly executed.
I was disappointed by the two flawed views of sex discussed. On one hand are Natalie’s conservative parents who do not enjoy sex. They consider it filthy and wrong, even within the context of marriage. On the other hand are Natalie’s classmates and friend's perspective. To them, sex is not a big deal. Casual hookups are encouraged, even if one or both parties were involved with another person. As a believer in Christ, I cannot condone the premarital sex that Natalie and her friends partake in. However, I also believe that within the context of marriage, sex is something that can and should be enjoyed.
I also disagreed with Wietz approach to consent. Regardless of your personal beliefs on premarital sex, I think it is important to recognize that a woman should never be touched without her permission. Patrick continually makes physical advances at Natalie, even after she asks him not to. Even after she agrees to have sex with him, she is still clearly uncomfortable with the act. Patrick should not have pressured Natalie into being sexually active with him when she clearly did not want to be. Even at the end of the story, when she ends up dating Josh, there is a problem of consent. Even though Natalie repeatedly tells Josh that she does not want to do anything sexual, he still handcuffs her and does the act anyway. Even though he did it for her pleasure only, the act should have never been performed. Most of the book looks at a woman’s body as though it’s sole purpose is to be sexual. It angers me to see such an archaic stereotype perpetuated in a book that could have been a great proponent fighting against such a stereotype.
In the end, I cannot recommend College Girl. Though well written, the content disappointed more than it delighted. Though it adds a unique perspective to the conversation about sexual promiscuity in young college students, it’s not worth reading the vulgarity. It’s a shame too; the book could have been a great proponent of feminism.
I first must give a disclaimer: this book contains a lot of sex. It is an adult fiction book that is intended for mature readers. I do not make it my habit to read books that explicitly talk about sex in such a vulgar way and debated if I should write a review for the book. However, I do think that this book does add something to the conversation that is worth paying attention to and ultimately decided it was something worth writing about.
I’ll briefly mention the aspects I enjoyed. It is well written. Weitz’s sentences have a natural flow and her voice is crisp. She paints vivid pictures; the words are engaging. Each character is well developed and has a unique personality that is very realistic.
However, the plot seemed unrealistic. Even though Natalie’s relationship with Patrick is the catalyst for her breakdown, it is clear that she had issues long before she met him. She grew up in a dysfunctional family that lacked good communication skills. Natalie’s sense of self-worth came from her ability to achieve high grades and a few mistakes crumple her confidence. It seems unrealistic that her problems would be magically solved by a new relationship and a quick conversation with her parents. This story could have depth, but was poorly executed.
I was disappointed by the two flawed views of sex discussed. On one hand are Natalie’s conservative parents who do not enjoy sex. They consider it filthy and wrong, even within the context of marriage. On the other hand are Natalie’s classmates and friend's perspective. To them, sex is not a big deal. Casual hookups are encouraged, even if one or both parties were involved with another person. As a believer in Christ, I cannot condone the premarital sex that Natalie and her friends partake in. However, I also believe that within the context of marriage, sex is something that can and should be enjoyed.
I also disagreed with Wietz approach to consent. Regardless of your personal beliefs on premarital sex, I think it is important to recognize that a woman should never be touched without her permission. Patrick continually makes physical advances at Natalie, even after she asks him not to. Even after she agrees to have sex with him, she is still clearly uncomfortable with the act. Patrick should not have pressured Natalie into being sexually active with him when she clearly did not want to be. Even at the end of the story, when she ends up dating Josh, there is a problem of consent. Even though Natalie repeatedly tells Josh that she does not want to do anything sexual, he still handcuffs her and does the act anyway. Even though he did it for her pleasure only, the act should have never been performed. Most of the book looks at a woman’s body as though it’s sole purpose is to be sexual. It angers me to see such an archaic stereotype perpetuated in a book that could have been a great proponent fighting against such a stereotype.
