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What It Feels Like for a Girl

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What It Feels Like for a Girl

By: Paris Lees
Narrated by: Paris Lees
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Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

NOW A MAJOR BBC SERIES

Thirteen-year-old Byron needs to get away, and doesn't care how. Sick of being beaten up by lads for "talkin' like a poof" after school. Sick of dad - the weightlifting, womanising Gaz - and Mam, who pissed off to Turkey like Shirley Valentine. Sick of all the people in Hucknall who shuffle about like the living dead, going on about kitchens they're too skint to do up and marriages they're too scared to leave.

It's a new millennium, Madonna's 'Music' is top of the charts and there's a whole world to explore - and Byron's happy to beg, steal and skank onto a rollercoaster ride of hedonism. Life explodes like a rush of ecstasy when Byron escapes into Nottingham's kinetic underworld and discovers the East Midlands' premier podium-dancer-cum-hellraiser, the mesmerising Lady Die. But when the comedown finally kicks in, Byron arrives at a shocking encounter that will change life forever.

Bold, poignant and riotously funny, What It Feels Like For a Girl is the unique, hotly-anticipated and addictively-readable debut from one of Britain's most exciting young writers.

'Fresh, original, heartbreaking' Reni Eddo-Lodge

'Devastating, hilarious, unlike anything I have ever read. Destined to be a classic' Pandora Sykes

'A must-read ... as mesmerising as it is poignant' Stylist

© Paris Lees 2021 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

 Fiction Gender Studies LGBTQ+ Studies Literature & Fiction Social Classes & Economic Disparity Social Sciences Sociology Witty Feel-Good Funny Heartfelt Inspiring Thought-Provoking

Critic reviews

Fresh, original, heartbreaking and optimistic. The subtlety of time passing reminds me of Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie's writing. (Reni Eddo Lodge)
Paris Lees is the voice of a generation (Paul Flynn)
Brilliant, brutal and bitingly funny, Lees is going to rip your heart out and show you the ugly truth about kids Britain would rather pretend don't exist. There's never been a book like this (Matthew Todd)
All stars
Most relevant
This book is amazing. The fact that you narrate it, makes me love it more. I hear it the way that you want me to hear it. I have mentioned in a tweet how I love the fact that you use song lyrics for the name of chapters. Everytime that you said them, memories of my life appears in my head. I then say the next line of the song. There is one thing left to say and that is thank you Paris.

Thank you Paris

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I have listened to this whole audio three times and I am still not bored.
Spoken candidly about real life. I loved it!!
It was hard not to get drawn in to the storyline. I champion her all the way through, the bravery, the risks the highs the lows, and the love . I recommend to all walks of life because some how there is going to be something you can relate to
congratulations Paris Lees on a great book!!!

Loved it!!!

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Paris’s early life story told so beautifully. Amazingly evocative, told by Paris herself, you feel like you’re alongside her through every adventure. Not shying away from some of the challenging moments in those early years, she manages to communicate pain with a humour and authenticity that only helps you connect to her experience and never get overwhelmed by it. She’s a super talented writer and hope there’s plenty more where this came from ❤️

Moving, funny and insightful

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This is a tough listen but also very funny. It made me cry, gasp and laugh. Thank you Paris Lees!!!

I absolutely loved this book…

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I really enjoy listening to Paris speak but this was a great surprise. She's a very talented writer. The story and structure is engaging and gripping, and avoids many of the pitfalls of memoir. This gives you a real insight into her personality, inner world, background and without being too explicit or literal, the challenges that trans people particularly from disadvantaged backgrounds face. I also loved the integration of music into the prose. It's also a valuable lesson in why people turn to crime (clue, it's not always because they're 'baddies'). I would recommend this to young people (perhaps +15yo) especially if they are struggling or troubled in any way (not just over gender). Loved it!

A real surprise and brilliantly read

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