Review of “How NOT To Be An American High School GIrl in the 70s” by Gail Spencer Choate

See full issue for 2017 03-06
 

The Rundown

This fictionalized account of the author’s life is amusing and heartfelt from start to finish. Gabbie Spenneman is a fantastically relatable protagonist; flawed but well-meaning and brutally honest about her own short comings. I warmed to her immediately. The story begins with present day Gabbie receiving an invitation to a high school reunion, something which instantly fills her with dread. The reader is then treated to a thoroughly hilarious and more than often, cringe-inducing, journey into Gabbie’s awkward teenage years.

Gabbie Spenneman is a character most of us will relate to. She stumbles clumsily through her high school years, trying to figure out where she fits in. If you were a teenager in the 1970’s, you are going to love the retro nostalgia of this book. The cultural references are sublime. The narrative skips back and forth between Gabbie’s past and the present day, where she continues to mull over the possibility of attending the reunion. At first, the idea is repugnant to her. Why on earth would she want to do that to herself? Revisit the humiliations of the past and face the bullies? But as she continues to analyze and recall her high school years, she begins to realize that everyone was fighting their own battles and things were not always as they appeared to her.

During this book, I was firmly on Gabbie’s side, despite her flaws and mistakes. The structure of the book and the order in which the memories are told was a bit confusing at times. If you are expecting a linear retelling of Gabbie’s high school memories, narrated in the order that they happened, then you might not appreciate the haphazard recalling of events. The narrative jumps around her life, as the present day Gabbie, reaches back to grab parts of the past as they resurface, in order to make a decision about the reunion. Once I got used to this approach, I enjoyed it immensely. The memories come thick and fast, as they do for us in real life, and present day Gabbie uses them to figure out who she was then and realizes how far she has come.

From start to finish, this is an amusing read, one that had me chuckling, and one that I continued to look forward to reading. The ending was wonderfully written and gave me a great sense of satisfaction. I would recommend this endearing book to anyone who enjoys retro nostalgia, to anyone who enjoys coming of age, and to anyone who enjoys a memoir style narrative.


The Recommendation

A very amusing and nostalgic memoir style story, which will transport the reader right back to the 1970’s. Gabbie Spenneman thought she had left her nightmarish high school days behind her, but then she receives an invitation to the dreaded high school reunion. This forces her to recount her awkward teenage years, inviting the reader into a hilarious, cringe-inducing and poignant trip down memory lane.


The Rating Reviewer Rating: 4 Stars

4 Stars (out of 5): Recommended. For the right audience, this book is a great read. It can hold its own against any traditionally published novel in its genre.

The Pros & Cons

Pros: Characterization, Dialogue, Humor, Strong World-Building, Unique Style
Cons: Plot Sometimes Jumpy

The Links

More about How NOT To Be An American High School GIrl in the 70s on UBR

The Reviewer

Chantelle Atkins

Visit Chantelle Atkins‘s website.
 

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