In the end, I cannot recommend College Girl. Though well written, the content disappointed more than it delighted. Though it adds a unique perspective to the conversation about sexual promiscuity in young college students, it’s not worth reading the vulgarity. It’s a shame too; the book could have been a great proponent of feminism.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 19, 2014
I really liked the first 3/4 of this book. Does Natalie always make the best choices? No. Is Natalie often irritating in her refusal to see what's right in front of her face? Yes. That said, I found myself relating to Natalie more than I'd like to admit. I wanted to keep reading so I could get to the inevitable moment when Natalie finally took control of her life or did whatever drastic thing the back cover of the book promised.
Yet that moment never really came. The end of the book was rather a let down. It's like we're building up to this super intense scene that never really comes. I expected her brother's death to play a bigger role than it did. I was expecting more to happen with the people around her in college. I couldn't wait to finish this book, but when I did, I was left wondering what happened, how this otherwise interesting story had gone so awry.
Everything in this book is so slow. Some might not like that, but I did. I liked getting into Natalie's head and watching her sabotage her own life without meaning to. It was slow but interesting. And then the last chapter hit, and it was like someone hit the fast forward button. All of a sudden, Her actions aren't unbelievable, but the timeline is.
And then there's a scene at the end that might have ruined the whole book for me. I seriously debated rating this even lower, and this one scene kept this book from being 4 stars. At the end, That's just ridiculous, and it seriously ruined most of this book for me.
Yet that moment never really came. The end of the book was rather a let down. It's like we're building up to this super intense scene that never really comes. I expected her brother's death to play a bigger role than it did. I was expecting more to happen with the people around her in college. I couldn't wait to finish this book, but when I did, I was left wondering what happened, how this otherwise interesting story had gone so awry.
Everything in this book is so slow. Some might not like that, but I did. I liked getting into Natalie's head and watching her sabotage her own life without meaning to. It was slow but interesting. And then the last chapter hit, and it was like someone hit the fast forward button. All of a sudden, Her actions aren't unbelievable, but the timeline is.
And then there's a scene at the end that might have ruined the whole book for me. I seriously debated rating this even lower, and this one scene kept this book from being 4 stars. At the end, That's just ridiculous, and it seriously ruined most of this book for me.
July 23, 2018
I’ve been reading a lot of books lately that seem to be fan fiction of Curtis Sittenfeld’s Prep: What if Lee had been even more of a late bloomer? Unfortunately, though I appreciated the character of Lee, other authors just seem to fall short of portraying what it is like to be an anxious, overly-critical young woman (which is odd, since to a degree, I think that description could fit all young women…).
In this book, Natalie Bloom, a transfer from a community college and product of a working class family who is, of course, secretly gorgeous (but does inform us that she has hairy arms), finally gets into her “dream” school (which, sadly, is most of the other student population’s safety). Like any transfer student, but especially in the 90s when many upperclassmen still lived on campus, Natalie feels like she missed the opportunity to make sense or build community, so she hides behind her studies. Her only “friends” are a chain-smoking roommate with a cheating boyfriend who flunks out and an embarrassing delusional girl who lets a give convince her he is going to leave his girlfriend all year while she gives him sex. Natalie also has a harsh professor who tells her she sucks all the time and ends up getting into a toxic relationship with a pothead who doesn’t care about her. All of the pressures build up until she actually shears herself in hopes of making herself ugly, loses her shit in a graveyard because she has a dead brother (who she was never close to), has a ton of drunken makeout sessions within a few months, and almost misses her chance with the much hotter guy who is into her. Then, she runs off to Russia (this book was published in 2008, so I guess Russia was still appealing for travel then?).
