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Billie Girl
"Honestly strange and strangely honest. . . . Remarkably compelling and powerful. Weaver's authenticity of characters, situations, and bygone eras emanates from sheer originality of style. This amazing novel is a stellar achievement—gritty, funny, fresh, and bold. It will make your eyes bug out and your pulse race. And how it shines, shines with humanity!"—Sena Jeter Naslu...more
Paperback, 240 pages
Published
August 31st 2010
by Leapfrog Press
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Feb 03, 2011
Tally Song
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
mature readers
Recommended to Tally by:
NetGalley
Shelves:
net-galley-reads
Not your typical read to say the least, but to say the most, I found it was intrigueing and I read it in two days. Although the book started out in the early 1900's and chronicaled Billie-Girl's life, it was everything but a normal life. From the off-beat upbringing of two she-men to the love of the adopted father known as Dove, Billie-Girl learns her worth as a person and the meaning of loving someone with enough of a practical dark twist to do the unthinkable in main-stream society's eyes.
Bill...more
Bill...more
I'm really struggling with trying to find the words to write this review. I have never been so completely disgusted with a book in my life, but that said, I still read the entire thing.
Let me just say this much - if there was an opportunity for this author to delve into the most perverse part of human nature, she took it. I've never read any book that deals more with women's personal things as I read in this book. I feel uncomfortable delving more into what all disturbed me about this book, but...more
Let me just say this much - if there was an opportunity for this author to delve into the most perverse part of human nature, she took it. I've never read any book that deals more with women's personal things as I read in this book. I feel uncomfortable delving more into what all disturbed me about this book, but...more
1 like · like · see review
view 1 comment
Mar 17, 2011
Elizabeth
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
trannies with a sweet tooth
Shelves:
2011
For once the descriptive sentence on the back actually nails it:
Southern Gothic, dark humor, and human sexuality, wrapped in the theme of mercy killing: Billie Girl, b. 1900.
I read a few reviews which found the human body/functions described within to be too much. I found this odd because there's nothing super shocking, it's mostly mundane bodily functions that we live with day in and day out. It made me think a hippie had written a turn of the century southern goth book. Which would be kinda am...more
Southern Gothic, dark humor, and human sexuality, wrapped in the theme of mercy killing: Billie Girl, b. 1900.
I read a few reviews which found the human body/functions described within to be too much. I found this odd because there's nothing super shocking, it's mostly mundane bodily functions that we live with day in and day out. It made me think a hippie had written a turn of the century southern goth book. Which would be kinda am...more
It was interesting to see life through Billie's eyes. Growing up in the South in the 1900's, she has to fend for herself often. If graphic descriptions of bodily functions and sexual exploits bother you, this may not be a book for you. However I can honestly say that I found it a necessary part of the novel. How else would Billie learn about her body than through self exploration? It isn't as though there were sexual education classes in her lifetime. In a way, it does make sense.
This story is j...more
This story is j...more
Billie Girls is a story of both unrelenting tragedy and ordinary humanity. Abandoned at birth, Billie Girl is sold for a silver coin to Mama Edith and Big Mom. Raised with care, if not love, by the unusual pair, their deaths again leave Billie Girl at the mercy of Fate. As Billie Girl grows to adult hood and then old age we are witness to her difficult existence and the rare moments of relief of her experience.
I chose Billie Girl from the NetGalley catalogue because I was intrigued by the sypnos...more
I chose Billie Girl from the NetGalley catalogue because I was intrigued by the sypnos...more
I didn't think this book was well written and that isn't a good way to start a book. It was choppy and didn't really draw me in. I bought this book for a potential book club. I don't think they read this kind of book regularly, but if it is, this won't be the club for me. Too many great books to read to read this mediocre writing.
The book tells the story of young child unwanted from the start. She lands with a pair of women who think she is a gift from heaven. the author never explores the situa...more
The book tells the story of young child unwanted from the start. She lands with a pair of women who think she is a gift from heaven. the author never explores the situa...more
Nov 05, 2010
Annette Collins
added it
Billie Girl is a wonderful story, a southern-gothic original. I could not put the book down and finished it before going to bed the day I bought it. I wanted to know what happened to Billie Girl, and the end of each chapter urged me to read-on. The best book I have read in a while!
