First up, this short book is not a ‘feminist manifesto’, as described in the Goodreads blurb. It’s concise, with cool graphics, but is ultimately (as another reviewer points out) preaching to the choir.

The authors make a decent effort to showcase why women are pretty fed up with the world at large, with some valuable points. However, it’s not clear who the intended audience is - perhaps because it’s a translation (sidebar: I’d like to read the original version, as translations bug me).

As the authors mention at the end, they are aware of their various privileges. I can’t help thinking that a collection of quotes/thoughts from a diverse range of women, with accompanied graphics, may have formed the basis for a better manifesto...

The publisher and Netgalley provided me with an advance review copy in exchange for an honest review.

What Makes Girls Sick and Tired was an okay book.. I liked the idea and description but I guess I thought it would have solutions or ideas on how girls can make a positive impact on the issues.I was hoping to suggest this book to my students for our social justice unit but I am wondering if they would find it helpful. Wonderful idea though and I'm glad I had a chance to review it.

This is going to be a quick review since the book itself was a quick read. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting going into this one, but I think I almost got what I wanted out of it?

What Makes Girls Sick and Tired is just what the title implies. A list of all the things that girls are sick of doing and hearing and experiencing. It’s beyond sad that it’s almost 50 pages of things that suck and even sadder when you realize it could have been a hell of a lot longer, and it’s definitely effective at getting you angry at the state of things. But I’m also failing to see the point in this book at all. I feel like the vast majority of people that will pick this one up are people that are already aware of everything this book is talking about, and since there’s no distinct purpose or helpful ending or something I just…don’t get the point.

I think that if you were looking for a specific use, this book would be good for opening up conversations about the inequalities women face but unless it was used in a learning environment I just don’t know when that would be applicable.

I don’t know. I definitely didn’t dislike it, and I really respect what it’s trying to do, it just seemed like something was missing. But if you’re looking for a feminist graphic novel that will make you angry but is also beautiful to flip through then I’d say go for this one.

What Makes Girls Sick and Tired is a short collection of illustrated reasons that feminism and awareness is so important for all the sexes. Poignant and diverse this collection makes it known what is wrong with society and the world today.

I loved how inter-sectional this collection is and how the illustrations bring a layer of life to the words--it felt like not only was I reading the injustice that we women face in today's society but also seeing it illustrated next to the words made it feel that much more serious and real.

I believe that this collection is a strong gateway and an excellent opener to heavy topics and discussions that we as people need to have.

With that said, I do believe that this collection could be taken so much further both creatively and artistically. I think more reasons could be given so that the inclusiveness that the authors are striving to bring to the table would become more full circle than it currently is. It was easy to see which issues/topics the authors were more passionate and knowledgeable of as there were more panels within the collection regarding those and very few on other topics.

Overall, I do believe this was a good start and I'm so grateful for the conversations that it will potentially (if not already) begin to open up about feminism and women rights; however, I do think that it never quite made its way to being all that it could be.

The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What Makes Girls Sick and Tired is a lovely graphic novel that highlights the everyday sexism that women face in our society.
This snapshot collection of challenges that feminism is trying to fight is wonderfully diverse and raises a lot of valid and necessary points.

While I love the premise of this graphic novel, the execution is not my favourite thing in the world.



I must say that the illustrations are stunning and the colour scheme is to die for! If this was a collection of illustrations, without the text, I think I would like this a lot more.

My thoughts:

I can’t tell who this is marketed towards.

The actual content of the novel indicates that this is marketed towards teenagers and adults. The lexicon is mature and sophisticated and, if this were marketed towards children, I would expect there to be more detail about what certain words – like “patriarchy” – mean. While, to us, these don’t seem like unusual terminology, ten year olds probably have not encountered these terms before.

However, the way in which the information in this novel is presented to the audience sounds like it’s aimed towards children around the ten year old range. “Girls are such and tired of having to be funny if they aren’t considered ‘pretty.'”


If this is aimed towards adults it comes across quite patronising.
If this is aimed towards children there’s not enough information about the words being used or why girls feel the way they do.