What I liked:
At some points, I liked the one professor highlighted…in the entire book about a college. He was blunt and pretty forward thinking for the 90s, when the book allegedly took place, and the early 2000s. Really, he’s forward thinking now in terms of education, telling Natalie that memorizing facts is not the same as learning (30). Frankly, I liked him a lot better when he refused to give Natalie a make-up assignment: “Someone can make a mistake [. . .] And someone can pay for that mistake, too” (160). Nowadays (and I know because I teach at a popular university), college students will come to you with their sob stories of not being prepared and then threaten you if you don’t comply with them because they’re so used to other people coddling them. I was disappointed when he ended up having a change of heart and horrified when Natalie tried to refuse it. I guess her going to Russia is supposed to indicate that she’s going to become a real scholar, but I honestly would have preferred her having a crisis and changing her major since she only picked it because memorizing was easy….
Weitz accurately portrayed some issues of transfer students. I went to a small liberal arts college where you couldn’t live off campus unless you applied, and I think colleges of the past and the small ones of today do have those insular communities much like high schools where if you do not bond freshman year and quickly, you will have a hard time making friends, especially as a woman; however, at my college, girls started dating guys as freshmen and continued until marrying them after college, so I can’t attest to the hookup culture. Really, the college dynamics were, sadly, very believable, like how Natalie loses Gwen to Noah until they break up, then Gwen keeps crawling back. There is little that is more hurtful than a friend only wanting to see you when his/her significant other is busy, but haven’t we all done it? (201).
I liked Natalie at first. She openly, unabashedly embraced her fantasy world and understood it to be one: “Even better, you could make a crush into whatever you wanted him to be. He could become better-looking or more sensitive or more passionate with time” (20). I love adults who cognizantly commit to their fantasies. She also had a very realistic aversion to blow jobs (174).
Oddly, I liked Patrick. He could articulate his feelings and should be commended for trying to explain his actions to Natalie when he didn’t owe her anything: “You, like, shriveled up and acted like I was a god or something. I have too much self-hatred to be anyone’s god” (323). I even began to like math” (3). Anyone would be annoyed to be with someone who had no opinions! He was articulate and really understood Rand in a way that made me like her awful writing more: “I pledge allegiance to the individual and my own happiness. Everything else is useless and ultimately weakens society” (43). Plus, he noticed things about people and wasn’t afraid to explore gender differences, like why girls always desired to wear their hair down (96). But, with that said, girls always do look better with their hair down and longer!
The best parts were the ridiculous other characters, like Sasha performing a lingerie show for her brother and his friends because they grew up seeing each other’s “wing-wings” (46). College really is the time to see a variety of people and I wish there had been more of it. This book was more like Felicity, where the main cast was limited.
Issues I had:
The dead brother was nonsensical in this book. Maybe it was supposed to explain where her issues with living in a fantasy world started, but there doesn't always have to be some death to explain why people are introverted. I found those parts the most boring in the book and they generated absolutely no emotion.
Natalie becomes pathetic and insufferable, feeling like she owes a guy sex just for stopping by her room (197) and later declaring she loves him for no reason (250). In Prep, Lee behaves mostly the same way, but readers can still understand her obsession with Cross, while here, the only explanation, that is never expressed in the book, is that Natalie “loves” Patrick because she thinks she deserves to be treated like crap: “We accept the love we think we deserve,” and all that.
This is mildly unrelated to the plot, although the dog is a metaphor for Natalie, but reading of the family’s treatment of Biffo was much harder to read than the treatment of Natalie. Sure, maybe that’s social commentary on how women are treated, or maybe it’s because a dog has no choice, whereas Natalie made several awful choices!
For Natalie to “enjoy” oral sex, she tells Jack to stop and he doesn’t…after tying her up?! (318). Um, rape? I get that she had rape fantasies, but none of this was handled in a socially-conscious way! Really, this whole book instills the notion that boys like rejection, which is a major stereotype (59).
was ok that she and Jack didn’t work out and it took a lot longer than college to find the one (321). Sorry, but her whole experience felt like so much too little and too late. It was just depressing.
In the end, it felt like it was supposed to be a coming of age story that wasn’t. Having sex doesn’t equal development and Natalie had little. I read that this was Weitz’s only novel, which is probably a good thing!
Closing thought:
I never knew that psychological sex research inspired Playboy, so that was interesting (35).
