Let me start by saying that I did find a lot in this book to be interesting, BUT, that said, it was much different than what I had been expecting. It reads almost as a college research paper, and has a very feminist slant. NOT saying that either of those things are a bad thing- I think I was just expecting something a little.... juicier, maybe? It's a good place to start for those who haven't seen the show, and is timely, considering that Netflix recently released all Six seasons on its platform..... but probably not something a truly devoted, day one fan (like myself!) will gobble up.

I was excited to read this non-fiction piece about Sex and the City. Having read other books about the program, I was interested to see how this would compare. I found myself coming back to this book over and over, but not consistently interested enough to finish it quickly. I didn't feel as though a clear thesis emerged. It was a huge summary of the series and its impact on society at large. I often felt as though I was reading the author's dissertation on feminism and the t.v. series. Some interesting points, but not too many compelling new threads.

One of my favorite shows of all time with a sociological angle. It was interesting to revisit some of the most memorable moments while viewing them through the lens of love, friendship, feminism, race, and gender.

If you're like me, you devoured the Sex and the City series in the 1990s and early 2000s. In fact, when my daughter was born in 2002, I rented the videos and binge-watched them while I was tending to my infant daughter since I never watched it before. It's no wonder that she loves clothes, make-up, disco music, and shoes now.

Writer Nicole Evelina analyzes the series from a modern-day perspective in Sex and the City. She points out the effect the show had on pop culture and women and also the negatives like the lack of diversity and problematic ways that stories and relationships were depicted. Of course, the world is a different place right now, due to the fight for social justice in a variety of ways, so some stories may not be seen as humorous as they once were.

I found the book really fascinating and, without shaming the show for its lack of wokeness, the author simply covers how our perspectives then and now have changed. She points out key areas where the show failed in presenting what were considered more "fringe" groups at the time and where it succeeded in introducing viewers to differences they may not have encountered outside the very cosmopolitan lifestyle of some parts of NYC. (You also get a brief history of the Cosmopolitan drink, which I never knew and most fans probably don't either.)

Not only does the author cover the show, she dives into a brief analysis of the movies and TV shows associated with the original. I agreed with her about the first movie that it wasn't that good and didn't stay true to canon. I never saw the second movie but have heard it's dreadful. And I cannot bring myself to watch And Just Like That, especially after the author discussed it. It sounds pretty weak and another instance of not following canon or characters.

As for The Carrie Diaries, though, I really enjoyed that show despite it being only a few seasons. The lead actress, Anna-Sophia Robb, who played Carrie really perfected Sarah Jessica Parker's mannerisms. It captured the 1980s pretty well down to the 80s-inspired fashions but sticking with the early 80s pop culture references and attitudes.

Although I know there were fundamental errors in continuity, such as her father being present during those times instead of leaving her and her mom, I could swear that Candace Bushnell based that book more on her early life. I thought that her father did raise her and her sisters after her mother passed away. I could imagine Carrie Bradshaw having sisters because she relates to women so well, and I could imagine her wanting to rebel against her very stereotypical suburban, upper middle class upbringing.

Anyway, if you're a diehard fan, you will enjoy reading this. I wish that the author had delved into an analysis of all the episodes in greater detail, but there are other books that already cover that. I'm happy to have been given the opportunity to go back in time and remember what made this series great and not-so-great.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun, but still thoughtful, book. I enjoyed it a lot.

The most iconic show of the late 90's and early 00's is broken down and heavily analyzed through a lens of culture in this book. My favorite part of this was learning about the marketing aspect and all the brands the skyrocketed their images because of SATC. It is so interesting to see the shift in women and feminism after this show aired. This book addresses if that is a direct result of SATC, or a sign of the times. I enjoyed the analytical approach to this show; it is about so much more than the single girl. Thank you Rowman & Littlefield and Netgalley for the complimentary preview copy in exchange for a fair review.

I love Sex and the city. A lot. Maybe it was just the format of a digital arc, but this wasn’t exciting. Maybe a hardcover book would be more interesting.
I did like the images used and references to episodes.

This book clearly has its roots in academic research, but does not use academic language that can be dry and boring. I particularly appreciated notice of Living Single's influence on the development of Sex and the City: without it, the analysis and metaphors would have fallen flat. That said, if one is a Sex and the City aficionado, this book provides a fun analysis that could be referenced in one's feminist television criticism.

This book was interesting, but it lacked the whimsy that are the TV show and movies.

Very well researched and I found myself thinking that the whole presentation was a bit dry. This is a charming story to tell and somehow, the author just did not provide that.