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The Hindu
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Interview with Aria Aber, author of Good Girl, shortlisted for Women's Prize for Fiction 2025
Nila, 19, is in all respects a 'bad girl'. She is rebellious, she drinks, engages in substance abuse, and she dates a charismatic American novelist, Marlowe Woods, who is several years her senior. But the ironically titled Good Girl by Aria Aber (published by Bloomsbury), shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2025, is much more than a coming-of-age story. Aber explores broader themes such as immigrant experiences, racism, violence, desire, shame, and self-discovery in a powerful debut novel. Over a Zoom call, she speaks about her love for Berlin, and the characters she was forced to keep and kill. Edited excerpts: Q: Like Nila in the book, your parents are from Afghanistan and you were born and brought up in Germany. Is there anything of you in this book? A: Any work of fiction or art is autobiographical. I can give you an example of how I am every character in the book, not just Nila. When I started writing the book in 2020, I lived in North California and was working as a guest lecturer at Oakland University. I didn't have health insurance and I had to move back to Berlin to a small district, which was close to a club. Both these topographies ended up influencing the narrative of the book — specifically the biography of Marlowe Woods. So, there were things I took from my life that ended up in the book in unexpected ways. Q: This book is as much about Nila as it is about Berlin. What do you love about Berlin and what aspects of the city did you want to bring into this book? A: I love Berlin; it's one of the only places in the world, but specifically in Germany, where I have felt at home. It's diverse, alive, chaotic, and beautiful — and also a little rough, which is I think is aesthetically what I'm drawn to. When I was first there in 2012, I noticed that a lot of English-speaking expats were moving into the city. Berlin had already been populated by a new wave of voluntary migrants — not Turkish workers from the 1980s, or refugees from the Arab and Muslim world, but young creatives with degrees. They had come from Italy or Spain or Greece because the economy had collapsed after the financial crisis and Germany was one of the last stable economies. And then suddenly, there was this new influx of creatives, of Americans and British people. Something shifted around that time. I heard for the first time the person behind the counter at a bar not speaking German, but English. I wanted to capture the period before that happened, when expats were still in the city, but they were not as visible. I also really wanted to bring out the idea of parallel societies. Nila is ashamed of her heritage because she grows up in this post 9/11 world. She oscillates between two very intense worlds. One is her refugee community, which is not assimilated into the majority society properly, and the other is the underworld of the club kids, which is also not assimilated into the majority society properly. Both of these worlds are parallel and are being critiqued by common German citizens for not leading their lives according to the production and generation of capital. Q: A lot of your characters have conversations when they are drunk or when they are engaged in substance abuse. How did you research those portions? Did you watch films, read, interact with people? A: Dialogue comes pretty naturally to me, even though I do pay attention to it, probably subconsciously, when I watch films. I remember rewatching Lena Dunham's TV series Girls and just marvelling at how good and funny the dialogues were, and how realistic each character was. There are some writers I'm drawn to, such as Don DeLillo and Sally Rooney, who write great dialogue. So I think I look to other writers for dialogue. But for atmosphere and plot, I draw inspiration from films. Q: Given the age gap between Marlowe and Nila and the occasional violence that occurs within their relationship, this is tricky terrain to write about. It seems predatory at first glance, but when you look at it, Nila does have agency. How do you navigate this relationship without giving the reader the impression that this is okay? A: I wanted to explore the nuances and complications of a young person who believes they have full agency and control and then later on understand that the predatory aspects (of the relationship) that were not witnessed. So, what does that do to a person who is not a victim necessarily, but may have experienced some things within a relationship that were victimising her? Nila was looking for something exciting and she didn't know what it was. She