Desperate for attention from “boys” to give some meaning to her life, Kerry Cohen turned to sex at a young age as a way to feel worthwhile. Loose Girl: A Memoir of Promiscuity is about Cohen’s addiction to sex and male attention.
She wanted to matter to someone (anyone). Abandoned by a mother who left to follow her own dreams of becoming a doctor, Kerry and her sister (both in their young teens) are left behind to live with their pot-smoking dad. Dad tries to be cool in front of the girls’ friends, smoking pot with them and acting inappropriately with his girlfriend. Unsupervised much of the time, and with no parental guidance to speak of, some kids might start drinking, some might turn to drugs. Kerry just wanted boys.
The book is filled with sex, sex, sex, but is in no way sexy. It is one empty encounter after another. The girl had no shame; she’d sleep with anyone. She contracted crabs, genital warts, and had countless pregnancy scares. None of that really mattered, because sex allowed Kerry to feel in control momentarily. Unfortunately the feeling didn’t last long. Believing she was unworthy and incapable of any real relationship, she constantly and unsuccessfully tried to fill a bottomless pit of need.
Finally, in college, she discovered she cared about writing and enrolled in some workshops and programs that kept her engaged. She was still on the prowl for boys, but at least there was something more to her life. Her journey continued until she ultimately found love, trust and acceptance with a man. Trusting herself was more difficult.
Loose Girl will resonate with many readers. Many will feel compassion for Cohen. Many will recognize themselves or someone they are close to in Cohen’s story and perhaps learn from her experiences.
Loose Girl: A Memoir of Promiscuity comes out June 3, 2008.
Cohen is also the author of the YA novel, Easy.
Review - Loose Girl by Kerry Cohen
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