I loved it not even for the anecdotes but for the wisdom gleaned through the lived experiences Lola had. The anecdotes were delightful, of course - and she has a very natural sense of humor that made this book flow even better - but her depth of character, particularly as it developed and coalesced over time, was a delight to read.

The chapter about her brother made me weep. I’m not sure I’ve ever read a portion of a memoir with that level of authenticity, rawness, and openness. It was beautiful. Through and through.

This book was and is exactly the sort I adore. It was a pleasure to read and ended on a lovely high note, too.

I thank NetGalley and the publishers for offering this ARC in return for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC. I didn't immediately recognize the author, but after a quick Google search - I realized she was in one of my favorite shows of all time (Mozart in the Jungle) AND she made one of my favorite country songs (Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?).

This is a memoir in essays, so the events do not follow a clear chronological progression. The time between one vignette and another isn't entirely clear, but I think that actually adds to the ambience of it all. This is a book that rides on vibes. She is a nepo baby, but because she doesn't waste her time trying to argue she works just as hard as everyone else, it doesn't grate against my nerves. She tells a good story, even if that story would not be possible without an incredible amount of privilege.

Lola Kirke, despite her comparison to her sisters, actually holds up well against them. She is cool in her own right, and fits into the tapestry of her family better than she assumes for the majority of the book. A star-studded cast of background characters (including a Joan Didion appearance) and a strong voice make this a delight to read. Highly recommend.

I was intrigued by the title and cover. It seemed fun and probably over the top. Which I enjoy!

I had no idea who Lola Kirke was but I know her sister from watching Girls. Lola says in the beginning that she starts a lot of stories but doesn’t always finish them. I’d say that’s true. While I enjoyed the randomness of it, I started to feel disconnected with the book and the timeline.

But it’s worth checking out if you enjoy memoirs like this! Thanks to NetGalley, Lola Kirke and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read Wild West Village. I have written this review voluntarily and honestly.

At points, this book feels like a more bohemian and more unbelievable Gossip Girl (Lola’s sister did end up marrying Penn Bagdley, after all).

I wasn’t sure if this this book was for me at first. It takes place in a world that seemed too unrecognizable to me but Kirke’s humor and charm completely won me over by the end of the first chapter. Each chapter conveys an experience that feels universal (the peaks and valleys of sisterhood, insecurities, and general way-finding, to name a few) no matter how unrelatable it appears on the surface.

What a wild ride. I thoroughly enjoyed the storytelling in this "not" a memoir book by Lola Kirke. It was fun and included celebrity sighting (looking at you Gael Garcia Bernal), chaotic family members, and so many rich people behaving badly, ah the drama. I was here for all of it. I appreciated Kirke's love of her family and especially her siblings, even if she roasted them a bit.

Thank you for the advanced reader copy Simon & Schuster and Netgalley.

really interesting memoir that i didn't think would be nearly as interesting as it was, but it definitely did turn out to be interesting. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

Lola Kirke didn't ask to be born a nepo-baby, and while readers may think she grew up with glitz and glamor (after all, her "Aunt Joan" is the one and only Joan Didion), she had a family with struggles similar to those of the everyday person: drug addiction, cheating, secrets, and lack of boundaries. Considering this, Kirke's writing reads less like a memoir and more like the vignettes of someone trying to find their place in the world.

Kirke's writing is sharp and witty, and her lovely storytelling holds no punches back. I most appreciate her vulnerability - that shines throughout and makes her story just that much more special.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lola Kirke's Wild West Village fell flat for me. I can really enjoy a pop culture memoir, so despite some lackluster reviews, decided to accept this advanced reader copy. Unfortunately, I found it difficult to care what happened to Lola. The home life is interesting-ish, but the storytelling is bland. As much as I wanted to care about what happened in Lola's life, I just couldn't bring myself to. Unlike other readers, the 'who' of is involved is opaque to me; I hadn't heard of Lola prior to this book and most of the people she does reference by name are unknown to me. Overall, not recommended, but, as always, grateful to the publisher & NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had not heard of Kirke before this book. However, reading this was fun. She seemed honest and didn't try to portray herself as a starving artist. Instead admitted growing up pretty affluential. Overall, it was a fun and easy read. I liked the way she managed to bring her personality through the different chapters was just fun. It made me just really like her and want to read more about her.

