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.

Loved this - went so fast this was a great not memoir! Lola's essays were so good and I loved it her stories were so honest and real - I have never highlighted anything on my kinlde until today - so much emotion in this book i wanted to reach in and hug her, she lived a filled life and told her story beautifully! So so good! Loved it Lola!

Lola Kirke was certainly born into privilege, but any "nepo baby" critique is trite. Everyone - "nepo babies" included - didn't ask to be born, after all. Sure, not everyone can just call up a friend's grandparent and get referred over to "Aunt Joan," (i.e., Joan Didion), but the scant few celebrity references are that -- scant. And not really the focus of the story, they just happen to be there.

Lola Kirke was also born into a family riddled with cheating, secret siblings, drug addiction, self-absorption, and inappropriate boundaries, to name a few. Her book portrays being the youngest born into a chaotic family with the aforementioned problems. This isn't so much a "celebrity memoir" (see also: the subtitle) as it is the story of a person floundering as they try to find themselves and make sense of their place in the world.

I liked that she told her story in seemingly disparate vignettes, giving the book an almost dreamlike quality by representing the muddied nature of memory. Her voice is frank and self-deprecating. I enjoyed the insight into why she - a girl born into a wealthy dysfunctional family in NYC - went country, and I appreciated ending it all with her debut at the Grand Ole Opry. Lola's future is bright. 🌟

Thank you NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and Lola Kirke for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! I’ll admit, before starting this one, I didn’t really know who Lola Kirke was. After reading though, I’m definitely a fan and have been checking out some of her music, which I love! I’m really glad that this book led me to finding a new artist - and I also really enjoyed the book.

This one covers a lot of ground about Kirke’s life, including growing up in NYC, having an eccentric family, learning about a sibling, dating, joining the Country music scene, and more. Her writing style is gorgeous and very unique. I also really liked that the chapters were pretty short because she was able to talk about a lot of things in a pretty short book.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. I recommend for anyone to pick it up, even if you don’t know much about the author! It’s very likely you’ll come out of it a fan.

Kirke's stories fascinated me. Sometimes I was laughing and others I was gasping with my mouth open! What a life she and her siblings have lived. Her writing really gave me a glimpse of her upbringing and her life in NYC. I enjoyed the stories and became a fan of how she portrayed them. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I tore through this in less than two days. Lola Kirke is a funny, beautiful mess, and the same is true for her whole family.

I’ve been a fan of Lola’s older sister, Jemima, for twelve years. Lola has another sister who is married to the star of YOU on Netflix, and her dad is a famous rockstar. This is a story of living in the shadow of older siblings and parents, and how being the youngest can be such a lonely experience. I identified with this so much. I have significantly older half-siblings, so I spent my childhood feeling lonely much like Lola did. I always wanted my siblings to like me too. Jemima could be pretty vicious to little Lola. Still, there’s a lot of love and humor in this family. And my god, talk about the genetic lottery.

I did not expect to cry while reading this book, but it happened. Lola talks about discovering a secret brother (been there!), and how it felt to finally learn she had a younger sibling. His life was one of tragedy, however. Lola’s little brother was born with severe cerebral palsy due to medical malpractice on the part of the OBGYN, and he spent his short like essentially brain dead. Lola loved him with all her heart, and she made a real effort to get to know him.

I really enjoyed this memoir. It’s a fun glimpse into the world of a dysfunctional famous family. Lola also owns and pokes fun at her privilege, so I don’t think it’s really fair to dump on her for having a leg up in the entertainment industry. There’s a reason this whole family is famous.

Lola Kirke is sharp, witty, vulnerable, funny as hell, self-aware, and heartfelt in her memoir (that isn't really a memoir).

Her unflinching story with no punches pulled will make you feel young again with the world ready to unfold for you- like it's never too late to start a country music career.

Thank you NetGalley, Lola Kirke, and Simon and Schuster for the eARC.

Wild West Village by Lola Kirke 🎸✨

In this memoir that's not exactly a memoir, Lola Kirke’s features sharp, darkly funny, and deeply personal essays that’ll have you laughing one minute and reflecting the next. From growing up in the bohemian chaos of a West Village brownstone to finding her way as a “big city girl gone country,” Kirke lays it all bare with wit and a touch of irreverence.

Her stories are rich with eccentric characters—rock star dads, fashion-forward moms, and a house filled with artists, exiles, and more drama than an HBO series. The wild backdrop of her upbringing collides with her quest for identity, making for a rollercoaster read that’s equal parts heartfelt and hilariously self-deprecating. Additionally, there are pseudonyms and code names for celebrities in her circle or those she crossed paths with, but it's easy to deduce who each person is if you're a fan of celebrity culture, which I most certainly am.

Kirke’s voice is unapologetically authentic, whether she’s musing on family dysfunction, awkward adolescence, or her unexpected pivot to country music. This book captures the messy, beautiful process of growing up—and growing into yourself.

If you love memoirs that balance humor with raw honesty (think Bossypants meets a Wes Anderson film), Wild West Village deserves a spot on your shelf. It's a quirky, poignant gem that leaves you rooting for Lola all the way. 💫

Thank you to NetGalley, Lola Kirke, and Simon & Schuster for the eARC of this book.

I received this as a digital galley.

Wow- gotta love a nepo baby writing a memoir and leaning in REAL HARD into all of their privilege.

I enjoyed guessing all the other celebs talked about despite crappy pseuds or descriptions. The red-haired actress? Natasha Lyonne. The filmmaker/actor with the Manson memorabilia? Vincent Gallo. Not completely sure about it but think the 'actor famous since his teens' is possibly Ryan Gosling.