didn't have the language for it, a way to articulate it, or draw a boundary. I wanted to write about juvenile confusion and self-destruction. Often, people who have self-destructive streaks seek them out in their relationships. I tried to go into the depths of that relationship and in order for that to feel human and realistic, I also had to understand Marlowe, so that he's not just a caricature. So I wrote some chapters from his perspective [which did not make it to the book]. Q: You're also a poet but your book doesn't read like a book by a poet, and that's not an insult! Was it a conscious choice to write differently? A: It is fascinating you say that. My intention was to not write a poet's novel. Not because I don't like reading them; I love reading them. I love an experimental plotless book that is linguistically interesting with sentences so delicious that I want to eat them. But I like the concept of a narrative having a beginning, a middle, and an end. A climax where the character experiences change to a point of no return, et cetera. That partly has to do with the fact that in Afghan culture — and this is probably true in Indian culture too — storytelling is very important. When you're in a social gathering, you can entice everyone with a story. Q: My favourite character in the book is Nila's mother. How attached were you to that character? A: She's actually one of my favourite characters too. I had to kill her because she was taking up too much space in the book. I had to kill my darling in order to write what I wanted to write about, which was Nila and Marlowe. My next book will be set in the 1980s in Afghanistan, and it will follow feminist revolutionaries [which Nila's mother was]. radhika.s@
Cosmopolitan
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
The Best Luxury Perfume Dupes, According to Fragrance-Obsessed Editors
Falling for a luxury perfume is all fun and compliments—until you realize it's a seriously pricey indulgence. One bottle of Le Labo or Carolina Herrera's Good Girl later, and suddenly you're shelling out hundreds of dollars for your signature scent every few months. But here's the thing: some of the best perfumes aren't sitting behind glass at fancy department stores. They're tucked away in the drugstore beauty aisle or available on Amazon with thousands of reviews, mimicking your designer faves without the splurge. That's right—there are some seriously impressive luxury perfume dupes out there for under $100, and they're giving your pricey bottles a run for their money. Team Cosmo is fragrance-obsessed, and we've spritzed a bunch of these picks against the originals. From viral body mists to under-$50 perfumes that could easily pass as the real thing, these are the best dupes for your favorite luxury scents.
Arab News
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Review: Aria Aber's debut novel ‘Good Girl' marks her as a writer to watch
JEDDAH: In her debut novel 'Good Girl,' German-born poet Aria Aber writes a raw tableau of contemporary German society, plunging readers into post-9/11 psyche through the eyes of Nila, a 19-year-old Afghan German girl. For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @ As Nila stumbles through Berlin's underground techno scene, the city emerges as a character that, like her, is fractured and being forged anew. Berlin seems to be in the throes of struggling to reinvent itself amidst rising Islamophobia and neo-Nazi violence, while Nila's quest for selfhood emerges in her rebellion against the suffocating expectations imposed on Afghan girls and the identity crisis born out of living in a society that seems suspicious of her presence. It's a tale as old as the human desire for movement and refuge: Nila is too Afghan for German society, and too German for the Afghan community, with both watching her every move. Aber's raw and fragmented narrative style mirrors her character's splintered identity while capturing her 'violent desire' to live and her aching need to belong and to be accepted as she is. Though the novel occasionally stumbles with uneven pacing and moments that may seem repetitive or overwritten, what sets it apart is the author's refusal to sanitize or sermonize. Nila's messy, unconventional path to self-discovery remains unapologetically hers. The emotional core of the novel lies in the tension between expectations placed on girls and the honor-based abuse that simmers beneath. Nila's parents, progressive by diaspora standards, permit her artistic pursuits and eschew strict traditions. Yet their insistence on a 'good girl' image still carries an undercurrent of control that constrains her freedom. Ultimately, 'Good Girl' is a young woman's howl against a world that demands she shrink, marking Aber as a writer to watch.