I think this was a book that took less than a weekend for me to read.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

I am a fan of Jemima, Lola's sister, so I knew if she was anything like her, that this was going to be a very fun time. The book is a slice of life of living in the West Village and all the trappings that comes with that. I loved all the quirky characters and the "not a memoir" style.

I had no idea who Lola Kirke was until I read this. I found her to be funny, witty, and honest. The chapters about her family were the ones I found most interesting and I wish there were more of them. I felt like this book stayed relatively surface level. I would have liked to see her go more in-depth on pretty much everything mentioned in here. It was definitely an entertaining and fun read.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the ARC.

I found this to be an entertainingly written memoir by the author. She shares her loneliness around her family when growing up and later on in her life. Also the dysfunction and chaos at times that makes her who she is. Remarkable and relatable. Read in one sitting.

This was a fun read. I enjoyed Lola in Mistress America so I enjoyed getting to know her in this book. Would recommend.

I really liked this. At times the pacing was a little off for me but overall I found the writing style to be witty and fun. I liked the combination of memoir and essay style of writing and enjoyed reading it.

I don't rate memoirs and even though the title says it's not a memoir, it's a memoir. The author is writing about her life and herself.

What I can say is that this is a short, quick read that will keep you interested if you want to know what the life of a nepo baby actress is like. Lola Kirke has a good sense of humor and it came across in her writing, which I appreciated.

I wasn't particularly gripped by this overall but that's mainly because I just wasn't as interested as I thought I would be. I didn't get much out of it personally, but it was entertaining and easy to get through.

Loved this! True to its description, it was actually ha-ha-funny. Kirke's voice was lively and immensely readable. I enjoyed this as someone who has followed Lola Kirke's acting/music career over the years, but I also expect this book to find good traction outside of that niche audience.

"Wild West Village" is a book that draws the reader in and moves quickly. Its voice and style are conversational, and the author brings the reader into her famous family in a way that feels honest but not exploitative. Kirke is honest about the fact she has family wealth—no faux "starving artist" narrative here— but also makes it clear that money doesn't make life perfect. A chapter about connecting with a newly found family member whose life is very different from hers stands out as one of the book's best, with depth and nuance.

Have you ever read a book or started a book and were so intrigued by an author you googled then? Sooooo I actually kinda read the synopsis then dove right in. I had NO clue who the author was and why she felt she should be writing a book. After three chapters I finally succumbed to my curiosity and googled and was shocked what I found. Although she seemed to be pretty mildly famous I only knew her father.
While many may call her a nepo baby, I’m not really sure I haven’t deep dived into her IMDB to much yet, I do find her stories raw and deep. Growing up I experienced emotional trauma and triggers…. You always look at celebrities and think: they have so much money and things I bet their kids have the best and don’t have to deal with this. Well this book definitely blows up that theory. If you wonder what it’s like having an emotionally immature mother and how the effects of that will take a toll on your family… crack this open and enjoy the stories of how that and a unavailable rock star father who cheated on said mother and the damage to the relationships between their children formed.
While many story’s are told her that she does an amazing job realizing and understanding her own trauma she does name drop or omit names (I didn’t care to google them) I just liked her stories and was able to see how or why she wrote them for the lessons she learned.

(4.5. rounded down) I loved this. A memoir in essays written with wit and humor and a unique voice. Lola (whose song “All My Exes Live in LA” has been on repeat in my house since it was released) is a child born to wealth and also to extremely cool status - her dad is a classic rock musician and her mom is a clothing designer. She’s raised in bohemian luxury in the west village and these essays recount her funny, messy, almost tragicomic childhood. I like when younger people write about their younger years and coming-of-age - to reflect on your childhood/teen years in your thirties is to see it at a remove, but without every bit of nostalgia gone. Nepo babies are by and large annoying and frustrating, but Lola’s writing felt very cognizant of her privilege and that large swaths of her childhood life are unimaginable for most of us. I just really had fun with my time in Lola’s world.

What a great memoir and such an unique life. I loved hearing about how different and unconventional Lola’s life has been. I have always been fascinated by the beauty of the 3 sisters, as well as their “IDGAF” attitudes. It was so interesting and raw to see behind the curtain. Lola was so honest and open.