"There is literally no book to compare this with.” - Nian Minten's review
When I was seventeen I was sat in my English class learning about Roe V Wade and The Handmaids Tale. Learning the ins and outs of the historical event shifted my universe and understanding of present day. I took, immediately, to writing. At the time, I was struggling with not feeling like I had done enough for my culture of being Greek, and decided to implement that truth of my life into this novel. Being a third gen immigrant is not easy, so you can only imagine being a first gen. Aka, my grandfather, who I love to this day, sit and talk with and buddy read books with. At the point in time I wrote Be A Smart Girl, I was a fed up teen. Ana, our protagonist, is older than I was when I wrote it, and yet still, sounds like a child. She is naive, uncertain and scared. Whilst I wouldn’t describe myself as childish, I am indeed, past Ana’s age, still who I was as a kid, still naive and uncertain and scared. I had not yet experienced love and yet, reading the book back, I am forever grateful that these two set the path for me. My belief in soulmates, also deemed as childish my whole life, is ever-strong, and I have indeed experienced Ana and Mattia’s love, deeply. This book is not intended to change lives or be a think piece, she is not meant to be a feminist commentary or just a love story. Somehow, seventeen year old me wrote the story of my life, past, present and future, and I hope that that is how it is taken. Quotes from readers: "The scene where the novel gets its name caused me to put down my book, and silently let a few tears fall, knowing how many other women have been in this same position, told these same things, afraid of what defying it might mean.” - Olivia "i’ve been in months long reading slump, since january to be exact, and it was this book that brought me back! this exceeded my expectations by a lot (and they were very high to begin with), i’d truly love to see this on the big screen someday” - Ivy "i will never not recommend this book and everyone should read this beauty” - Silvia "Be a Smart Girl will inevitably touch the soul of any person who is lucky enough to be graced by its words.” - Hannah Stake "There is literally no book to compare this with.” - Nian Minten "this book captures that very feeling. that feeling of visceral female rage constantly being held back in hopes of not upsetting the dynamic, doing "too much", taking things "too seriously", being "too uptight", being just another crazy woman.” - Colette
When I was seventeen I was sat in my English class learning about Roe V Wade and The Handmaids Tale. Learning the ins and outs of the historical event shifted my universe and understanding of present day. I took, immediately, to writing. At the time, I was struggling with not feeling like I had done enough for my culture of being Greek, and decided to implement that truth of my life into this novel. Being a third gen immigrant is not easy, so you can only imagine being a first gen. Aka, my grandfather, who I love to this day, sit and talk with and buddy read books with. At the point in time I wrote Be A Smart Girl, I was a fed up teen. Ana, our protagonist, is older than I was when I wrote it, and yet still, sounds like a child. She is naive, uncertain and scared. Whilst I wouldn’t describe myself as childish, I am indeed, past Ana’s age, still who I was as a kid, still naive and uncertain and scared. I had not yet experienced love and yet, reading the book back, I am forever grateful that these two set the path for me. My belief in soulmates, also deemed as childish my whole life, is ever-strong, and I have indeed experienced Ana and Mattia’s love, deeply. This book is not intended to change lives or be a think piece, she is not meant to be a feminist commentary or just a love story. Somehow, seventeen year old me wrote the story of my life, past, present and future, and I hope that that is how it is taken. Quotes from readers: "The scene where the novel gets its name caused me to put down my book, and silently let a few tears fall, knowing how many other women have been in this same position, told these same things, afraid of what defying it might mean.” - Olivia "i’ve been in months long reading slump, since january to be exact, and it was this book that brought me back! this exceeded my expectations by a lot (and they were very high to begin with), i’d truly love to see this on the big screen someday” - Ivy "i will never not recommend this book and everyone should read this beauty” - Silvia "Be a Smart Girl will inevitably touch the soul of any person who is lucky enough to be graced by its words.” - Hannah Stake "There is literally no book to compare this with.” - Nian Minten "this book captures that very feeling. that feeling of visceral female rage constantly being held back in hopes of not upsetting the dynamic, doing "too much", taking things "too seriously", being "too uptight", being just another crazy woman.” - Colette
