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Book # 35 College Girl

Over the past couple of days, I read College Girl by Patricia Weitz. This is a story about a girl who goes to college, and loses herself while trying to find herself. It's about a girl with a lot of issues, insecurities, and problems to overcome all while trying to have a real normal college experience. The main character, Natalie, goes through a lot during the book, and yet in the end it's not about love, or sex, or drinking, it's about Natalie trying to process her brother's death, while trying to become herself and not be afraid.

When I first started this book, I have to be honest I didn't like it at all. I disliked the main character so much throughout the whole novel, because she is weak, insecure, confused, and so much like the girls that guys usually take advantage of in college. I pitied her, and yet I wanted her to change, to get better, to become herself throughout the whole book. 

In the end though, I really liked this book, I think the end, and the character's end to her journey, is what made this book great. A lot of writers applaud the honesty in this book, and I agree with them. Weitz doesn't shy away from bringing the issues of sex, relationships, and confidence to the forefront, and placing blame where it's needed. It has a lot of adult issues, and in the end it has a positive outcome, but not all stories like this do in real life.

I would not recommend this book to high school students or younger, I think it is age appropriate for college aged people and for adults. There is just too much in this book, that I don't think younger people would be able to identify with, or process very well. I really appreciate the honesty of this book though, and the message that it is trying to send to college students, boys and girls alike.

Rating: (out of seven stars)

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