It doesn’t go into enough depth.

This is a short graphic novel that covers quite a lot of ground. However, because it tries to encompass as much ground as possible – possibly because she’s afraid of being called out on not including something? – it ultimately sacrifices quality for quantity. There is such a lack of substance and depth to what she’s saying it’s almost not worth her saying it in the first place.

“Girls are sick and tired when trans and gender-diverse people do not have the gender they identify with recognised in day-to-day life, by the media, by institutions…” That’s it. Then it moves on to the next point. And my question is – why? Why are they sick and tired of this? TELL US MORE!

Conclusion?

Ultimately this is a list of all the things wrong with the patriarchy rather than an in depth discussion of the ways in which this could be tackled. I liked the art style and I liked how inclusive this was, but in the end I just wanted so much more depth. It feels shallow, like we’re just scraping the surface, and that’s just not enough if this is going to be hailed as a ‘feminist’ piece.

YES PREACH IT!!!!!

I got this as a short, illustrated eARC and you really can just sit down and read it all at once.

There is so much feminism power contained in so few pages, it's really incredible!!

I only wish it was longer. There are so many more things that could have been included, especially since the book did such a great job of everything that it did include.

2.5 *
I'm impressed with the inclusivity of this novel, however, I expected so much more. I believe that the societal inequalities that leave women at a sufficient disadvantage in all aspects of every day life are more apparent now than ever before. More so, I believe that women with various intersecting, underprivileged identities have done excellent work in illuminating societal ignorance towards the discrimination that women face. While I understand that there is always more to be done, this novel, written by two white women who could never fully grasp the experiences of other women, especially those of colour, simply lists the injustices of our world. In 2019, we need books by women of colour, by queer and trans women, by women of different body types, by women with disabilities, by women of various religious denominations. We need books challenging the understandings of those who hold privilege and urge them to act upon the very injustices that continue the cycles of abuse women face. We need books that delve deeper into each one of the topics listed in this novel. We need books that do more, especially when targeting an audience that likely already grasps these realities at face value.

This book is really different than what I expected! At the time I was reading it, it felt similar to reading through a tumblr or social media feed. Each page seemed to be unrelated to the next. However, since I completed the book I keep thinking of the stories throughout the book. Lots of important points made in this book and I hope to see it in more libraries and bookshelves!

* I received and advanced copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange of my honest review *

An empowering read that every woman on this planet should read !
Even if it was short it got to the point , it delivered many strong messages that we tend to forget about in our daily life . If I learned something from this book would be : I AM FEMINIST AND PROUD TO BE ONE !

Once in a while you stumble upon something that just makes you feel like a warrior. Like you want to get up and go change the world right now because of this. This comic was one of those things.


First of all: The art style is absolutely gorgeous. It fits right in with the short, precise text and really just cuts through and shoots an arrow into your heart and soul. I very much liked the different girls we got to see; there was a lot of diversity in both the text and how the pictures pick that up.

The writing was for me, personally, fantastic. It had a lot of cutting information in it but managed to deliver that in a way that made it digestible. If I had been presented with the pure information, I would've said, "No, thank you, I'm already sad enough as it is". But somehow, this had the exact opposite effect. Whenever I read statistics about women's rights, I always get really depressed because holy shit. This book made me want to get up, go out and do something about that. It's something that I think more books need to do. 

This comic goes on to show that misogyny is still very present and relevant and how it impacts the lives of billions of women every day. How the things women are expected to do every single day suddenly become heroic deeds when men do them. How girls are sold into marriages all the time. How many of us feel like our worth depends on our looks, not our hearts, our souls or our brains. How women get lesser pay for the same work. How it took centuries to get here and it's gonna take centuries to undo all of this hurt. 