In this book, Natalie Bloom, a transfer from a community college and product of a working class family who is, of course, secretly gorgeous (but does inform us that she has hairy arms), finally gets into her “dream” school (which, sadly, is most of the other student population’s safety). Like any transfer student, but especially in the 90s when many upperclassmen still lived on campus, Natalie feels like she missed the opportunity to make sense or build community, so she hides behind her studies. Her only “friends” are a chain-smoking roommate with a cheating boyfriend who flunks out and an embarrassing delusional girl who lets a give convince her he is going to leave his girlfriend all year while she gives him sex. Natalie also has a harsh professor who tells her she sucks all the time and ends up getting into a toxic relationship with a pothead who doesn’t care about her. All of the pressures build up until she actually shears herself in hopes of making herself ugly, loses her shit in a graveyard because she has a dead brother (who she was never close to), has a ton of drunken makeout sessions within a few months, and almost misses her chance with the much hotter guy who is into her. Then, she runs off to Russia (this book was published in 2008, so I guess Russia was still appealing for travel then?).
What I liked:
At some points, I liked the one professor highlighted…in the entire book about a college. He was blunt and pretty forward thinking for the 90s, when the book allegedly took place, and the early 2000s. Really, he’s forward thinking now in terms of education, telling Natalie that memorizing facts is not the same as learning (30). Frankly, I liked him a lot better when he refused to give Natalie a make-up assignment: “Someone can make a mistake [. . .] And someone can pay for that mistake, too” (160). Nowadays (and I know because I teach at a popular university), college students will come to you with their sob stories of not being prepared and then threaten you if you don’t comply with them because they’re so used to other people coddling them. I was disappointed when he ended up having a change of heart and horrified when Natalie tried to refuse it. I guess her going to Russia is supposed to indicate that she’s going to become a real scholar, but I honestly would have preferred her having a crisis and changing her major since she only picked it because memorizing was easy….
Weitz accurately portrayed some issues of transfer students. I went to a small liberal arts college where you couldn’t live off campus unless you applied, and I think colleges of the past and the small ones of today do have those insular communities much like high schools where if you do not bond freshman year and quickly, you will have a hard time making friends, especially as a woman; however, at my college, girls started dating guys as freshmen and continued until marrying them after college, so I can’t attest to the hookup culture. Really, the college dynamics were, sadly, very believable, like how Natalie loses Gwen to Noah until they break up, then Gwen keeps crawling back. There is little that is more hurtful than a friend only wanting to see you when his/her significant other is busy, but haven’t we all done it? (201).
I liked Natalie at first. She openly, unabashedly embraced her fantasy world and understood it to be one: “Even better, you could make a crush into whatever you wanted him to be. He could become better-looking or more sensitive or more passionate with time” (20). I love adults who cognizantly commit to their fantasies. She also had a very realistic aversion to blow jobs (174).
Oddly, I liked Patrick. He could articulate his feelings and should be commended for trying to explain his actions to Natalie when he didn’t owe her anything: “You, like, shriveled up and acted like I was a god or something. I have too much self-hatred to be anyone’s god” (323). I even began to like math” (3). Anyone would be annoyed to be with someone who had no opinions! He was articulate and really understood Rand in a way that made me like her awful writing more: “I pledge allegiance to the individual and my own happiness. Everything else is useless and ultimately weakens society” (43). Plus, he noticed things about people and wasn’t afraid to explore gender differences, like why girls always desired to wear their hair down (96). But, with that said, girls always do look better with their hair down and longer!
The best parts were the ridiculous other characters, like Sasha performing a lingerie show for her brother and his friends because they grew up seeing each other’s “wing-wings” (46). College really is the time to see a variety of people and I wish there had been more of it. This book was more like Felicity, where the main cast was limited.
Issues I had:
The dead brother was nonsensical in this book. Maybe it was supposed to explain where her issues with living in a fantasy world started, but there doesn't always have to be some death to explain why people are introverted. I found those parts the most boring in the book and they generated absolutely no emotion.
