Clown Girl

Drake, Monica. Clown Girl,New York: Hawthorne Books, 2007.

Highly recommended by Chuck Palahniuk (the author of Fight Club) Clown Girl is a darkly humorous tale that follows Sniffles the Clown through bizarre escapades.

Set in Baloneytown which is a crazy strange metropolis filled with stoned dogs, clown prostitution and an abundance of other depressing characters.

Sniffles whose real name is Nita must attempt to keep her head above water financially and has to start doing things she would never do.

Clown Girl is entertaining absurdity immersed in black comedy but contains themes of modern feminism.

As previously mentioned Chuck Palahniuk who is a contemporary great transgressive author hails this novel as stated on his website and if Monica Drake’s next novels are as great as her dark debut Clown Girl she will be considered in the same class.

Clown Girl is most likely the best book you have never heard of.

Blood and Guts in High School

Acker,Kathy. Blood and Guts in High School, New York: Grove Press, c1978.

Told through diary entries Blood and Guts in High School recounts the story of Janey Smith as she describes the recent events in her life such as becoming a prostitute after her father who was also her lover rejects her for another women.

Considered experimental fiction because of its narrative style using conversation, description, conjecture, and moments snatched from history and literature to convey the emotions and story.

The novel is in your face with a very punk feminist feel which gets in enhanced by the writing style and the subversive topics covered in the book.

While the book has a liberating teenage protaganist it also graphic and should not be read by younger audiences.