When I was seventeen I was sat in my English class learning about Roe V Wade and The Handmaids Tale. Learning the ins and outs of the historical event shifted my universe and understanding of present day. I took, immediately, to writing. At the time, I was struggling with not feeling like I had done enough for my culture of being Greek, and decided to implement that truth of my life into this novel. Being a third gen immigrant is not easy, so you can only imagine being a first gen. Aka, my grandfather, who I love to this day, sit and talk with and buddy read books with. At the point in time I wrote Be A Smart Girl, I was a fed up teen. Ana, our protagonist, is older than I was when I wrote it, and yet still, sounds like a child. She is naive, uncertain and scared. Whilst I wouldn’t describe myself as childish, I am indeed, past Ana’s age, still who I was as a kid, still naive and uncertain and scared. I had not yet experienced love and yet, reading the book back, I am forever grateful that these two set the path for me. My belief in soulmates, also deemed as childish my whole life, is ever-strong, and I have indeed experienced Ana and Mattia’s love, deeply. This book is not intended to change lives or be a think piece, she is not meant to be a feminist commentary or just a love story. Somehow, seventeen year old me wrote the story of my life, past, present and future, and I hope that that is how it is taken. Quotes from readers: "The scene where the novel gets its name caused me to put down my book, and silently let a few tears fall, knowing how many other women have been in this same position, told these same things, afraid of what defying it might mean.” - Olivia "i’ve been in months long reading slump, since january to be exact, and it was this book that brought me back! this exceeded my expectations by a lot (and they were very high to begin with), i’d truly love to see this on the big screen someday” - Ivy "i will never not recommend this book and everyone should read this beauty” - Silvia "Be a Smart Girl will inevitably touch the soul of any person who is lucky enough to be graced by its words.” - Hannah Stake "There is literally no book to compare this with.” - Nian Minten "this book captures that very feeling. that feeling of visceral female rage constantly being held back in hopes of not upsetting the dynamic, doing "too much", taking things "too seriously", being "too uptight", being just another crazy woman.” - Colette
When I was seventeen I was sat in my English class learning about Roe V Wade and The Handmaids Tale. Learning the ins and outs of the historical event shifted my universe and understanding of present day. I took, immediately, to writing. At the time, I was struggling with not feeling like I had done enough for my culture of being Greek, and decided to implement that truth of my life into this novel. Being a third gen immigrant is not easy, so you can only imagine being a first gen. Aka, my grandfather, who I love to this day, sit and talk with and buddy read books with. At the point in time I wrote Be A Smart Girl, I was a fed up teen. Ana, our protagonist, is older than I was when I wrote it, and yet still, sounds like a child. She is naive, uncertain and scared. Whilst I wouldn’t describe myself as childish, I am indeed, past Ana’s age, still who I was as a kid, still naive and uncertain and scared. I had not yet experienced love and yet, reading the book back, I am forever grateful that these two set the path for me. My belief in soulmates, also deemed as childish my whole life, is ever-strong, and I have indeed experienced Ana and Mattia’s love, deeply. This book is not intended to change lives or be a think piece, she is not meant to be a feminist commentary or just a love story. Somehow, seventeen year old me wrote the story of my life, past, present and future, and I hope that that is how it is taken. Quotes from readers: "The scene where the novel gets its name caused me to put down my book, and silently let a few tears fall, knowing how many other women have been in this same position, told these same things, afraid of what defying it might mean.” - Olivia "i’ve been in months long reading slump, since january to be exact, and it was this book that brought me back! this exceeded my expectations by a lot (and they were very high to begin with), i’d truly love to see this on the big screen someday” - Ivy "i will never not recommend this book and everyone should read this beauty” - Silvia "Be a Smart Girl will inevitably touch the soul of any person who is lucky enough to be graced by its words.” - Hannah Stake "There is literally no book to compare this with.” - Nian Minten "this book captures that very feeling. that feeling of visceral female rage constantly being held back in hopes of not upsetting the dynamic, doing "too much", taking things "too seriously", being "too uptight", being just another crazy woman.” - Colette
When I was seventeen I was sat in my English class learning about Roe V Wade and The Handmaids Tale. Learning the ins and outs of the historical event shifted my universe and understanding of present day. I took, immediately, to writing. At the time, I was struggling with not feeling like I had done enough for my culture of being Greek, and decided to implement that truth of my life into this novel. Being a third gen immigrant is not easy, so you can only imagine being a first gen. Aka, my grandfather, who I love to this day, sit and talk with and buddy read books with. At the point in time I wrote Be A Smart Girl, I was a fed up teen. Ana, our protagonist, is older than I was when I wrote it, and yet still, sounds like a child. She is naive, uncertain and scared. Whilst I wouldn’t describe myself as childish, I am indeed, past Ana’s age, still who I