BLUEPRINTS FOR BUILDING BETTER GIRLS

The title comes from a 1960s etiquette manual, which has little similarity to the young women portrayed in this collection of short stories. The main characters are not living happy lives, and they have seemingly little in common other than a sense of despair and negative experiences with men, drugs, and/or alcohol. Julia Whelan finds a tone that emphasizes the honesty of these glimpses into the women’s lives. Portraying the pain and isolation of her characters, she also brings out the moments of connection between them. Ultimately, Whelan keeps the book from being overwhelming in its bleakness by giving the characters energy and an occasional spark of humor. J.E.M. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2012]