I received this book for free from the Author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Girl Who Outgrew the World by Zoje Stage Published by Lethe Press on May 1 2022
Genres: Adult, Fantasy
Pages: 168
Format: Finished paperback
Source: Author
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The nitty-gritty: A dark, feminist fairy tale perfect for the times we are living in, The Girl Who Outgrew the World is a unique coming-of-age fable with an unforgettable heroine.
“That is so you!” Rain gushed.
So Lilly. Who she had been. And now, exponentially larger in every direction, this version of her was like a sponge that soaked up too much water. This was Lilly, exaggerated. Stretched on a rack. A little girl plumped with treats before the witch devoured her.
Zoje Stage has crafted a wonderfully weird and thoughtful novella that deals with some hard subjects, but ultimately celebrates finding your place in a world that’s out to get you.
Eleven-year-old Lilly is going through a growth spurt. But this isn’t just a normal growth spurt. Instead, Lilly grows taller every day. She has to stoop going through doorways. Her feet hang over the edge of the bed. Even worse, none of her clothes fit anymore. Lilly’s dad James doesn’t know what to do about her, so he takes her to medical specialists to try and find out why she won’t stop growing.
Lilly just wants to be a normal girl. She hates being poked and prodded by doctors, and she hates being teased by her classmates. Luckily she has a best friend named Rain who isn’t bothered by Lilly’s size and sticks by her no matter what. But when her father agrees to check Lilly into the hospital to undergo dangerous treatments, Lilly decides to run away.
Lilly’s favorite poem is called The Village of Wrong Things, and she thinks maybe if the Village is real, it would be the perfect place for a girl like her. Lilly sets out to find it, but her journey is a dangerous one, full of unexpected challenges.
This story was not at all what I was expecting, but I absolutely loved Stage’s message of female empowerment and body positivity. And I do have a word of warning before I go any further. This is indeed a dark fairy tale (despite the upbeat cover) and there is a rather shocking and unexpected rape scene, so do beware if that’s a trigger for you. Despite the dark elements and Lilly’s unusual situation, the overall tone of the story is light and breezy and at first feels almost like a middle grade tale, which makes sense because of Lilly’s age. A big part of this “lightness” is due to Lilly’s positive attitude. She towers over her classmates and is forced to sit at a special desk at the back of the room, yet she adores her friend Rain, who seems to lift her up whenever bad thoughts intrude. Instead of wallowing in fear and despair, Lilly is excited when her father hires a seamstress to make her a whole new wardrobe. Her body seems to be failing her, but she takes steps to find a place where she can belong.
And Rain is a gem of a character, a girl who sees Lilly’s inner beauty and accepts her growth as special rather than monstrous. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for Lilly’s father James, a flawed man who cannot come to terms with his daughter’s size, and in fact admits that’s he’s scared of her. James is trying, although he falls into that trap of assuming he knows what’s best for Lilly without really listening to her. I was relieved when the author didn’t give James a pass on his behavior, and his personal journey ends as a cautionary tale of sorts.
But the real takeaway here is Stage’s message of how much control a woman has—or doesn’t have—over her own body, and how men assume they have the right to take away that control (and by “men” I don’t mean “all men,” obviously, with apologies to the good guys out there). Even at eleven Lilly understands that her freedom is compromised, as she keeps running into men who are determined to break her. Luckily she is just as determined to take her freedom back, and she does so in a most spectacular way. This is a coming of age tale with some uncomfortable moments that deal with the sexualization of the female body and how it affects women and girls of all ages, but the message is an important one.
The story takes a bizarre turn after the aforementioned rape scene, and some readers may wonder about the reasons behind Lilly’s surreal journey. But if you look at it as an allegory for change and acceptance, it works brilliantly. This is a fairy tale, after all, and as far as I’m concerned, a must read for everyone.
Big thanks to the author for providing a digital review copy. (I also preordered a paperback copy to support the author)
Since the proverbial dawn of time, fairy tales served as a means of highlighting personal or social issues, and this book seems to do exactly that while “masquerading” as a fable. I’m very intrigued, and I will certainly take a peek…:-)
Thanks for sharing!
Maddalena@spaceandsorcery recently posted…MEXICAN GOTHIC, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia #wyrdandwonder
The subject matter is perfect for a fable like this:-)
From one perspective this reminds me of so many of those older tales of people going through strange physical transformations. I’m thinking back to movies of people who grew or shrunk, or turned invisible, or started stretching, etc. I haven’t seen many of these in quite some time, perhaps just because I’ve not been looking, so it’s nice to see someone tackling this sort of story again. And as often happens with these, there is that allegorical nature to them, though I admit when younger I rarely saw that deeper meaning. You have me curious about this one and I’m very open to trying it. It’s certainly a theme worth exploring.
It’s worth reading, and I like your comparison to the stories you mentioned about bodies changing. I don’t think it’s explored enough in fiction.
I echo Todd’s comment. I remember stories from last century about people’s bodies doing strange things. (Well, most of them were science fiction space alien something or others.) I think I’d enjoy a contemporary story of the same. Good review, Tammy!
Priscilla Bettis recently posted…Using Real Life Horrors in Fiction or, “Why would anyone write about THAT?”
This definitely falls under the “body horror” category:-)
Thank you for a brilliant review about a thought-provoking read. And yes – there seems to be an ongoing battle whereby certain men – and organisations fronted by men – are still attempting to lay claim to how women should dress and appear. So this tale sounds like a timely addition to the discussion – the fact that she’s eleven tugs at my heart. I was one of those girls who was suddenly pitchforked into puberty at that age, when emotionally I still wanted to play with my dolls and make up complicated pretend games. Mother Nature had other ideas!! Thank you for sharing:)).
It’s very timely! And I was thinking of Roe vs. Wade as I was reading, although I didn’t mention that in my review. The timing is almost uncanny!
Fantastic review Tammy! I’d like to read this one.
Anne – Books of My Heart recently posted… Eternal Kiss of Darkness by Jeaniene Frost
Thanks Anne:-)
Sounds amazing! Can’t wait to read this one.
I love finding books like this that not everyone is reading. I hope it finds a wider audience!
Fantastic review. I’m very curious about this one after reading your thoughts.
Lynn 😀
Thanks Lynn. It’s so different, and I just really love her books.
This sounds so good! I loved Baby Teeth when I read it and have been wanting to try more books from her. I think this will be my next one.
Suzanne @ The Bookish Libra recently posted…Reviews: STARRY-EYED LOVE & SEE YOU YESTERDAY
Wow, I haven’t heard of this at all until your review but it sounds incredible! I haven’t read anything by this author yet, so I might have to make this my intro to their work. Amazing review!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries recently posted…Weekly Check-in: finally getting somewhere again!
Great review. It got me very interested in this story and its message as well. I’m adding it to my TBR too. Thanks!