She’s a Lamb Book Review

This novel introduces us to Jessamyn St. Germain, an aspiring Broadway star who longs to be the lead in a small production of The Sound of Music. She’s witty, narcissistic, snobby, unreliable and incredibly selfish. She’s sick of society and desperate for a break. Tired of roles in commercials, she’s ready for the world to finally recognize her greatness! The witty and engaging narration really drew me into this woman’s delusional world of perceived stardom (although she was definitely horrific at times). It’s very difficult to engage an audience with such an unlikeable character but this novel did it surprisingly well! We watch Jessamyn slowly spiral out of control, wondering if she will ever return to reality. Reading this book was like watching an elaborate trainwreck (in a good way) (well, not for Jessamyn)!  

It was a hard book to put down. I found myself forgetting to take notes because I was so wrapped up in getting to the next chapter. The narration was easy to read, natural and human. I liked how Jessamyn’s delusion kept me on edge as the story progressed. It is a powerful examination of desire, as well as the maddening experience of trying to succeed in a patriarchal world.  

Her character is interesting because while her narcissism could easily be pathologized, I wonder if part of it is an unhealthy coping mechanism? People display behaviours like these all the time, defending their failures or mistakes by blaming other people and never taking accountability, and Jessamyn displays this behaviour to an extreme. 

This novel is part of a popular genre of media with messy, chaotic female characters often referred to as “female rage” books. These characters engage in taboo, socially unexpected actions, and they are often morally grey or corrupt. Often, they rebel against patriarchal norms that portray women as submissive, sweet, and good. Why do people connect with the “female rage” genre so much? People are so used to women being victims, “damsels” in distress, or love interests. Perhaps it’s cathartic to see women in control of violence for once. I see a parallel to “rage rooms”  where people pay to smash things.

Living in such an oppressive society is often maddening. Stories where women express “insanity” or “madness” demonstrate the turbulent emotions we feel living under such oppressive conditions. Our connection to this genre could demonstrate a desire to express emotion in this physical way: screaming, crying, and getting revenge. This is not to say that everyone wants to be violent, but just that there are emotions behind these behaviours. This is also not to say that Jessamyn is actually a “good” person (she’s really not), just that she is not a typical, surface-level, patriarchally-structured female character. 

This book really reminded me of the 2022 film Pearl and the famous line: “please, I’m a star! I’m a star!” That line in particular encapsulates this entire book perfectly.