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19th out of 26 books
—
15 voters
Girls in Trucks
by
Katie Crouch (Goodreads Author)
Sarah Walters is a less-than-perfect debutante. She tries hard to follow the time-honored customs of the Charleston Camellia Society, as her mother and grandmother did, standing up straight in cotillion class and attending lectures about all the things that Camellias don't do. (Like ride with boys in pickup trucks.)
But Sarah can't quite ignore the barbarism just beneath al...more
But Sarah can't quite ignore the barbarism just beneath al...more
ebook, 0 pages
Published
April 7th 2008
by Little, Brown and Company
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There's a wonderful passage in Anne Lamott's "Bird by Bird" in which Anne sends a manuscript off to an editor, who rejects it with this withering rejoinder: "You have made the mistake of thinking that everything that has happened to you is interesting."
That pretty much sums this one up.
That pretty much sums this one up.
55 likes · like · see review
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This one falls into the "Don't Judge a Book by its Cover" category - I thought the cover art and title were very promising. Even the subject matter appealed to me - the story of a debutante growing up in South Carolina and her relationships with her fellow society girls and their quest to find suitable husbands. Of course, I expected it to be light, but mostly it was just disappointing. There were glimmers of humor and good writing - but many of the issues were dead-ends. The main character, Sar...more
39 likes · like · see review
Waste of an afternoon. I really wanted to like this book, and I did in the beginning. The author just left way too much hanging. She goes into detail, getting you involved with characters, and then never mentions them again. Poorly written, with a horrible ending. Totally unbelievable ending. Wierd.
The beautiful cover pulled me into this one which started out pretty well. Sarah Walters is raised to be a debutante and a member of the Camellia Society. She's pretty likeable until she goes off to college. Things change for her ALOT then and into the future. Indiscriminate sex, bondage, a drug addicted friend, single motherhood due to a practically unknown father, and a mother coming out of the closet all are issues almost gratuitously thrown into the plot. It was a quick read, though. I read...more
Look, the only reason I don't have a bunch of Kathy Acker tattoos is that I'm broke, and that's also the only reason I don't collect Dennis Cooper first editions. The only two reasons I don't talk about liking Chuck Palahniuk are the anti-intellectual implications of joining The Cult and the fact that, often, his books are stupid. I also prefer novels about zombie apocalypses to books about most other things.
I still think Melissa Bank should be canonized. She is a goddam GENIUS and I think that...more
I still think Melissa Bank should be canonized. She is a goddam GENIUS and I think that...more
14 likes · like · see review
The back cover lies about how funny it is. But humor isn't everything, and I could've over looked it's unhumorousness if I could've at LEAST liked the main character, Sarah. She was pathetic, and then, when she gets older and knows that she's pathetic and remains pathetic? Well, I don't like that.
Plus I didn't like how these important things would happen in the book, for example, her sister goes off to college and is going to marry some guy from Madagascar who is kind of abusive and then, you n...more
Plus I didn't like how these important things would happen in the book, for example, her sister goes off to college and is going to marry some guy from Madagascar who is kind of abusive and then, you n...more
This past Sunday's SF Chronicle review did a very good job of summing up some of my qualms as well as some of the better parts of this book. The fact that the narrative voice changes part way through from 1st to 3rd to 2nd person is jarring. Parts of the novel felt like a cluster of connected short stories. As the SF Chron reviewer aptly pointed out, the story about Annie and her boyfriend and the dog was the best writing in the book. I kept reading because I still wanted to know what would happ...more
I liked this book for all of its southern references; the author is from charleston and was really good at picking up tiny details that seemed very southern, and very accurate to me. there were definitely a couple of sentences or ideas where I was like, 'yeah!'. but the story was depressing, and disjointed. Each chapter was from different (usually chronological) periods of the protagonist's life, from preteens to early thirties, but sometimes they left off where I wished she would have continued...more
I thought this book was highly over rated and poorly written. Not at all what I expected it to be. There were moments when the author's humor shone through and those sections were good; however, the book never really went anywhere.
I can't decide whether to give this two stars or three. I enjoyed the book, but have several issues with it. The narrating style was inconsistent and kept changing. Chapters skipped around in time, which was confusing, and important events weren't always explained. The main character -- Sarah Walters -- wasn't entirely likeable. I kept waiting for her to grow up. And the end was kind of ruined by a huge dose of Sarah's cynicism - you'll have to read it to see what I mean!
*SO* disappointing. I was really, really, looking forward to reading this book. The level of disconnect between the book summary and the actual plot is so huge that I'm tempted to believe that someone just made up the summary based on a third-hand description of the book. When a book is billed as being having "more gasps, sobs, laughs, and surprises in [its] pages than in most people's entire bookshelves", then I expect it to deliver! Instead, I got depressing tripe.
The plot is poorly constructe...more
The plot is poorly constructe...more
7 likes · like · see review
debutantes in bad relationships. so boring. plus, some really annoying devices like a middle chapter in which the main character is written about entirely as "the girl" and random paragraph where the author addresses the reader directly. but just in that one paragraph, at least in what i read of this.