Natalie becomes pathetic and insufferable, feeling like she owes a guy sex just for stopping by her room (197) and later declaring she loves him for no reason (250). In Prep, Lee behaves mostly the same way, but readers can still understand her obsession with Cross, while here, the only explanation, that is never expressed in the book, is that Natalie “loves” Patrick because she thinks she deserves to be treated like crap: “We accept the love we think we deserve,” and all that.
This is mildly unrelated to the plot, although the dog is a metaphor for Natalie, but reading of the family’s treatment of Biffo was much harder to read than the treatment of Natalie. Sure, maybe that’s social commentary on how women are treated, or maybe it’s because a dog has no choice, whereas Natalie made several awful choices!
For Natalie to “enjoy” oral sex, she tells Jack to stop and he doesn’t…after tying her up?! (318). Um, rape? I get that she had rape fantasies, but none of this was handled in a socially-conscious way! Really, this whole book instills the notion that boys like rejection, which is a major stereotype (59).
was ok that she and Jack didn’t work out and it took a lot longer than college to find the one (321). Sorry, but her whole experience felt like so much too little and too late. It was just depressing.
In the end, it felt like it was supposed to be a coming of age story that wasn’t. Having sex doesn’t equal development and Natalie had little. I read that this was Weitz’s only novel, which is probably a good thing!
Closing thought:
I never knew that psychological sex research inspired Playboy, so that was interesting (35).
August 26, 2021
Two crows landed in the tree, perching on the same branch. One squawked, then the other. A bird conversation. I envied how nature had programmed their lives. If hungry, hunt. If tired, rest. The human species was so much more complex, and I felt I lacked some of the instincts others took for granted. Would I ever be able to figure things out on my own? And would anyone ever have the patience to teach me?
Meet Natalie Bloom. She's 20 years old, beautiful (but doesn't seem to know it), and has just transferred from community college to the University of Connecticut. As the child of blue-collar factory workers, she's awkward around the solidly middle-class and wealthy college students who surround her. She buries herself in her studies, and finds a favorite spot in the library to distract herself from her complete lack of a social life.
But then she meets Patrick. Predictably, she swings wildly from bookworm to infatuated quasi-girlfriend. Will she find her own identity, separate from boyfriend, friends, or roommate? Will she find solid ground to land on before her grades slide irrevocably away? And will she discover that self-esteem comes from within, not from the opinions others are quick to throw out? Weitz explores these themes in the coming of age tale, College Girl .
My two-cents: There is nothing earth-shatteringly original in Weitz's offering. Young adulthood is a painful time. Turns out that it's even more painful to read about when one is looking through the lens of experience gained by mid-30's. I wanted to shake some sense into Natalie, and perhaps that was Weitz's intent...often times I was just frustrated though. Natalie is no role-model, but her struggles are (unfortunately) all too common. Read to find out what college *can* be like for those who are woefully unprepared, and lack a mentor. Given 2 stars or a rating of "average". Recommended if these sort of plot lines are your cup of tea, as Weitz writes prose that's worth a try.
Meet Natalie Bloom. She's 20 years old, beautiful (but doesn't seem to know it), and has just transferred from community college to the University of Connecticut. As the child of blue-collar factory workers, she's awkward around the solidly middle-class and wealthy college students who surround her. She buries herself in her studies, and finds a favorite spot in the library to distract herself from her complete lack of a social life.
But then she meets Patrick. Predictably, she swings wildly from bookworm to infatuated quasi-girlfriend. Will she find her own identity, separate from boyfriend, friends, or roommate? Will she find solid ground to land on before her grades slide irrevocably away? And will she discover that self-esteem comes from within, not from the opinions others are quick to throw out? Weitz explores these themes in the coming of age tale, College Girl .
