Florence Given

GIRLCRUSH is a dark feminist comedy by bestselling author Florence Given.

In Given's debut novel, we follow Eartha on a wild, weird and seductive modern-day exploration as she commences life as an openly bisexual woman whilst also becoming a viral sensation on Wonder Land, a social media app where people project their dream selves online. But as her online self and her offline self become more and more distanced, trauma from her past comes back to haunt and destroy her present. Eartha must make a choice: which version of herself should she kill off?

Warning this book does include storylines that some readers may find triggering.

Girlcrush

Ellie 

“I wear this life and my relationship like an ill-ftting sweater you used to love but that's since shrunk in the wash. It no longer fits and is abrasive on my skin, but I can't give it up. It's as if I'm almost attached to this uncomfortable way of life. I fear I'd be allergic to the sensations ofsomething, or someone, new.”

“The whole point is thar they're taught to compete because women aren't as exploitable when they form bonds together. They'd figure out that male attention is not only worthless, but abundant. The girls would realise that, actually, the man isn't that great, women aren't so terrible”

“And the universe, god, goddess, whatever you want to call it ... it rewards women like you. Women who jump into the unknown.”

“In the depths of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.”

“What happened during the depths of her winter? Whatever happened didn’t break her.”

“Unfortunately, none of us realise till much too late how much we were capable of. We remain stuck in the fifth chapter of the book that is our life, living out the same mundane routine.... not realising that there are hundreds of pages left.“

"More than anything, I just feel scared about leaping into something new. One thing I know for certain, I never want to be in a position where I’m relying on a Man ever again. Or forgiving a man who hurts me. I’m done with them all. I want a delicious life.”

“The sheer weight of shame overloads my muscles and pins me down to the ground. I let myself be consumed by it and lie down on the floor.“

“I'm reminded of the beauty of desire and of the experiences I have yet to come and I have this urge to talk to someone about it immediately.“

“Everything is coming back. All the repressed pain. I begin to relive everything my body was trying to protect me from feeling”

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