After having a pretty interesting discussion over at Chicklit about the genre chicklit, I decided to knock back an easy read today: When in Rome by Gemma Townley. I heart Gemma Townley. She's totally underrated in terms of the phenoms of chicklit (Sophie Kinsella, Melissa Banks, Lauren Weisberger, Ms. Weiner, Ms. Keyes, etc), but I think she rises to the top, for more reasons than one.
1. The plots might be predictable, but they're never contrite and don't have obvious holes, like so many books I've read in the genre lately.
2. The heroines often have the same problems (two boys, one love; bad job, like shopping) as many chicklit books have, but they seem to rise above and use their wits to get them out of situations vs. their acumen when it comes to men.
3. She's a fun, flirty writer, and that's hard to achieve.
4. There are a lot of cute pop culture references that I love, and that seem to fit, which means they don't feel forced in any way. They just work. Like in this book, the heroine, Georgie, is obsessed with Roman Holiday. It just feels right for the character, even when she ends up in Rome and cuts her hair off, all stereotypical products of a good Audrey Hepburn movie, but it works both for the character and for the book.
5. I love books that I can read in two subway rides: one to work, one home from work. It's a minor pleasure in a busy life.
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3 comments:
a) you are a speed-reading freak of nature.
b) Audrey Hepburn movies were all made before you were born, which makes them unwatchable according to your rule of not watching any movie that precedes your birthdate, no?
Since being sick, and, well, being at home so much with TMN, I have slightly loosened that rule. I've actually seen most of "Roman Holiday" and thought it was quite lovely. Oh, and I watched "Casablanca" the other week too.
She's actually Sophie Kinsella's (whose real name is Madeleine Wickham)sister. I read it in an interview by Sophie Kinsella.
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