Customer Reviews

Small Town Girls

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I found this book in a thrift store and vaguely recalled having read a moderately positive review of it when it first came out, and thinking then that it sounded interesting. I did find it readable, although not to the "you can't put it down" degree. The writing is pedestrian, but not awful. The plot? Well, let's see. Imagine, if you will, that Estee Lauder, Oprah Winfrey, and Nora Ephron all went to the same high school in the same small town in the San Joaquin valley of California, and all befriended the same spoiled rich girl doctor's daughter and formed a clique. The four had little in common except their keen desire to get out of town as soon as possible and the fact that they dreamed big dreams. They remained close through the years as all achieved their dreams (though not happiness in their personal lives)... except the doctor's daughter, whose unplanned pregnancy derailed her dream of becoming a doctor herself. The book follows each of the women as they come of age in the 60s, and progress through the next 20 years after high school. None of the characters are particularly likeable. For four supposedly intelligent women, they do a lot of rather stupid things, and all of them seem to be morally bankrupt. When the plot reaches its soap opera-ish climax, I found myself simply shaking my head at some of the inane things this bunch would say. One particularly jolting scene was the last conversation between the screenwriter character, Kate, and the teenaged daughter of the friend who stayed behind in the small town. I won't reveal what was said, but I found the sentiment appalling and completely implausible that the daughter would have responded to what Kate said in the way the author has her doing. In my opinion, there are far better books out there for a day at the beach. Almost any of Oprah's Book Club entries would be a worthier choice.

I have to admit I love this book, even tho it's got some pretty clunky cliches in it (a hold-over from Wallace's career as a screenwriter and romance writer). And she strains credibility a bit by trying to cram in every single Baby Boomer issue: women's lib, assassinations, rape, pre-marital sex, birth control, abortion, the draft, Vietnam vet syndrome, Amerasian kids, workplace sexism, AIDS, etc. etc. But if you can get past sentences like "Her green eyes glittered like a cat about to pounce upon its prey" and "She was transported to a feeling she'd never felt before," Wallace does manage to draw you totally into the lives of these 4 women and make you keep turning the pages to find out how everything turns out. You especially identify if you're from that era, but even non-Baby Boomers can get caught up in it. There's a reason writing like this sells - we all secretly love a good soap opera. Cliches or not, it works - and keeps us coming back for more.

I received it, at 15 years old, as a christmas gift. It was one of the last NEW copies. I read it over and over, and at that time I didn't realize what I had. Unfortunately, in college, I loaned it to a friend and never saw it again.

The story line is so great. Most of us who grew up in small towns easily relate to the high school, the clicks, the "haves" and the "have nots". The tragedy that bound the girls together forever ultimately propelled them to achieve so much. Why has this book not been made into a MOVIE? It has all it takes to become a success. A soap opera: "Visalia"??? I noticed that in the back of the book a "follow-up" was promised. My local book store (new/used) can not locate a title for such a book. Has it been written under another name? Please let me know via e-mail if other books are available. Thanks Pamela for many hours of reading joy!

I passed this book to all my friends and they loved it too! It was believable and told in a way which kept you guessing. It was easy to get caught up in the lives of the four women. Three cheers for a story about women my friends and I can actually relate to.

Wonderful story! I have been looking for a copy for a long time yet with little luck.