My two-cents: There is nothing earth-shatteringly original in Weitz's offering. Young adulthood is a painful time. Turns out that it's even more painful to read about when one is looking through the lens of experience gained by mid-30's. I wanted to shake some sense into Natalie, and perhaps that was Weitz's intent...often times I was just frustrated though. Natalie is no role-model, but her struggles are (unfortunately) all too common. Read to find out what college *can* be like for those who are woefully unprepared, and lack a mentor. Given 2 stars or a rating of "average". Recommended if these sort of plot lines are your cup of tea, as Weitz writes prose that's worth a try.
December 13, 2016
College Girl by Patricia Weitz features Natalie Bloom, a transfer student at the University of Connecticut. When she arrives at the main campus at Storrs, Natalie desparately wants to fit in. Being the youngest child and the only girl in a lower income blue collar family, it is tough for her to make friends and bond with her classmates.
Natalie pours herself into her studies, working hard to make herself the smartest student in her classes and spending most of her time studying in the library, eschewing frat parties, basketball games, the very things that make UConn Uconn. At the library she meets Patrick, who is everything Natalie is not. Confident, wealthy, well-read, self-assured, preppy, he could have been the poster boy for a UConn brochure.
Somehow, someway Natalie has piqued Patrick's interest, but he is more interested in her body than he is in her. He's not interested in Natalie, nor is he into her. The harder she tries to impress Patrick, the more he insults her. The more she focuses on her relationship, her grades begin to drop, she comes to class unprepared and her self-esteem plummets.
It takes a near miss car accident and some incredibly bad behavior for Natalie to come to her senses and realize that she deserves better than Patrick.
I liked this book because Natalie seemed genuine to me. My own College days are long gone, but the similarities remain, insecurities about who you are, who you want to be, who to date, whether your friends will have your back, all those feelings cam back through Natalie and that is the true mark of a successful character. I recommend this book to just about anyone.
Natalie pours herself into her studies, working hard to make herself the smartest student in her classes and spending most of her time studying in the library, eschewing frat parties, basketball games, the very things that make UConn Uconn. At the library she meets Patrick, who is everything Natalie is not. Confident, wealthy, well-read, self-assured, preppy, he could have been the poster boy for a UConn brochure.
Somehow, someway Natalie has piqued Patrick's interest, but he is more interested in her body than he is in her. He's not interested in Natalie, nor is he into her. The harder she tries to impress Patrick, the more he insults her. The more she focuses on her relationship, her grades begin to drop, she comes to class unprepared and her self-esteem plummets.
It takes a near miss car accident and some incredibly bad behavior for Natalie to come to her senses and realize that she deserves better than Patrick.
I liked this book because Natalie seemed genuine to me. My own College days are long gone, but the similarities remain, insecurities about who you are, who you want to be, who to date, whether your friends will have your back, all those feelings cam back through Natalie and that is the true mark of a successful character. I recommend this book to just about anyone.
September 6, 2016
I received this book for free from the publisher. All content and opinions are my own.
Natalie is a senior at the University of Connecticut. She transferred to UConn after two years at a different state college. Though she gets almost straight As, she feels as if she doesn’t quite belong. Her family - mom, dad, and six older brothers - is lower class and not all that enthralled with education. And, they haven’t dealt with the suicide of their son and brother over a decade before. Still, Natalie has personality and is beginning to make friends. Then she meets Patrick. At first, their relationship is fun and flirty. Then Natalie convinces herself that she is not good enough for the rich and handsome aspiring writer, and her life begins to come crashing down.
This was a pretty readable book. Weitz’s prose is unobtrusive and quick-paced. I raced through this book in less than twenty-four hours and enjoyed it - sort of. However, I felt too much distance from Natalie. I was so frustrated with her for allowing and inviting a man ruin her life. I wanted to scream at her for starting to smoke. I loathed her self-pity. In short, I despised her. While I’m sure that there are some girls that adrift in life and Weitz presents some possible explanations for her appalling behavior, I just couldn’t enjoy this book as much as I wanted to.
