Reading this book was a lot like talking to a friend who is so full of stories that lead to other stories that you never get to contribute. Dunham's conversational tone and total honesty were enjoyable and made this a fast read. However, I was often frustrated at how much the stories jumped around. I guess I was expecting more of a life-history-memoir and less the very-personal-essay-collection that was promised. But, not only did the chapters seem to come in an unintuitive order - except for being loosely grouped in categories - but also the chapters themselves were a mess of personal stories told rapid fire one after another, stories interrupting stories and coming back around. I don't dislike this style but I felt that Dunham was trying to get a message across, some overall lesson, and in many cases there just wasn't enough there to tie the stories all together. I was left with the feeling that it was all supposed to mean something but without really getting her thoughts on what that meaning is for her. As a fellow Oberlin alum, I really enjoyed all the little Oberlin stories peppered throughout, and found myself getting nostalgic again and again for dry cake, the walk across campus, and the feeling of sitting in a classroom with a mug of hot tea, as different as our experiences there may have been. Her attention to detail in all things was insanely good and one of my favorite things about this book.

After hearing Scott Westerfeld speak about it at GenCon I couldn't wait to read Afterworlds, the story of young author Darcy Patel, told in alternating chapters with her novel about Lizzie, a girl who thinks her way into the afterlife and falls in love with a hot young Death God. I enjoyed the story of Lizzie, and her efforts to help a young ghost she can now see, although I really didn't believe the love story aspect. The story of Darcy herself was what really stood out to me in this book. I loved reading her chapters, learning about the NYC YA scene from her point of view, and glimpsing her dreams of "YA Heaven." Unlike Lizzie's, her love story was touching and truthful and beautifully written.

I love Erika Moen's style and humor. The collected Dar! is funny and touching and leaves me only wanting more of her story.

A beautifully written journey through time and self discovery.

I somehow liked this book. I found it an engaging read even though I was not impressed with the attitudes the author and his companions often expressed towards women and each other.