Girlhood: The Easiest Five Star Review I Have Ever Given
By Lexi Davis
Words have a way of undoing the strings of a person’s mask to reveal the deepest crevices of their soul. This sense of vulnerability, so unsettling, can only be found in the expertise of a wordsmith like Melissa Febos. Febos beautifully crafts her words to bring about a sense of understanding between her and her audience, as she shows in my newest favorite book, Girlhood. A collection of essays utilizing interviews, surveys, movies, research and her own narrative, Febos uses these different mediums in her book to highlight the nuanced yet universal experiences women face from “girlhood,” or the beginning of societal structures and expectations being forced upon a person (often associated with puberty). Heart-wrenching and all too relatable, Febos sees, hears and heals the soul in ways that make it so I cannot recommend this book enough.
Febos’ composes the essays in the book to lead the reader through a rollercoaster of emotions. The first few essays contrast her experiences before and during “girlhood,” explaining not just the changes of her body but also how her view of her body changes. As the essays progress, Febos explores the consequences of girlhood: from stalking and voyeurism to empty consent. Finally, Febos begins to undo the societal expectations placed on her in her last essays through her discussion of self-healing and “cuddle-parties” (yes, they are a thing). Through each of these essays, she commentates on her experiences to make them applicable to the audience. In the end, the reader is left mouth open, tears welling up in their eyes, hugging the book tightly to their chest.
I loved everything about this book. Febos’ writing is beautiful in the most relatable sense of the word, making my heart-strings tug after every paragraph. I have never felt more seen and exposed by words on a page than I have after reading this book. The vulnerability she allows herself to have with her audience brings out the vulnerability of the reader, leaving the reader in a state of disbelief. Febos also gives the reader, at least in my experience, a feeling of understanding. She highlights experiences that I can relate to with ease because of my identity as a woman, which breaks the barriers of isolation that the patriarchy has forced upon us. Her stories create a call to collective action while simultaneously breaking the barriers of loneliness that prevent that collective action in the first place. It is a moving collection of essays that have completely altered my perspective of myself and the world. If I had to share one book with anyone knowing they would read it, it would be this book. Febos’ Girlhood is, by far, the easiest five star review of a book I have ever given.
