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The Pregnancy Project Book Review

by AnoCannotUserName


The memoir of a girl faking her pregnancy as her senior project is extremely compelling, which is why I picked up The Pregnancy Project by Gaby Rodriguez. However, despite it being an amazing book that takes a look at stereotypes and vicious cycles, the book was a bit slow-paced and didn't get to the main part of the story, the fake pregnancy, until about halfway through. Additionally, the whole pregnancy experiment part of the book was pretty short lived. Personally, I wished there was a bit more on it. That said, this book is still definitely worth the read. All the information leading up to the pregnancy seemed pretty crucial to the main message of the book which examined at all the damage stereotypes and judging does to people, especially to those at-risk teens and children.

"When you get pregnant as a teenager, a lot of people give up on you and treat you like garbage, no matter how smart or nice or hard working you were before,... Nobody wants to 'encourage teen pregnancy,' so they feel it's their duty to make you suffer. It is painful and scarring and it's why a lot of teen moms drop out."

This quote really hit me because I am one of those people who have judged teen moms before and I never really stopped to look at it from their point of view. That's the sad reality Rodriguez tried to get us to see: that we are all responsible in some way for succumbing to the pressures of stereotypes and that needs to stop. Now, I personally do not know any teen moms, but I do have family members who would be defined as at-risk teens and I can see how this same concept applies to them. In an effort to not encourage their behavior, we constantly put them down, not realizing that we are pushing them deeper down this road because we are the ones who constantly make them feel like they are worth nothing. All of this stereotyping and judging people based on who their family is and even who they look like they are hurts a lot.

This is definitely a book that needs to be read and re-read until its message sticks, and even then, it needs to be read some more. Despite my personal tastes and opinion in writing styles, this is a wonderfully written book with a message that should be spread around the globe. Gaby Rodriguez did a very good job at getting her message across to the world through this book. Congrats, although my congratulations might be a bit late, to Gaby Rodriquez and Jenna Glatzer for an amazing book. Your hard work and effort did not go unnoticed.

Thank you for reading my book review. 

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130 Reviews

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Reviews: 130

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Mon May 25, 2020 2:49 pm
Stellarjay wrote a review...



Hello AnoCannotUserName,
Stellarjay here for a quick review of the book review! Overall, the review was nicely written. It was very smooth and had some good points to it.

1) I noticed only one grammer mistake. "even who they look like they are hurts a lot. " I believe it should be "even who they look like hurts a lot."

2) Generally in a book review, you wouldn't say "I" because that draws the attention away from the book and onto your own opinion. Now, I don't know if you meant the review to be your own opinion and thoughts on the book or for it to be a general review. So you can disregard this comment if you want to.

3) I would personally add more quotes to back up your points. This will also make it more interesting to read.

4) At the beginning of your review, you first mention the book and it's author. "The Pregnancy Project by Gaby Rodriguez." But then at the end of the review you mention her and another person "Gaby Rodriquez and Jenna Glatzer for an amazing book." If Jenna is a co-author of the book, I would mention her at the beginning too.

5) I noticed you focused a lot on teen mom stereotypes and your opinion on it. I would personally focus on what the book's message was and what it said. In a book review, you either want to make someone read it or make someone hate it. (I'm really sorry if I sound harsh!)

Your review was really well written and it had some excellent points! Again, I'm sorry if I sound harsh. Feel free to disregard any of my comments. I really liked your book review! Keep on writing and have a good rest of your day!

- Stellarjay




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Wed May 20, 2020 10:19 am
mememimer wrote a review...



Greatly done!

"...I am one of those people who have judged teen moms before..."
I like the fact that you are admitting that also used to judge people and also how your perspective changes from gaining new knowledge. I personally feel like when people accept that they're doing something wrong, they open up horizons to learn.
It is okay to have an opinion but first there should be an understanding of both the sides of the story, that is, in this case, why is teen pregnancy discouraged and why is there a need to encourage teen pregnancy.
The normalization of stereotypical beliefs in the society doesn't help people to understand or look things from a different perspective.

I suggest you to make the following changes:

1. "The memoir of a girl faking her pregnancy as her senior project is extremely compelling,

which..."
A gap after "..compelling," is not needed, according to me.

2. "This is definitely is a book that needs to..."
Use either - This, definitely, is a book that...
or, This is, definitely, a book that...

3. In some places, I felt, you omitted commas like adding a comma after writing 'However' in the following line:
"However despite it being an..."

4. In the third paragraph, you can correct "adn" to "and".

Although I haven't read the book, I surely have learnt some things from you review! Keep writing!

Best wishes,
I






Thank you so much for your review and advice. I will be sure to make the changes you suggest. I really appreciate this. Thank you so much again.



mememimer says...


:)




"For a short space of time I remained at the window watching the pallid lightnings that played above Mont Blanc and listening to the rushing of the Arve, which pursued its noise way beneath. The same lulling sounds acted as a lullaby to my too keen sensations; when I placed my head upon my pillow, sleep crept over me; I felt it as it came and blessed the giver of oblivion."
— Mary Shelley, Frankenstein