Even when it came to herself, Margo could see it both ways: hometown girl makes good, defies capitalist patriarchy, or teen whore sells nudes while nursing, too lazy to work.

CBR17 Bingo: Review

It’s because you know. It’s because you’re in control of it! That is what makes someone slutty or not slutty! Think about it. If a girl doesn’t know she’s hot and is innocently going about her business, and some guys spy on her naked, she’s not a slut. But if she knows guys want to see her naked and charges them money to spy on her, she’s a slut. The same physical thing is happening in both scenarios, guys see her naked body, it’s just in the second one she knows what’s going on and she’s in control.
― Rufi Thorpe, Margo’s Got Money Troubles

She was a stupid slut for having a baby, and if she’d had an abortion, she also would’ve been a stupid slut. It was a game you could not win.
― Rufi Thorpe, Margo’s Got Money Troubles

Margo gets knocked up by her English professor. Against his and her mother’s advice, Margo decides to keep the baby. She knew being a teenage (19) mom would be hard, but nothing prepared her for how hard it would be. Part of her thought she would take to parenting effortlessly or that others would look at her more kindly and be willing to help. Her mother refuses to babysit so Margo can work, and her boss fires her when Margo fails to secure childcare. Two of Margo’s three roommates move out, leaving her and her remaining roommate Suzie to fund the entire rental. Of all of the outcomes Margo expected, reconnecting with her absent father/former professional wrestler was not one of them. He moves in, helps Margo with childcare, and takes over the management of her fledgling entertainment career.

This book did not go anywhere I expected and I loved it. This book surprised me again and again. Margo is infuriating and willfully dense, but I could not help rooting for her. No one gets to be the hero, although there are a few clear cut villains. While I wish some of the main characters, particularly Margo’s father and Suzie the roommate, were more fleshed out, this is Margo’s story and it is told entirely from her POV.

This story deals with some very difficult topics. The author approaches them gracefully, but does not sugarcoat anything. This story kept me guessing so much that I don’t remember any particular section that dragged. This is not a short book but it was a quick read.