Citizen Girl

People who are reading this book hoping for more "Nanny Diaries" are doing themselves a disservice. For however fresh and incisive as that book was, Citizen Girl is broader and more ambitious, a platform for the writers to express what they see wrong with the world -- not with rage, but rather with wit, color, and nuance. In particular, they take the risk of tackling an daunting and out-of-vogue topic, feminism, and try very hard to sort out what relevance it can and should have today. Citizen Girl asks hard questions: What is to be made of the woeful ineffectiveness and infighting of well-intentioned individuals and organizations; when should one's principles be compromised, and to what degree; are women "empowered" if they choose to trade on their sexuality to get ahead; is it possible for commercialism and idealism to co-exist. And that's hardly all of the topics broached. A book that tries to tackle so much topicality could easily be joyless and leaden, but fortunately the authors keep Citizen Girl moving along, with a breezy, cheerfully foulmouthed tone, voiced primarily by the eponymous title character, a likable, believable young woman trying to find her place in the world -- both that outside her and within. The book wisely veers away from polemic while still making the authors' perspectives known; their willingness to criticize even what they believe in (and to do so in frequently hilarious ways -- check out the argument over parking permits) feels comforting and genuine. Citizen Girl is clever, thoughtful, and completely enjoyable. It is perhaps imperfect, but perhaps that is gives the book its verve -- its commentary is raw and passionate, not polished and polite. Intelligent readers who appreciate a good satire and a good read shouldn't hestiate to pick it up. Just don't expect "The Nanny Diaries."

I read the Nanny Diaries and loved it, but I just couldn't imagine how those same girls were going to approach corporate America. They'd done so well with baby-sitting! However, just like Mrs. X and Grover came so memorably off the page, so too do the characters in CITIZEN GIRL. While the characters are undoubtedly quirky and distinctive, I've known versions of each of them in my own life. They're the people we've all met: Doris--the feminist in purple Birkenstocks who power trips over paper color, Buster--the hot/cold cute guy that we just can't figure out, Guy--Mr. Slick that we know is a scammer, but we trust him cause he smiles, and Julia--the pretty, perfect mentor we're going to be just like. While the plot is both entertaining and innovative, it's the characters who sparkle. Reading CITIZEN GIRL you're among friends (or nemesis's and ex-boyfriends) depending on how your cookie has crumbled.

Citizen Girl is an absolutely fantastic, can't-stop-until-the-last-page read. From the get-go, it draws you straight into the world of post-college, idealism destroying life that is your first job. The book captures a conflict that anybody with a sense of right and wrong has dealt with at some point--how to balance morals and ideals with the desperate need for a substantial paycheck.

A great read and a must for cubicle dwellers, Girl really shows what its like out there for a lot of young women. I see myself here... including the swearing if I'm honest. The plot is rather intricate and you do need to follow closely at some points. But what I like about Citizen Girl is that it refuses easy answers and tidy conclusions. That's what makes it so good. I thought the writing was terrific--I loved the rapid fire prose. It's hilarious when you read it outloud.

I was slow to catch on to the Nanny Diaries. I think all the hype kind of put me off. I read it eventually though, in paperback, and was kind of kicking myself that I waited so long. I remember laughing on the bus it was so good. Anyway, that's why I was willing to fork over for the hardcover of the Nanny's second book. Ironically, this time it was all the negative noise that made me want to read Citizen Girl. (Great title, by the way) I wanted to see what all the controversy was all about. As usual, it was just a lot of hot air, simply New York getting high on itself. Guess someone somewhere wanted to put these Girls in their place. Has anything changed? This book is a real good read. I so identify with Girl's struggles with her boss, both men and women. I've had desk envy and post-it note envy and have worked late at night not really sure what I'm doing. I see a lot of myself and my friends here, and I'm really glad I bought this book. Thank you Girls.