Girls in Trucks, to my great disappointment after seeing it called "chick lit with a bite" elsewhere on the internets, is very Writer's Workshop-y. I would pay homage to Southern placation and say "not that that's a bad thing!" but judging by this book's cumulative Goodreads score of 2.83, it's...not good.
The book's narrator is Sarah Walters, a debutante from modern South Carolina, trying to negotiate her life in and out of the South even though her social league and fake Southern gentility don'...more
The book's narrator is Sarah Walters, a debutante from modern South Carolina, trying to negotiate her life in and out of the South even though her social league and fake Southern gentility don'...more
2 likes · like · see review
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Well-crafted novel narrated by an ex-debutante from South Carolina. It's not quite coming-of-age, because the story arcs the narrator into her 30's--although that fact itself demonstrates lots about the story: the narrator never really achieves a self-definition except after 20 years, and then by default rather than bold choices. To the extent that the character is similarly, passively developed, this novel fails. On the other hand, perhaps it is a statement about the generation, the south, or s...more
3 likes · like · see review
Girls in Trucks by Katie Crouch is not typical "chick lit." If you are looking for a feel-good, it's all about sisterhood, I'm kissing frogs until I meet my prince and then I'm going to squeeze out two perfect mini-mrs and mini-mr, put this book down and keep looking. Crouch's main character, Sarah Walters does not have a perfect life, perfect friends or perfect family. She makes mistakes, many mistakes. She fumbles in her love life and her professional life. The novel leads us on a journey with...more
Let me first say that I am not a "literary reader." I think that I would have enjoyed this book more, if I was.
For me, this book is the epitome of "don't judge a book by its cover."
I was so disappointed. The cover is gorgeous! The photo spoke to me of a heroine who was not going to suffer fools gladly. I also love trucks and thought she would be tough and tomboyish and fun. She was none of these things. The author describes her (in the interview in the back) as "brave." To me, she was painfully...more
For me, this book is the epitome of "don't judge a book by its cover."
I was so disappointed. The cover is gorgeous! The photo spoke to me of a heroine who was not going to suffer fools gladly. I also love trucks and thought she would be tough and tomboyish and fun. She was none of these things. The author describes her (in the interview in the back) as "brave." To me, she was painfully...more
2 likes · like · see review
I read all of Girls in Trucks by Katie Crouch today. I began it while waiting for my mom and sister to get here, and finished it after they left. I am not an especially quick reader, so this should tell you that the book is either a quick read, or thoroughly compelling. Maybe a little of both?
Most succinctly, it was a book that made me feel like a teenager.
The protagonist, Sarah Walters, is an imperfect person for whom things do not ever seem to go right. She's rebelling against her cotillion-...more
Most succinctly, it was a book that made me feel like a teenager.
The protagonist, Sarah Walters, is an imperfect person for whom things do not ever seem to go right. She's rebelling against her cotillion-...more
Jul 08, 2008
Carrie
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
chick lit lovers
Girls in Trucks follows Sarah as she grows up in the Southern debutante life. The South Carolina women in her family have all been part of the Camellia Society, and hold fast to the expectations and traditions involved with being a Camellia. Sarah and her girlfriends attend the classes they are supposed to, and dress as they are expected, but some of them can't help but be attracted to the things Camellias aren't supposed to do, like ride in trucks with boys who would never marry a Camellia. The...more
It is phenomenal, hilarious and somber at the same time, and poignant. A classic chick lit with a slightly serious undertone, intricate characters, and a unique point of view. I laughed and cried and was sad to see it finished when I was done.
The book is about a reluctant Southern debutante who's just a little different from the rest of her Charleston Camellia Society. This book is about women, girlfriends, sisters, mothers, lovers, children, and ultimately, the search for your identity and sens...more
The book is about a reluctant Southern debutante who's just a little different from the rest of her Charleston Camellia Society. This book is about women, girlfriends, sisters, mothers, lovers, children, and ultimately, the search for your identity and sens...more
I was really interested in the STORY in this novel. However, I felt the information on the back cover was misleading. It was NOT a feel good chick lit novel as advertised. It was extremely dark and depressing. I thought the main character was a horrible person and I could not relate to her. I would say don't bother with this one. I'm hoping her next novel "Men & Dogs" is better, because I thought the book was written well.
This was a really bad book and the only reason I finished it is that I was on vacation and had limited reading material with me. I also kept thinking that it had to get better. In a nutshell: Southern debutante with a serious self-esteem problem (as well as drinking problem) continually chooses men who treat her badly and then she moons over them for years. If you're looking for a really funny read about Southerners try "The Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood".
