In this bite-sized 80-page read, Sarah Perry reclaims the ‘Essex Girl’, vouching for the importance of loud, unapologetic women. Bear in mind: the term ‘Essex Girl’ is used very loosely in this book. While it’s inspiring to read about the histories of Rose Allin and Anne Knight, a lot of space is dedicated to women who Perry considers to be Essex girl ‘in spirit’, namely Kim Kardashian, Audre Lorde and Harriet Martineau. I love short books and usually think a good fifty pages could be left out. However, I can’t help but think that more explanation was needed to group these women together, because besides them being outspoken personalities, I was often left questioning how half of them were quintessentially Essex at all. If you’re a woman from Essex seeking empowerment, or you just want a quick read singing the praises of boisterous women, Essex Girls may be for you, but if you’re hoping to learn more about Essex, and its women, try Wikipedia. MG