Girl, Unframed

Reviews / Votes

Caletti is at the top of her game in this fully dimensional mystery... With a subtle, believable twist that encapsulates this particular mother/daughter relationship, Caletti delivers the near impossible: a page-turner grounded in thoughtful feminism. There are so many beautiful small touches, from the multiple meanings of the title to the sweet rituals Syd and Nicco develop to the importance of therapy to recover from trauma. Name recognition aside, this is a title deserving wide promotion and discussion. -- Booklist, starred review Syd's story outlines important, uncomfortable experiences many girls face without either flinching or offering a picture-perfect ending... A frank, engrossing examination of the ways society complicates young women's burgeoning sexuality. -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review Caletti (A Heart in a Body in the World) offers a riveting, meticulously plotted mystery with plenty of drama alongside an exploration of objectification and the male gaze. San Francisco's sandy beaches, unusual structures, and mysterious caves reflect Sydney's feelings of loneliness, eeriness, and passion, and her eventual sense of power. -- Publishers Weekly, starred review The plot is clearly inspired by the 1958 killing of Lana Turner's abusive boyfriend by her daughter (Lila is also embarking on a role in Peyton Place, just as Turner did), but even readers unfamiliar with that saga will catch the clear danger and the ramping up of tension here (chapters even open with references to evidence as "exhibits"). Caletti uses the Turner incident as the scaffold for a gimlet-eyed examination of the vulnerability of women and, especially, teen girls in the contemporary world; of their objectification and agency and shame. She's unerring in her depiction of the microaggressions Syd experiences, the family's long history of domestic abuse, and of Jake himself, whose combination of likability, off-kilterness, and menace makes him plausible and plausibly difficult to leave for multiple reasons. This would partner superbly with Romanoff's Look (BCCB 3/20) for an exploration of the world's crippling scrutiny of and expectations for young women. -- BCCB, starred review Caletti's novel is a brilliant coming-of-age story wrapped in a page-turning thriller. The atmospheric San Francisco setting enhances the overall moodiness, anxiety, and restlessness of a young woman moving from girlhood to adulthood and finding herself under the male gaze for the first time. Sydney's understanding of herself and her place in the world is upended as she deals with best friends, first boyfriends, sexual harassment, and domestic abuse. Caletti's sharp, complex, well-drawn character will compel and delight readers. VERDICT Ultimately hopeful, this is one for fans of realistic contemporary dramas, with a side of mystery, and excellent writing throughout. -- School Library Journal, starred review