Diary of a Confused Feminist

In this winsome comedy told via diary entries spanning four months by British author Weston (Murder on a School Night), Kat Evans, 15 and cued white, balances her desire to be an “excellent feminist” with her crush on popular new student and model Hot Josh, who reads as white. Kat relates her yearning to advocate for the #MeToo movement following the 2018 Golden Globes as well as awkward happenings experienced by her and her best friends Millie, of Greek heritage, and Sam, of Trinidadian descent, such as Kat accidently flinging her menstrual cup onto the school playground. When Millie and Sam acquire boyfriends, and Kat’s white-coded neighbor Matt ghosts her, her confidence is shaken; subsequent lies and a hurtful prank from a school bully prompt Kat to turn further inward and withdraw from her friends, dramatically affecting her mental health. Though some romantic tropes wear thin, Kat’s struggle to balance her personal life with her call to activism is affecting. Weston addresses sensitive issues of anxiety, compulsive behaviors, and depression with clarity and tact through intricate and deftly timed comedic scenarios, as well as Kat’s engaging voice, which evokes Bridget Jones by way of a self-deprecating adolescent. Ages 14–up. (Jan.)