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How to Build a Girl

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How to Build a Girl

By: Caitlin Moran
Narrated by: Louise Brealey
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Now a film directed by Coky Giedroyc and starring Ladybird's Beanie Feldstein as Johanna Morrigan and Game of Thrones's Alfie Allen as John Kite

My name’s Johanna Morrigan. I’m fourteen, and I’ve just decided to kill myself.

I don’t really want to die, of course! I just need to kill Johanna, and build a new girl. Dolly Wilde will be everything I want to be, and more! But as with all the best coming-of-age stories, it doesn’t exactly go to plan…

A Number One Sunday Times bestseller in hardback and paperback, from the award-winning and Sunday Times bestselling author of How to Be a Woman.

© Caitlin Moran 2014 (P) Penguin Audio 2014

 Coming of Age Genre Fiction Literature & Fiction Movie, TV & Video Game Tie-Ins Funny Comedy Feel-Good Thought-Provoking Witty
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Critic reviews

Rude, big-hearted, wise-cracking novel (Christina Patterson)
Brilliantly observed, thrillingly rude and laugh-out-loud funny (Helen Fielding)
An entertaining read, with Moran in fine voice – hilarious, wild, imaginative and highly valuable…Moran is in danger of becoming to female masturbation what Keats was to Nightingales… (Barbara Ellen)
A Portnoy's Complaint for girls… when I see this book described as "laugh-out-loud funny" I feel affronted; it could make you laugh out loud with one hand tied behind its back, while wanking itself off to fantasies of Satan. Laughing out loud is just the start (Zoe Williams)
spirited coming of age novel romps from strength to strength…I’m a Moran fan (Lionel Shriver)
Moran also writes brilliantly about music, and especially about what music can do. She carries Johanna through this novel with incredible verve, extravagant candour, and a lot of heart. Johanna is … a wonderful heroine. A heroine who cares, who bravely sallies forth and makes things happen, who gives of herself, who is refreshingly unashamed. She’s so confident, it’s glorious
there’s so much real feeling too. Johanna’s vulnerability and bravado, as she moves out of her world and falls in love is beautifully done’ or ‘ and running through it all, with a visceral power that most writers should envy, is the shame and grinding anxiety of being poor
This isn’t a sleek, slick novel, but it is a rambunctious, raw-edged, silly-profound and deeply relatable guide to what your worst mistakes can teach you, and it has much to offer teenagers both actual and inner
I have so much love for Caitlin Moran (Lena Dunham)
Binge-read all of #HowToBuildAGirl in one sitting. Even missed supper. A first (Nigella Lawson)
All stars
Most relevant
Very good read the narration was excellent. Only criticism is the fowl language used and the repetitive sex references but l wont be marking it down for that ....maybe lm just more prudish than the average listener but it would have been good to know before hand about the language.

Fly on the wall of a teenagers life.

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Where does How to Build a Girl rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Top 10

What was one of the most memorable moments of How to Build a Girl?

Dolly's graphic and hilarious description of having sex with "Big Cock Al".

Which character – as performed by Louise Brealey – was your favourite?

John Kite

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

Any additional comments?

A really great and amusing story, enhanced by the most wonderful narration by Louise Bradley.

WONDERFUL QUIRKY BOOK

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Over the top bad language and frequent sex references - but easy to follow and quite moving in places. I enjoyed it overall.

Interesting read.

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I loved this book, I loved the characters, the writing, the narrator, it made me laugh out loud a lot and cry a little. It’s simply brilliant.

Brilliant

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What a wonderful listen. Hilarious and delightful. Exquisitely written. Beautifully narrated. I love Jo-Hannah Morrigan

Hilarious and delightful

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