What Girls Are Made Of

Written by Elana K. Arnold

Narrated by Elana K. Arnold and Amy Melissa Bentley

When Nina Faye was fourteen, her mother told her there was no such thing as unconditional love. Nina believed her. Now she'll do anything for the boy she loves, to prove she's worthy of him. But when he breaks up with her, Nina is lost. What is she if not a girlfriend? What is she made of? Broken-hearted, Nina tries to figure out what the conditions of love are.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Highbridge Company
• Release date: Nov 15, 2017
• ISBN: 9781684410798

Elana K. Arnold

Elana K. Arnold is the award-winning author of many books for children and teens, including the Sydney Taylor and National Jewish Book Award winner The Blood Years, the Printz Honor winner Damsel, the National Book Award finalist What Girls Are Made Of, and the Global Read Aloud selection A Boy Called Bat. She lives in Long Beach, California, with her husband, two children, and a menagerie of animals. You can find her online at elanakarnold.com.

Reviews for What Girls Are Made Of

[girliebookloverr · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

“'As long as there have been women,' Mom told me, 'there have been ways to punish them for being women.'”

-5 stars-

Before going into this review, I would like to mention that this book has a couple of trigger warning… divorced parents/relationship struggles and abortion. If you are triggered by these things, then please keep in mind before reading. Take care of yourself and know that you are perfect just the way you are.
Yes! This book made me want to read 100 million more novels like this! I couldn't get enough of this book!
First of all, Elana's writing... WOW, it's good. I loved the way the writing was so so heartfelt and it was super easy to tell that Elana really enjoys writing, and that she's really good at it.
I love that Elana made Nina so relatable, that I feel like basically every girl could relate to her in someway or another. Absolutely love the way that this book ties in everything from talk to abortion, sex, and just being a girl.
If I'm being completely honest, I kind of wish I could make everyone read this (especially the guys out there that think that women don't do anything and have life so easy.) The book addresses so many important topics that need to be brought into the light.
I don't know if it's because I'm a teenage girl or if it's being a girl, but I kinda felt that Nina could be my bestie. Haha, sounds weird but once you read the book, you'll get it.
GREAT plot and GREAT characters! LOVE!

“You can't make people love you. Love isn't something you earn, or something you deserve. Love just is. Or it isn't. Anyway, there are more important things than love. Like service. Being of service. With love, you're waiting around for someone to give it to you. But service, that's something you give. And you don't have to give it just to people you love. It doesn't matter who you serve. It's the serving that matters.”

[cougargirl1967 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book is raw, awkward, and with "in your face" true happenings. I must admit that quite a few truths were uncomfortable to read, and yet they do happen. This is on a short list of some books that Texas parents want banned from school libraries. I'd say any young person that has the reading skills and interest to read this book will be able to "handle' it's truths and hopefully it would open a dialogue with someone they trust.
The author's note at the end is the treasure, pick it up and read this part even if you don't read the whole book.

[tip44 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really hated this book, BUT I kept pondering it and coming back. I really rejected the main character's experiences as being 'universal' for women in the first part, but, much like Damsel, they had a grain of truth to them that kept me from stopping reading. I have the feeling this is one of those reads that will come to mind over and over again throughout the years. The ending was not a huge winner-take-all, but more of a stubbornly satisfied I made it through.

[MizferCergar · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I don't know what to think about it. It's a read that I didn't enjoy, and regarding the protagonist's attitude, it seems mature, manipulative; but somewhat silly. (Translated from Spanish)

[bdartnall_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Authentic voice of teenage Nina, completely in love with Seth, but with her own admission (never spoken of, but nevertheless true) that he cares for her only with "conditions", her pregnancy and abortion, and their eventual break & the aftermath. As a sort of commentary on female-hood and Nina's dreams/nightmares, the book is broken up with with intercalary chapters inserted - written with touches of magical realism and horror mixed- a teen girl's emerging realization that what girls are supposed to be is not what she always "feels" or "thinks" about herself, and how difficult it is to define oneself apart from boys, etc Very straightforward, explicit sex scenes and narrator's struggles with the effects of the sexual relationship, and detailed scenes of her visits to Planned Parenthood, and the abortion, etc. While the author's style effectively weaves a compelling story of young love, unhappy family, struggling teen girl, with passages of lyrical story, it left me feeling so sad and almost disturbed. Cavalcade of Authors author - NOT a book for younger teens for sure.

[cdwilson27 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I picked up _What Girls are Made Of_ because it was highly recommended by YA lit reviewers I trust. While quite well-written - compelling, almost - I don't get it. Maybe, because, as a YA lit professor once said, I am not the intended audience. I found it compelling but depressing. Nina is a high school student so at loose ends I feel sorry for her. Her parents are physically and emotionally distant, her mother revises their personal history on a dime ('You told me love is conditional.' 'I never said any such thing.' - when we know she did.). Her best friend seems shallow, and she is consumed by the attentions of a boy who uses her and casts her aside. Not exactly a rousing ad for 'It Gets Better.'

[hccpsk · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

What Girls Are Made Of by Elana Arnold exposes teenage life through Nina’s current experiences as 16 year old interspersed with flashbacks and short, expository pieces that the reader comes to understand later in the book. The author really delves into Nina’s dysfunctional relationship with her mother and how it manifests itself in Nina’s desire for affection and love. I think this book is well written with an interesting twist on the typical YA narrative, and captures a lot the interior life of teenage girls. Readers should be aware of somewhat substantial sexual content that may not be appropriate for a lot 13-16 year olds.

[brainannex · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It's sure not sugar and spice. A litany of the challenges a young woman goes through as related to young men, other young women, and all of the horrible things we do to each other. Could be a sleeper for the Printz.