Natalie is a senior at the University of Connecticut. She transferred to UConn after two years at a different state college. Though she gets almost straight As, she feels as if she doesn’t quite belong. Her family - mom, dad, and six older brothers - is lower class and not all that enthralled with education. And, they haven’t dealt with the suicide of their son and brother over a decade before. Still, Natalie has personality and is beginning to make friends. Then she meets Patrick. At first, their relationship is fun and flirty. Then Natalie convinces herself that she is not good enough for the rich and handsome aspiring writer, and her life begins to come crashing down.
This was a pretty readable book. Weitz’s prose is unobtrusive and quick-paced. I raced through this book in less than twenty-four hours and enjoyed it - sort of. However, I felt too much distance from Natalie. I was so frustrated with her for allowing and inviting a man ruin her life. I wanted to scream at her for starting to smoke. I loathed her self-pity. In short, I despised her. While I’m sure that there are some girls that adrift in life and Weitz presents some possible explanations for her appalling behavior, I just couldn’t enjoy this book as much as I wanted to.
October 1, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. I would have read it much quicker, but I just wasn't in the mood to read a whole lot lately. It frustrated the hell out of me, sure, because reading about the deep insecurities of this protagonist was exhausting. It's apparent from the initial meeting of Patrick that he is going to turn out to be a disaster. And as Natalie quickly sinks deeper and deeper into her self-destructive spiral, I just wanted to smack her with something so that she would realize how truly atrocious this guy is! Everything she let him do to her was abhorrent, but what annoyed me the most was when he told her at the end that he really was into her when they first met. Thankfully, this makes her angry as well. Why do guys feel the need to do that? It's not comforting to hear that who you were at the beginning was who they liked, or to hear that you really are pretty and they didn't break it off with you because of that. Sometimes you're the asshole, and sometimes they are. And sometimes, it's no one's fault and it just wasn't meant to be. It's a shame that she had to hit rock bottom before finding herself again, but I'm glad she did. Happiness comes from yourself first!
November 23, 2014
This book was actually entertaining enough to keep me captivated the whole time. Although, I did loath the character Natalie at times. She had just become so spineless after starting to see her crush Patrick. She just started to lose so many peices of herself after meeting him. It was definitely mainly her fault. She did not have any conviction in her beliefs until she finally cracked at the end of their relationship. I did feel a little bit for her because I know we all slip into the habit of worrying about what other people think of us. I was very glad to see that at the very end she had liberated herself from those worries. It was a good read overall if you can stomach the parts of it where Natalie crumbles apart.
June 15, 2015
I should have paid more attention to the negative reviews for this book. I wanted to reach into the story and pluck Natalie out of it. To anyone reading this book who identifies with Natalie Bloom, or who has had some of the experiences she has, please know that you are worthy of love, you are valuable and you are intelligent. It was so uncomfortable for me to read about the many, many instances of Natalie's protests (vocal and non-vocal) being completely ignored during sex. It turned my stomach. I can understand why the author ended the book the way she did, but I seriously felt enraged all the way through and almost quit reading it a handful of times. I wish I'd never picked it up. *Rage quit*
May 27, 2009
A kind of cliched coming of age story, filled with much repetition of details instead of thoughtful selection of details. Most of the secondary characters are hardly believable (the sometime stripper living down the hall in the dorm, etc). There are so many better novels about young women with family issues, romantic details, and body image concerns -- I'm not sure why this one has been getting so much press lately. If you read a review of this book and thought it sounded like interesting subject matter -- read Sittenfeld's The Man of My Dreams instead.
October 27, 2010
I began this book really relating to Natalie, and was eager to read about college(I'm applying to colleges soon). The beginning of the book was great, and I felt happy/eager for Natalie to begin socializing with Patrick, but as the book went on, I couldn't help be begin to hate her as she completely lost herself, and didn't even try to fight back against Patrick. I hated how much she had deluded herself, how unrealistically her thoughts had become. She redeemed herself towards the end, but she is def. not on my top 5 greatest heroins list.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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