I've been aware of Caitlin Moran since my 20s - she is the same age as me, and I remember watching her presenting Naked City with Johnny Vaughan and interviewing the likes of Blur, (jealous as hell, obviously), and of course writing in Melody Maker (I see you, fellow oldies).

Having read ‘How to Build A Woman’, and enjoying the sitcom she wrote ‘Raised by Wolves' I headed off to my local library and borrowed a copy of 'How to Build A Girl'. I loved Caitlin's writing style, and her witty and engaging prose, and I, along with most people who read it, fell a little bit in love with Johanna Morrigan (and her alter ego, Dolly Wilde).

We catch up with Johanna pretty much where we left her albeit a little further on in time. In London, 1994, living in her own flat (at 18!) and pining after musician John Kite - her best friend and unrequited crush who has recently undergone a meteoric rise to fame thanks to the rise of Britpop.

When a disastrous sexual encounter threatens to become public knowledge and blow up her whole career and reputation, we watch Johanna struggle with an internal battle between the guilt and shame she feels, and the rise of the feminist within as she rallies against the injustice of the double standards applied to men and women and determines to fight back to reclaim both her body, and her self-respect. It's about coming of age, standing up for yourself - even if you're not sure you're in the right, discovering your own voice and making sure it's heard.

Johanna's family make cameo appearances (if you've read How to Build A Girl you'll be pleased to catch up with them) and her Dad appear a little too often for her liking, and wearing way too little. She has old friends, and crazy new ones, and is still no stranger to a vodka bottle. She's a mess of working too hard and partying too hard, but what else is an 18 year old supposed to do in London?

If you've read Caitlin's work before, you'll know what to expect. Her writing is witty, close to the bone, honest and gritty - sometimes over-effusive, but it's exactly how I think Johanna would write. I found this novel to be touching and funny, and being around the same age as Johanna in the book at the time it was set took me right back to those halycon days when Britpop was everywhere, cool Britannia ruled and everyone felt that Britain was on the verge being great again. Great fun.

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers, Penguin Random House UK, Ebury Publishing, for the opportunity to review an ARC in return for an honest and unbiased review.

4.5 stars

I cannot find the words to describe how much I UTTERLY LOVE this book. Brilliantly written and hilariously funny (in parts) whilst having some very serious issues to deal with. This book is very apt with the current #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, but our main hero Johanna takes back control (of what was a pretty awful situation) in a spectacular way. Now whilst I did not feel completely sorry for the initial situation, she made a choice (and admits that), the fallout was something that has happened to many, many women all around the globe, and that was definitely not her choice. If anything you can see both sides, as the younger character points out when she is trying to be warned off from a famous sex-pest. I love Johanna, her spirit and bravado (a world away from what I was at 19) and would love to see Caitlin write more from her in the 00's and current times.

I enjoyed this book, especially the references to the 1990s, where I would have been the same age as the main character. Centres around the story of a young girl who has unwittingly become involved in a sex tape scandal. with all the controversy surrounding the 'me too' movement and the treatment of women, highlights how long this kind of behaviour has been going on in and out of the public eye. often funny, I did think the character seemed older than her years and her youth was lost in the story, but a generally good read,

Oh I'm so happy! I loved how to build a girl so I was really pleased to get this one. If anything I preferred this. It was so lovely (in a really gritty way) I love Dolly and the supporting characters. I cried and laughed, just fabulous!

First of all there's no warnings of content in this review - it's a Caitlin Moran book! I should think everyone will be aware of what you will get: strong swearing, sexual references, and feminist aspects to the story. The confessional-aside-to-the-reader tone of the book reminded me of "Are You There God It's Me, Margaret", if Margaret had liked to swear, have sex, and muse about whether the Brontes masturbated or not. I must admit that I haven't read the first book (How to Build A Girl) but I don't feel it was of any detriment to enjoying this one. Having grown up in the Britpop era, it was a bit of a nostalgic read in that area and the character of 19 year old 'Dolly Wilde' does become rather endearing after a couple of chapters.

Having been a teenage girl myself who harboured intense crushes on George Michael and Robbie Williams, amongst others, I've always had a theory that what is now termed "fangirling" (where teenage girls hero-worship boy bands or TV actors etc), is the outlet for female sexuality that porn is for teenage boys. Whereas one is tutted at but tacitly condoned, fangirling is derided. I think Moran definitely highlights some of the problems that this develops into; sexual shaming (females are sexualised but society doesn't want them to actually enjoy sex themselves), why it is that girls are expected to perform like porn stars whilst some guys barely make an effort, and finally the fact that modern culture likes to trivialise teenage girls (and to some extent all women) and anything they like as vapid and idiotic.

It is all dealt with in a fairly humorous yet poignant manner, although the author falls into the trap of treating a middle-aged male going through a midlife crisis as a figure of fun yet with affection, whereas the middle-aged female is a bit of a cliche. If Moran feels that teenage girls aren't allowed to own their sexuality, then what about women of a certain age who are not expected to have a sexuality at all? However I digress and that is a different book. I enjoyed this one but it's not for the easily offended.

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers, Penguin Random House UK, Ebury Publishing, for the opportunity to review an ARC.

Continuing the story of Johanna Morrison, aka Dolly Wilde, from How To Be A Girl, this is Caitlin Moran at her best - funny, loud, full of rudeness and sex, and delivered in her authoritative Wolverhampton tone - laugh out loud funny, brilliant.

I did a dance of joy when I was approved for this book as I really liked "How to Build a Girl".
I started reading it and it was the beginning of a wonderful travel full of laughters, memories and nostalgia.
Everything was wonderful and fun to read and gave me a lot of food for thoughts at the same time.
This book is hard to review because it's hard to retell the pleasure I had in reading it.
Fun, pleasure of reading, memories, feminism.
A great book I highly recommend.
Many thanks to Penguin Random House UK and Netgalley for this ARC

I possibly should have noted that this was a sequel to How to Build a Girl since I wasn’t hugely fond of that book. I just saw the words ‘Cailin Moran’ and his ‘Request’. That said, while I prefer the author’s none fiction I did enjoy this. Her wit and vivacity, as well as her take no prisoners bullsh!t detector give her a unique voice. I was laughing out loud, even if I found the story a little thin at times. Still very funny and worth a read.