I liked:
* That I could relate to the characters and situations
* The realism & descriptions of settings and characters are excellent
* That the story made me like Billie Girl, because of her flaws and her situati...more
I liked:
* That I could relate to the characters and situations
* The realism & descriptions of settings and characters are excellent
* That the story made me like Billie Girl, because of her flaws and her situati...more
I've said it before that I like a good depressing story, but when you try to summarize this book to other people there response is "oh, god!" I think the story line is ok, but the dialogue was a little too stilted for me. And while its described as southern Gothic, it just seemed like it was turning into a circus show. Not like that's a bad thing cause it keeps the story interesting, but I think if the dialogue wasn't so forced and she took it a darker description it would have been a bit more m...more
I've been holding off on this review for a while now. I always find that if you let your thoughts on a book simmer for a while, you eventually are able to put your feelings down into words.
With that said, this was a weird book for me. That necessarily isn't a bad thing. I truly enjoyed reading about the time it is set in (early 1900s). But since the book really is the story of Billie's day to day life it just sort of lagged for me. I had the hopes that with the introduction of various characters...more
With that said, this was a weird book for me. That necessarily isn't a bad thing. I truly enjoyed reading about the time it is set in (early 1900s). But since the book really is the story of Billie's day to day life it just sort of lagged for me. I had the hopes that with the introduction of various characters...more
More like 4.5
Billie Girl was an interesting ride. I have to start by saying that I don't think this book is for everyone, by any means. But I also have to say, if you should really be able to tell from the synopsis above whether it's the right book for you, so it shouldn't be too much of an issue. Me, I read that little bit of oddness up there and thought, yes, please. And I loved it.
The story Vicki Weaver has crafted is in some ways reminiscent of Flannery O'Conner and William Faulkner. Now, I'...more
Billie Girl was an interesting ride. I have to start by saying that I don't think this book is for everyone, by any means. But I also have to say, if you should really be able to tell from the synopsis above whether it's the right book for you, so it shouldn't be too much of an issue. Me, I read that little bit of oddness up there and thought, yes, please. And I loved it.
The story Vicki Weaver has crafted is in some ways reminiscent of Flannery O'Conner and William Faulkner. Now, I'...more
1 like · like · see review
Beautifully written with captivating character. This tenderly written stories both shocked and delighted me. I was happy to live through this woman's experience-- the grace with which the author handled the sadness and the loneliness at the heart of this story was absolutely wizardry. Never bogged down in the hardness of life, Billie Girl soars above the harshness of life and takes the reader with her. Excellent read.
An odd little book. Interesting as a character study and the sacrifices that one woman can make for all of the different types of men in her life. However, I was disappointed that what seemed like the natural next step of the character never happened and was only barely discussed, and even then with a note of disgust. (Purposely vague for possible spoilers.) Engaging and good turns of phrase but not a stunner.
I'll agree that this book was "Honestly strange and strangely honest." I never knew whether to be appalled by the characters or whether I liked them, or pitied them, or felt something else about them. I know it will make for some interesting discussion at tomorrow night's book club meeting.
I really enjoyed this book. I flew through it in a couple of days. It was a cozy read with all the southern cooking and quirky characters. I did think the sexual and mercy killing themes were unusual and didn't quite get the point of them. Overall, though, I enjoyed it.
It is a pretty good book. Some parts were a little confusing, as if the book was written kind of backward at times. But it held my attention in order for me to finish it in 2 days.
Southern gothic; it's William Faulkner & Dorothy Allison all mixed up. Weaver does multi-character points of view well, and in the right spots.
Good read.
Good read.
Wonderful debut novel! This hauntingly fresh story will linger--like a good read should. I highly recommend this book and look forward to more work by this author.
Gender bending, serial killing, bigamy, abandonment, what's not to love about this story about a remarkable life!
I thought this book was great. All the characters wer entertaining. I loved how brutally honest it felt.
Southern gothic; exploration of self, identity and sacrifice.
This book is very interesting. The characters are raw and real.
I loved this book, stayed up all night reading it!
So depressing, but interesting.
It's rare so find such an original voice, characters, and story all within one novel, let alone a debut. I loved BILLIE GIRL and can't wait for Weaver's next novel.
Feb 23, 2013
Ev
marked it as to-read
Jan 21, 2013
Morgan
marked it as to-read
Jan 19, 2013
M
marked it as to-read
Jan 04, 2013
Erin
marked it as to-read
Jan 03, 2013
Grace
marked it as to-read
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