Girl Gurl Grrrl: On Womanhood and Belonging in the Age of Black Girl Magic by Kenya HuntMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a book of essays, and there are a few other writers with contributions. Admittedly it confused me at first, not realizing that this book wasn’t solely essays by Kenya Hunt. But I’m glad they were included. What I was looking for, and found here, was more voices of lived experiences. One of joys of reading is being inside the body and mind of another person who is not you. Learning what other people experience in their life is one aspect I want from reading. Other times, it’s just enjoyment, but not when I pick up a book of essays that are understandably largely autobiographical.
Kenya Hunt is an American and British woman who works in the fashion industry. Since she is black, she is often an Only, the only one who looks like her, or a First, for holding a specific job title or reaching further up the ladder in fashion. I don’t know much about fashion, actually have little interest in it, but understand that it does influence many, too many, women and girls.
My favorite essays were in the beginning portion of the book, but no essay did I wish I hadn’t read. They all had something important to say and are well written. The essays do have varying lengths. A few are very short, but it said what it needed and moved on, I appreciated that. No fluff contained therein. While most essays speak to the overall culture, American primarily, but some British, there are some deeply personal experiences.
Thanks to Amistad and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book.
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