In this modern and very American true account of coming of age in the 1990's, Blais tells the story of the Lady Hurricans, a high school girls' hoops team. These girls worry about pimples, but more about how to juggle their divorced parents. They are aware of and angry about what coverage women's athletics gets, always "includes adjectives like 'lithe,' 'winsome' and 'gorgeous'" ... They could use, says one, "You know, words like strong." These girls are hip, they say things like "You go, girl" when they're down. They listen to Prince and Naughty by Nature to get psyched up. They are confident, or as confident as teen-agers can get. And they know who they have to rely on -- themselves. An emotional and insightful glimpse of high school athletes. This is a brilliant insider's guide to teen-aged girls.
"In These Girls, Hope ia a Muscle," by Madeleine Blais. 263 pages. New York: Atlantic Monthly Press. $21.