The Right Sort of Girl

LoveReading Says

A much-loved personality on TV, Anita Rani lends all of her warmth and insight we’re used to seeing on screen to her writing. There’s an enthusiastic openness to her words – with lots of exclamation marks to show her spirit and excitement – and a cheering message in her story that will resonate, especially with anyone who feels like they’re on the margins of society.

“Own your ‘otherness’, it’s your strength,” Anita encourages. And The Right Sort of Girl is full of these motivational, inspirational quotes. Her memoir describes her upbringing in Bradford in the 1970s, and the difficulties conforming to her Punjabi family’s expectations while trying to fit into British society.

There’s much to be said on the subject of discrimination, and many readers will relate to her experiences. An inspiring story, particularly for British Asians – one that showcases all of Anita’s sense of humour, Yorkshire roots and Indian heritage. 

Reviewed by Julie Vuong
Julie Vuong is a journalist working at the centre of UK publishing, serving as feature writer at news service, BookBrunch, and columnist for Mslexia, the iconic magazine for women…
More reviews by Julie Vuong

About The Right Sort of Girl

Anita's debut novel Baby Does a Runner is available to pre-order now - coming July 2023!Fizzing with energy, hilarity and charm, The Right Sort of Girl is the Sunday Times bestseller from Countryfile's Anita Rani.'Warm, honest and funny, filled with hope and inspiration' Nikesh Shukla'Funny, touching, occasionally veering into beautifully controlled, quiet rage... a must-read' Viv Groskop'Like a bloody good natter with your down-to-earth friend' Shappi Khorsandi'A joy from start to finish' Emma Kennedy'Empowering... I will be recommending to everyone I know' Nikita Gill'I'm a girl and northern and brown, didn't you know? A triple threat!' Trying to navigate her Indian world at home and the British world outside her front door, Anita Rani was a girl who didn't -fit in anywhere. She was always destined to stand out: from playing Mary in her otherwise all white nursery nativity to growing up in eighties Yorkshire with her Punjabi family, spending evenings in the factory her parents owned whilst trying to -figure out how best to get rid of hair that seemed to be growing EVERYWHERE.Anita shares the lessons she wishes her younger self could have known: 'Freedom is Complicated', 'You Will Fall in Love and Be Loved' and, most importantly, 'Your Anger is Legitimate'. How did she manage to become the powerhouse she is, whilst battling against being too white inside her home and too brown outside of it?This story of a second-generation British Indian woman up north is also a tale of tenacity and a life lived with positivity and humour. If you have ever felt alone, different, or just not the right sort of girl, this is the book for you.

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