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A review by janet
The Opposite of Me by Sarah Pekkanen
3.0
I'd never heard of this book before someone who works at the publishing house responded to an inquiry I made in a newsletter called _Shelf Awareness_. I am always on the lookout for books that mention migraine and other headache diseases (nonfiction & fiction alike), and the publicist mentioned that Pekkanen's book had a character who suffered from headaches. This was true, but references were few enough that I chose not to add this to my "migraine" list on Goodreads.
I am happy I read the book, though. This is exactly the sort of book I was in the mood for this weekend. I am in the midst of a migraine as we speak (a regular occurrence this time of the month), and I wanted something quick, fairly lighthearted, and not too dense to distract me from my discomfort. THE OPPOSITE OF ME fit the bill.
This novel get a solid three stars from me. Entertaining, enjoyable, funny in parts, tearjerking in parts. Some of the details of the story aren't quite believable because the characters aren't always quite fleshed out enough. I warn you (or comfort you?) with the fact that the storyline is predictable to a T, but that doesn't necessarily come as a bad thing. I was reminded of how viewers pretty much know the outcome of any given romantic comedy after seeing just one Julia Roberts or Cameron Diaz movie. I knew what was going to happen with the plot but didn't mind so much--I was along for the ride.
While not literary fiction, Pekkanen's writing is organized and pretty strong. No shockingly bad sentences like the ones I encounter in many "chick-lit" books. The author herself mentions in the afterword that she's not sure if this is chick-lit or not--she just hopes that people read it and like it. And I did.
I am happy I read the book, though. This is exactly the sort of book I was in the mood for this weekend. I am in the midst of a migraine as we speak (a regular occurrence this time of the month), and I wanted something quick, fairly lighthearted, and not too dense to distract me from my discomfort. THE OPPOSITE OF ME fit the bill.
This novel get a solid three stars from me. Entertaining, enjoyable, funny in parts, tearjerking in parts. Some of the details of the story aren't quite believable because the characters aren't always quite fleshed out enough. I warn you (or comfort you?) with the fact that the storyline is predictable to a T, but that doesn't necessarily come as a bad thing. I was reminded of how viewers pretty much know the outcome of any given romantic comedy after seeing just one Julia Roberts or Cameron Diaz movie. I knew what was going to happen with the plot but didn't mind so much--I was along for the ride.
While not literary fiction, Pekkanen's writing is organized and pretty strong. No shockingly bad sentences like the ones I encounter in many "chick-lit" books. The author herself mentions in the afterword that she's not sure if this is chick-lit or not--she just hopes that people read it and like it. And I did.