What is a Karen, where did the catchphrase come from and are we Karens? Eleanor and Alecia ponder these philosophical questions of the day along with the Sad Girl genre. Associated with millenial women writers such as Sally Rooney, Caroline O’Donogue, Dolly Alderton, and Australians Madeleine Gray and Jessie Stephens, sad, mad and/or bad girl novels feature a young woman whose life is a hot mess. But is it a new genre? And is there something glamorous or alluring about being a young sad girl?

Broadcast: 6 April 2024.