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larksnest 's review for:
My Very '90s Romance
by Jenny Colgan
PREFACE: I picked this book because of the title and the cover. At no point does this book have anything to do with the nineties, whether in music or culture or setting or clothing. It feels entirely unrelated and misleading! How I wish this was a story involving pink combat boots and grunge. Be warned, other readers - you won't find 90s or even romance here.
Yipes, this was not good.
The good: The audiobook version has a very enjoyable narrator.
The bad: Our heroine is a whiny loser with no actual drive to change anything in her life, and keeps ending up in awful situations only to beg to be rescued from them by her hapless, pushover friend. She owns up to this in the first chapter of the book, saying that since her parents divorced as a teenager, she's chosen to believe that life isn't fair and none of it is ever her fault. She comes off as not very bright, as well as unmotivated. (facepalm)
Fast forward a bit to Holly getting immediately infatuated with her mysterious, introverted new roommate, Addison - simply because he's good looking. Not shared interests or viewpoints or good conversation... she thinks he's gorgeous and starts building him up as her soulmate and the person she's going to marry. Throughout the book, she pursues him one-sidedly, which was awkward and uncomfortable to read. The knowledge that he has an online girlfriend doesn't bother her at all. In fact, she can't stop calling her fat and deformed and other defamatory things, which felt gross.
She sort of has a few dates with this other guy named Finn, but they also have nothing in common and no chemistry. Again, it felt a little one-sided... and then she threw him over the moment she thought Addison might be remotely interested in her.
I realize this book isn't new, but shaming a women for her weight and looks and being super jealous of other women is so over, okay? Everything that had to do with Claudia, the animosity between Holly and almost every other female character... I know for a fact that good chick lit exists, and this shit tanks.
p.s. I forgot the overt bi-phobia about her "girly" flatmate and whether or not he might be into other guys.
Yipes, this was not good.
The good: The audiobook version has a very enjoyable narrator.
The bad: Our heroine is a whiny loser with no actual drive to change anything in her life, and keeps ending up in awful situations only to beg to be rescued from them by her hapless, pushover friend. She owns up to this in the first chapter of the book, saying that since her parents divorced as a teenager, she's chosen to believe that life isn't fair and none of it is ever her fault. She comes off as not very bright, as well as unmotivated. (facepalm)
Fast forward a bit to Holly getting immediately infatuated with her mysterious, introverted new roommate, Addison - simply because he's good looking. Not shared interests or viewpoints or good conversation... she thinks he's gorgeous and starts building him up as her soulmate and the person she's going to marry. Throughout the book, she pursues him one-sidedly, which was awkward and uncomfortable to read. The knowledge that he has an online girlfriend doesn't bother her at all. In fact, she can't stop calling her fat and deformed and other defamatory things, which felt gross.
She sort of has a few dates with this other guy named Finn, but they also have nothing in common and no chemistry. Again, it felt a little one-sided... and then she threw him over the moment she thought Addison might be remotely interested in her.
Spoiler
Then there is this weird turn of events where she tries to kiss Addison at the top of the cliff and he's so surprised/horrified that he loses his balance and falls off and ends up in a coma. Didn't see that coming, not that it enhanced the story for me... Holly tells everyone in the hospital that she's Addison's girlfriend, even though he has one and has literally NEVER SHOWN INTEREST IN HER. What the fuck? You can't claim someone is your partner just because they aren't awake to contest it.I realize this book isn't new, but shaming a women for her weight and looks and being super jealous of other women is so over, okay? Everything that had to do with Claudia, the animosity between Holly and almost every other female character... I know for a fact that good chick lit exists, and this shit tanks.
p.s. I forgot the overt bi-phobia about her "girly" flatmate and whether or not he might be into other guys.