But it also feels hopeful. Women uplifting and supporting each other. Queer representation that addresses harmful stereotypes. How society tells bi girls they're just greedy, how lesbians and the male gaze are intertwined in modern media, how trans girls still face transphobia on a day to day basis. It shows that women of color struggle even more than white women. And while this is something I know somewhere deep in my brain, it's usually an afterthought. Most of the time, I'm so busy thinking about my own problems that I very rarely consider that I'm sometimes in a place of privilege above other women. This is something that needs to change. I need to support women who have even less of a voice than me whenever I can. We all say that something helped us "become a better feminist" a lot of the time but I truly mean it. You're never too feminist to learn more. I also did like the little disclaimer very much because it acknowledges that we, as white women, are not The Ultimate Voice Of Women Everywhere. 

Overall, this is a great feminist comic that is very quick to read and that you should definitely give a try.

I love how inclusive this book is but at the same time I'm not sure who its target audience is. Anyone who picks this up is probably well aware of everything it covers. But regardless, it was truthful and beautifully illustrated.

I totally relate to a lot of these things. I wasn’t a big fan of the format but it didn’t make it harder to read. The illustrations were nice I liked the colors.

This short book is simple in both language and illustration style. Those deliberate choices heighten the impact of the narrative, making each page like a punch that highlights an injustice. The authors do a good job addressing "what makes" a broad range of girls "sick and tired", from body shaming to rampant violence against women, I would highly recommend this for this for anyone. It could also be a great starting place for discussion or additional research if used in a middle or high school classroom as it hits on a lot of topics at a very superficial level.

"What Makes Girls Sick and Tired" is a simple, short graphic nonfiction work that gives the reader various reasons why Girls/Women are "sick and tired" of the constant sexism and misogyny that they have to face in their everyday lives. Because I am a woman (and also a person who has already read an ample amount of feminism work), I am quite aware of these reasons so I did not really learn anything particularly new. However, I think this graphic work is perfect for those who are curious about modern-day feminism and those who want to learn more about intersectionality with the movement. I say it's a great introduction for beginners. If you are a person who has already read a handful of books about feminism, you won't really gain any new knowledge, however, I am glad that graphic books like this exist. The graphics in the work was also cute and adds a touch to the topic at hand.

Girls ARE sick and tired. This book is a great conversation starter for all things that girls are sick and tired of, the things that are hardly talked about. I feel that many topics could’ve been elaborated on further, but it’s a start.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

Who is the audience for this one. It reads like a feminism bedtime story or a feminism brochure for middle school. If that’s the case, I like it, but I think even 8th graders learn more than this book educates from their twitter timeline. The illustrations are cool though.

This needs to be handed out in schools. This book is a great starting point for women and men of all ages, to begin discussions about feminism and women. It is well presented with thought provoking statements and pictures alongside them. The pictures themselves are great points of discussion and completely enhance the book. I really enjoyed this and there were a few points in it that I was surprised and shocked, we can all learn something new and the fight isn't over. I highly recommend this for everyone, but definitely should be introduced in schools.

This was a quick and fun little read. I feel like it should be a mandatory read for every child before they hit puberty. Girls needs to realize they are more than society tells them they are and boys need to learn that girls are people and not objects like society teaches them they are. The art is simple and almost monotone but it’s good that it’s not flashy or takes away from the words.
Girls are sick and tired and need to be listened to. This world needs to change. Girls deserve change.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I can't even explain you how I feel after this read. I love every inch of this book. Every details, every sentence. This book is just everything I was asking for when I discovered it.
I loved the fact that it tries to include everyone in it, I felt like I mattered, that I was important, and it's so rare. The drawings are so accurate, detailed, I could relate to each of them. I learned a few things. It highlights so many important subjects; I think it's a great introduction to feminism !
To put it in a nutshell, it's a quick read, I recommand this book to EVERYONE. I'm sure going to buy this book when it'll be out. You need this book in your life! Trust me!

This is a list of things girls are sick and tired of, as the title says. Unfortunately, it's just that. The art style is a
somewhat monochromatic melancholy collection of interpersonal interactions and floating objects. It gets the feeling across; however, there is no depth in the writing or illustration. If this were pamphlet for middle grade or younger school children, perfect. As an official-looking document for the province of Ontario, misses the mark for me.