Save your time and read a book...more
Save your time and read a book...more
I chose this book because I'm fascinated by Southern culture, and I liked the idea of a debutante who consistently challenges the social norms of the wealthy society surrounding her. This is not what "Girls in Trucks" is about. It's a series of vignettes about awkward social situations with no conclusions or lessons, but the worst critique I can offer about protagonist Sarah Walters is that I don't really care what happens to her.
One of my biggest problems with Sarah is that even halfway through...more
One of my biggest problems with Sarah is that even halfway through...more
A lot of people have covered most of biggest gripes: The way the book is presented (cover, "praise," summary, even the title) is COMPLETELY different than the book's content. It's maddening.
But the more persistent problem, for me, is that nothing in this book is inherently "Southern"(as in, set in the South, pertaining to Southern values or culture, or anything you would assume from a book like this).
The first 50 pages or so were promising, but once the character goes off to college there is ab...more
Orginally I bought it because I liked the cover, even if the title seemed a little lacking, and because I'm a sucker for a good story based around Southern values and traditions.
What I got was a pleasant surprise. While, perhaps, not the most well-written book I've read, there were excellent characters. My favorite kind of characters actually. The ones where you never fully love anyone, and often you really kind of dislike them. They are perfectly flawed, but honest and real.
The biggest point...more
What I got was a pleasant surprise. While, perhaps, not the most well-written book I've read, there were excellent characters. My favorite kind of characters actually. The ones where you never fully love anyone, and often you really kind of dislike them. They are perfectly flawed, but honest and real.
The biggest point...more
It's the story of a young, Southern woman who leaves the south for NYC but returns for the comforts of home.
I definitely choose this book for its cover. It's the only book I remember reading where the author talks about the cover and the dress and how important the cover is because it is the reader's entree to the story. The dress had an interesting history:
"My Road. Her Dress. Notes on the cover of GIRLS IN TRUCKS.
I'm not the kind of writer who thinks in pictures. When I started Girls in Trucks...more
I definitely choose this book for its cover. It's the only book I remember reading where the author talks about the cover and the dress and how important the cover is because it is the reader's entree to the story. The dress had an interesting history:
"My Road. Her Dress. Notes on the cover of GIRLS IN TRUCKS.
I'm not the kind of writer who thinks in pictures. When I started Girls in Trucks...more
I don't usually bother taking issue with negative comments that others have made about books that I've enjoyed because the way I feel about books is the way I feel about people: I have my opinion of them and others have theirs, and it's not going to help to argue if we don't agree.
That being said, I think Katie Crouch is taking some undeserved criticism from readers who seem to have failed to remember that old chesnut: "Don't judge a book by its cover." I was flabbergasted to read the number of...more
That being said, I think Katie Crouch is taking some undeserved criticism from readers who seem to have failed to remember that old chesnut: "Don't judge a book by its cover." I was flabbergasted to read the number of...more
Readers get to follow Sarah Walters from her early innocent years training to be a Southern debutante in Charleston to her adult, jaded years in New York and back again.
This novel doesn't feel like a story somehow, but more of a collection of short stories. It's touching and painful (very painful), even funny, to read about Sarah's misadventures in life. One of the things that really stood out was how much problems Sarah had in her relationships! It's a whirlwind of disasters, from her fixation...more
This novel doesn't feel like a story somehow, but more of a collection of short stories. It's touching and painful (very painful), even funny, to read about Sarah's misadventures in life. One of the things that really stood out was how much problems Sarah had in her relationships! It's a whirlwind of disasters, from her fixation...more
After reading the other reviews of this book, I'm embarrassed to say I loved it. I couldn't put it down. The heroine, Sarah Walters, is a former debutante in South Carolina who goes to a northern college, graduates and moves to New York City. The book is largely about Sarah's romantic relationships in context with her southern belle upbringing. I liked this book because her euphoria and despair in every relationship rang true. Her heartache was my heartache. I empathized with her realization tha...more
When our local bookstore closed, unable to compete with Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Borders, I picked up this book for half off. I liked the cover (and later, I liked the fact that the author included a few pages at the end of the book, describing how the cover image came to be), and the quote on the front (by USA Today) read, "Charming... A fresh, effervescent story... A memorable tale of good girls and bad choices."
Goodreads reader reviews have been harsh, in my opinion. Crouch's novel does...more
Goodreads reader reviews have been harsh, in my opinion. Crouch's novel does...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| my review | 2 | 55 | Feb 19, 2012 08:29am | |
| Book Review | 1 | 16 | Feb 07, 2009 02:07pm |
I'm a 37-year old mom who writes about the South, ghosts, dogs, love, Hoodoo, and family...etc. I grew up in Charleston, SC, and all of my books are set in the South. I used to write about my hometown, but I stopped because my mother kept getting upset.
I write every single day, first by hand and and then typing. I don't write for specific audiences, though my current project is a trilogy for teens...more
More about Katie Crouch...
I write every single day, first by hand and and then typing. I don't write for specific audiences, though my current project is a trilogy for teens...more
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“Without a bellyful of liquor, all I am is a woman who cracks stupid jokes to make up for being shy.”
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