Newsweek
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Woman Linked to Chappell Roan Post—Unprepared for What Internet Does Next
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A small perfume business owner has shared her bewilderment after seeing a sudden spike in sales—she later discovered, to a cryptic Instagram post from pop star Chappell Roan. The owner, who runs Thin Wild Mercury (@thinwildmercury), posted a video asking for help solving the mystery of the unexpected sales boost. The TikTok quickly took off, amassing over 20,500 likes and 345,700 views. It all began when Roan posted on Instagram: "Will the girl who I just met at the perfume store please comment the perfume you recommended I wrote it down and just deleted it on accident. The word 'girl' was in the brand name & you said it smelled like lipstick. Thank you." Fans quickly swarmed the Hot to Go singer's post with one prevailing theory: she was talking about Girl of the Year, a scent by Thin Wild Mercury. As it turns out, the perfume's first note is—"lipstick." Still in the dark, the business owner was casually drinking a smoothie when her phone started blowing up with orders. She checked social media but couldn't immediately figure out what had triggered the sudden attention. "The shock I felt when someone dmed me a Chappell Roan post. It was insane. The way that her caption hit me when I read it was that she was in a perfume store chatting with somebody, and based off of what she was saying, they recommended something that she wasn't able to smell in the store and suggested perhaps my perfume," she explained. However, the mystery took a turn when debate erupted in the comments over whether the perfume in question was actually Girl of the Year or Good Girl by Carolina Herrera, which comes in a stiletto-shaped bottle. A TikTok user, @jessica_yk92, joined in, claiming to be the perfume store worker and saying the scent Roan was after was indeed Herrera's Good Girl. But shortly after, she admitted she was just joking. Chappell Roan attends the 67th GRAMMY Awards at Arena on February 02, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. Chappell Roan attends the 67th GRAMMY Awards at Arena on February 02, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. Axelle/Bauer-Griffin / Contributor/FilmMagic "Plot ain't me! I wasn't expecting this comment to get this many likes as it did I was just having a laugh. Please forgive me @chappellroan and the fans. I hope the real girl does come forward and gets a lifetime supply I feel so bad." The scent debate didn't end there. TikTokers joined in with curiosity and commentary. "What does it mean to smell like 'lipstick'?" asked Madison. "It's just like a base cosmetic smell. if you'd ever smelled like unscented lotion it's similar lol," responded danisjustwatching. "It has to be Girl Of The Year! The lipstick note is addicting and came to mind immediately when I saw the post!" said Landon. Eventually, the mystery was solved. The Thin Wild Mercury owner revealed that the girl from the perfume store—named Maggie—had reached out directly and confirmed the story. She also commented on the original TikTok: "It was actually me, I told her about girl of the year at scent bar. Suggested she buy both sample sets and play around no idea it was her when I mentioned it. You deserve your flowers!" Maggie later followed up with an email with the subject line: "The Chappell Roan thing lol," explaining that she recommended Girl Of The Year after hearing the pop star was looking for a "lip scented perfume." She confessed she didn't recognize Roan at the time—she doesn't listen to her music—but her friend realized it was the singer after spotting her tattoos as they left the shop. "So this is a cool story, but Chappell Roan has not smelled my perfume yet. She's just intrigued by it and interested in trying it out, so hopefully she does," the business owner concluded. TikTok users rallied in support of the brand and the moment: "Aww Maggie seems so sweet, I hope you'll send her the Laurel Canyon she's on the hunt for!" said Laura. "Omg so happy for you! you totally deserve the hype!!!" commented @spacegirlamber. "LOVE this for you," added @Elliescent. Newsweek reached out to @thinwildmercury and Maggie, @petillantbrat, for comment via social media. We could not verify the details of the case. Do you have any viral videos or pictures that you want to share? We want to see the best ones! Send them in to life@ and they could appear on our site.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Chappell Roan Looks Stunning (And Unrecognizable) With a Brand-New Hair Color
Chappell Roan isn't one to play it safe with her beauty looks. From her drag-inspired award show makeup to her signature deep-red curls, the singer's aesthetic has been built around going all-out with her glam. So when I spotted her latest Instagram post, I audibly gasped. Her hair? Stick-straight. The color? A soft, creamy orange. The 27-year-old pop star debuted the hair look in a casual selfie dump (relatable). Which, by the way, was posted not for a hair reveal, but because she was on the hunt for a mystery perfume. 'Will the girl who I just met at the perfume store please comment the perfume you recommended,' she wrote in the caption. 'I wrote it down and just deleted it on accident. The word 'girl' was in the brand name & you said it smelled like lipstick. Thank you.' The internet's beauty sleuths (aka, the comment section) came through with some guesses. They basically reached the verdict that the scent in question is Thin Wild Mercury's Girl of The Year, a few others suggested it's Carolina Herrera's iconic Good Girl. Whatever the scent is, I'm still fully fixated on Chappell's hair. The color is giving elevated ginger with a creamsicle twist, and it's the sleek styling that really changes up Chappell's vibe. She has never shied away from big, bold curls, so this switch-up feels like her soft-launching a new era—maybe even new music? Fingers crossed because while "The Giver" has been on loop for months, I need more. Now, is it a wig? Maybe. But I hope not. So Chappell, if you're reading this: I love the look. And also… I need to know which hair straightener you used. Tyvm! You Might Also Like Here's What NOT to Wear to a Wedding Meet the Laziest, Easiest Acne Routine You'll Ever Try