was as a kid, still naive and uncertain and scared. I had not yet experienced love and yet, reading the book back, I am forever grateful that these two set the path for me. My belief in soulmates, also deemed as childish my whole life, is ever-strong, and I have indeed experienced Ana and Mattia’s love, deeply. This book is not intended to change lives or be a think piece, she is not meant to be a feminist commentary or just a love story. Somehow, seventeen year old me wrote the story of my life, past, present and future, and I hope that that is how it is taken. Quotes from readers: "The scene where the novel gets its name caused me to put down my book, and silently let a few tears fall, knowing how many other women have been in this same position, told these same things, afraid of what defying it might mean.” - Olivia "i’ve been in months long reading slump, since january to be exact, and it was this book that brought me back! this exceeded my expectations by a lot (and they were very high to begin with), i’d truly love to see this on the big screen someday” - Ivy "i will never not recommend this book and everyone should read this beauty” - Silvia "Be a Smart Girl will inevitably touch the soul of any person who is lucky enough to be graced by its words.” - Hannah Stake "There is literally no book to compare this with.” - Nian Minten "this book captures that very feeling. that feeling of visceral female rage constantly being held back in hopes of not upsetting the dynamic, doing "too much", taking things "too seriously", being "too uptight", being just another crazy woman.” - Colette
When I was seventeen I was sat in my English class learning about Roe V Wade and The Handmaids Tale. Learning the ins and outs of the historical event shifted my universe and understanding of present day. I took, immediately, to writing. At the time, I was struggling with not feeling like I had done enough for my culture of being Greek, and decided to implement that truth of my life into this novel. Being a third gen immigrant is not easy, so you can only imagine being a first gen. Aka, my grandfather, who I love to this day, sit and talk with and buddy read books with. At the point in time I wrote Be A Smart Girl, I was a fed up teen. Ana, our protagonist, is older than I was when I wrote it, and yet still, sounds like a child. She is naive, uncertain and scared. Whilst I wouldn’t describe myself as childish, I am indeed, past Ana’s age, still who I was as a kid, still naive and uncertain and scared. I had not yet experienced love and yet, reading the book back, I am forever grateful that these two set the path for me. My belief in soulmates, also deemed as childish my whole life, is ever-strong, and I have indeed experienced Ana and Mattia’s love, deeply. This book is not intended to change lives or be a think piece, she is not meant to be a feminist commentary or just a love story. Somehow, seventeen year old me wrote the story of my life, past, present and future, and I hope that that is how it is taken. Quotes from readers: "The scene where the novel gets its name caused me to put down my book, and silently let a few tears fall, knowing how many other women have been in this same position, told these same things, afraid of what defying it might mean.” - Olivia "i’ve been in months long reading slump, since january to be exact, and it was this book that brought me back! this exceeded my expectations by a lot (and they were very high to begin with), i’d truly love to see this on the big screen someday” - Ivy "i will never not recommend this book and everyone should read this beauty” - Silvia "Be a Smart Girl will inevitably touch the soul of any person who is lucky enough to be graced by its words.” - Hannah Stake "There is literally no book to compare this with.” - Nian Minten "this book captures that very feeling. that feeling of visceral female rage constantly being held back in hopes of not upsetting the dynamic, doing "too much", taking things "too seriously", being "too uptight", being just another crazy woman.” - Colette
What is the book about?
[Mia's choice]
[Mia's choice]
[Mia's choice]
[Mia's choice]
[Mia's choice]
[Mia's choice]
[Mia's choice]
[Mia's choice]
[Mia's choice]
[Mia's choice]
[Mia's choice]
[Mia's choice]
[Mia's choice]
[Mia's choice]
[Mia's choice]
[Mia's choice]
[Mia's choice]
[Mia's choice]
Ana, a writer and reader, is struggling to navigate a new country. When she meets Mattia, Ana decides to leave the fiancé she doesn't love. Thrust into the opposite of her fathers desires, she faces the challenge of discovering who she is as a person, raising the stakes as a woman in the 1970’s. Their journey includes confronting her fear to mix her old world with her new world and making a choice: to stand up to her father and his traditions. The outcome will affect who she is and impact who she becomes.
Support
Mia
(@miacaven)
For every book purchased through this page, we receive 20% of the profit, which supports London Girls Book Club—funding events, coordinators, and everything that makes LGBC special.
Shipping to more than 40 countries
Guaranteed by Showcase
Support
Mia
(@miacaven)
For every book purchased through this page, we receive 20% of the profit, which supports London Girls Book Club—funding events, coordinators, and everything that makes LGBC special.
Shipping to more than 40 countries
Guaranteed by Showcase