Honestly, it’s partly on me for expecting an edgier version of the Barbie movie.

I was really looking forward to this book, but the storytelling was all over the place. The timeline bounced around a lot between the author’s younger and present selves. I don’t expect a collection of essays to move in chronological order, but there should still be a natural flow to the narrative.

Many of the stories seemed to lose focus, which ultimately weakened their purpose. Too often, I questioned the relevance of certain passages and their connection to the overarching theme. These interruptions diminished the overall impact of the collection, and as a result, the memoir’s intended messaging fell flat.

Overall, this could’ve been stronger. The title itself could give any woman a plethora of things to talk about, but it felt like the author was holding back and only offered a limited scope of her experiences—understandable, since that’s a vulnerable thing to do—but it becomes clear that the writing is missing that layer of authenticity.

Personal, yet universal, these essays perfectly capture girlhood in the contemporary era. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this part-memoir part-collection of essays. Particularly resonant in the ways Fraterrigo depicts coming of age under the male gaze. Beautiful, thought provoking, and truly unique.

The first essay in this book was gripping. After that, I lost interest. I had no sense of who the author/narrator was and had difficulty connecting to her. I know she has been through some difficult things, she got her point across in the first hundred pages, but not in any relatable way.

The Perils of Girlhood leads readers through experiences common to many girls and women, especially those who grew up in the 80s and 90s. While the author's life experiences are the focus of this collection, each "chapter" will resonate with readers on a deep level. "More Like Dad" and "The Elements of Fiction" were particularly poignant, highlighting the different ways in which men impact our sense of womanhood and identity. Each story shows the areas where our society has failed in extending empathy and compassion towards young women or women experiencing crisis in particular.

Overall, a strong collection that will appeal to many!

This book is like talking to your friend after a long time away from them. I loved the random stories that all tied together in the end.

Hooked from the very first paragraph, filled with anger and empathy amongst the pages, and thought provoking how to do I raise my daughter to have different experiences.

I really wanted to like this book but can’t. It felt very disjointed, it jumped from teen to kid to adult to young adult too many times to count. Many stories were repeated during other stories, towards the middle of the book, I couldn’t stop the eye rolls and thoughts of here we go again. Reflecting back on the book now that I am finished, my only thought is what was the point, what did the author want to achieve and I have no clue what the answer is.