Helpful Score: 2
So, I read this book because
a) a kid I work with recommended it to me and
b) it's about falling in love with someone you've never met.
Within the first couple pages, and the first couple name-drops of "Prada bag" and "GAP perfume," I was prepared to hate this novel as thinly-veiled marketing. After seeing all the characters neatly described by their a) hobbies and b) clothes, I expected this novel to have absolutely no depth whatsoever. "Great, another high school novel that would really rather be a chick-flick movie." It's got that "high school glamor" to it that clearly designates it as a book for girls who are too young for high school.
In spite of all that, I was surprised to find a glimmer of depth here, in an after-school-special sort of way. After all that talk about name-brand and all that time describing the protagonists' clothes, the message actually ended up being about challenging assumptions and breaking out of the role that your peers assign to you. What's more surprising was that it almost had a Jane Austen feel, picking up on her penchant for exposing the "charmers" as dangerous and the "misunderstoods" as noble. Although I don't think it was the authors' intention, this book could be interpreted as a modern version of "Pride and Prejudice." And that really tickled me.
So it ended up being less time wasted than I thought.
***
a) a kid I work with recommended it to me and
b) it's about falling in love with someone you've never met.
Within the first couple pages, and the first couple name-drops of "Prada bag" and "GAP perfume," I was prepared to hate this novel as thinly-veiled marketing. After seeing all the characters neatly described by their a) hobbies and b) clothes, I expected this novel to have absolutely no depth whatsoever. "Great, another high school novel that would really rather be a chick-flick movie." It's got that "high school glamor" to it that clearly designates it as a book for girls who are too young for high school.
In spite of all that, I was surprised to find a glimmer of depth here, in an after-school-special sort of way. After all that talk about name-brand and all that time describing the protagonists' clothes, the message actually ended up being about challenging assumptions and breaking out of the role that your peers assign to you. What's more surprising was that it almost had a Jane Austen feel, picking up on her penchant for exposing the "charmers" as dangerous and the "misunderstoods" as noble. Although I don't think it was the authors' intention, this book could be interpreted as a modern version of "Pride and Prejudice." And that really tickled me.
So it ended up being less time wasted than I thought.
***
Helpful Score: 1
Good book!
