Book Review: Everything is Perfect When You’re a Liar by Kelly Oxford

Kelly Oxford rose to fame on Twitter with her pithy, clever updates.  In this funny memoir, she shares more of her personal stories.  Essay topics range from her experiences as a precocious child growing up in suburban Canada to her experiences as a mother.

The stories present in Oxford’s book are loosely chronological, starting with her precocious childhood (these stories are often gratingly obnoxoious) and moving into her young adulthood.  The book also deals with Oxford’s experiences with parenthood, and she often takes a no-holds-barred approach to storytelling.  This works, sometimes: her voice as a child and a teenager comes across as incredibly entitled (which was the point, I think), and it makes it hard to like her.

The strongest parts of the book are near the end, when Oxford seems to grow into her voice. Standout essays include “How I Met Your Father” and “An Open Letter to the Nurse Who Gave Me an Enema Bottle,” but many of the other stories sort of blend into the background.  These are funny, heartfelt, and entertaining.

Of course, the problem here is that Oxford isn’t much of a writer.  Her true calling is as a funny voice on Twitter, and what’s disappointing about this collection of essays is that she stays far away from that topic.  The most interesting thing about her is her celebrity-persona on the social networking site, and her decision to only briefly mention it feels like a mistake.

Although this is a sometimes funny memoir, it’s also totally forgettable.  Recommended to hardcore fans of Oxford or readers looking for a light collection of autobiographical essays, but there’s better stuff out there. A tendency to be a grating personality will alienate some readers.

Everything is Perfect When You’re a Liar by Kelly Oxford. Harper Collins: 2013.  Electronic copy accepted for review via Edeweiss.

Book Review: How to be a Woman by Caitlin Moran

Throughout Caitlin Moran’s humorous memoir, she interweaves observations about women’s lives today with anecdotes about her own experiences in becoming a woman.  Nothing is taboo or out of bounds for Moran, who covers issues such as Brazilian waxes, abortion, pregnancy, weddings, and popular entertainment without even pausing to catch her breath.  Equal parts funny and thought-provoking, Moran’s memoir is sure to delight while it also inspires.

Except that Moran spends too much time trying to delight, and not enough time actually thinking about her arguments and the kind of message they send.  It isn’t that Moran hasn’t done her homework–because it’s clear that she has–it’s more that she seems to subscribe too often to the classic white-feminist viewpoint and completely ignores intersectionality.

This is too bad, because Moran has some good stuff present in her humor-memoir-manifesto.  She doesn’t shy away from any topics, and her honesty is refreshing.  There are whole chapters that are particularly effective, including the one on abortion, which is searingly honest.  Her anecdotes about her childhood growing up in a poor, large family also lend humor and color to the book.

But there are so many moments where Moran goes off the rails that it’s hard to remain on her side throughout the book’s pages.  Moran tries so hard to hit all the marks of feminism while also remaining pithy and cool, and while this in and of itself gets a little grating, it’s her blind spots when it comes to intersectional feminism, transgenderism, and cissexism that are the most jarring in a book that’s supposedly a call to arms for all women.

Moran tends to see issues in a very black-or-white way.  While this is partially put into place to add to the humor of Moran’s book (and she is very funny), it’s also quite polarizing.  Of course, reader sensitivity will play a role in how all of her statements are taken, but the fact remains that her humorous tone often comes off as a little too dismissive:

Even the most ardent feminist historian…can’t conceal that women have basically done fuck-all for the last 100,000 years. Come on — let’s admit it. Lest stop exhaustively pretending that there is a parallel history of women being victorious and creative, on an equal with men, that’s just been comprehensively covered up by The Man. There isn’t.

It seems odd that Moran is making the argument that women have done nothing in the history of humankind.  While she is clearly exaggerating, it is this same kind of dismissive attitude that is so often applied to the histories of people of color by white people.  It is a slippery slope, and it’s also kind of offensive.

Unfortunately, that isn’t the end of Moran’s lack of empathy for marginalized groups.  Take, for example, Moran’s distinction between stripping and burlesque dancing:

With burlesque, not only does the power balance rest with the person taking her clothes off…but it also anchors its heart in freaky, late-night, libertine self expression: it has a campy, tranny, fetish element to it.

There’s a lot to unpack there, and whether or not the reader agrees with Moran about burlesque being so different from stripping is beside the point when one unpacks the offensive, loaded terms she uses to describe burlesque.  This sort of language is rife with cissexism connotations and feels particularly insensitive, given what Moran is trying to accomplish.

Not all readers will have the same reading experience, and many will enjoy Moran’s very British take on the current state of women’s issues.  However, anyone who is interested in a dialogue about intersectional feminism will have to look elsewhere, as Moran turns a complete blind eye to it in her memoir (and hasn’t been great about it on Twitter, either).

How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran. Ebury Press: 2011. Library copy.

Book Review: Bad Hair Day by Carrie Harris

Kate Grable has scored an internship shadowing the county medical examiner as part of her school’s pre-med program (we’re assuming that high schools have pre-med programs, I guess).  When he’s arrested for murder, she’s left with the bodies.  Then her brother Jonah finds a dead gamer girl, and Kate starts to realize that someone is killing kids–and whoever is doing it is really, really hairy.  Is it a werewolf?  Kate’s skeptical, but if she doesn’t solve the mystery, kids are going to keep dying.

Harris’s follow-up to the frequently funny Bad Taste in Boys starts where the first one left off.  In this very short, very entertaining novel, readers are treated to more of Kate’s geeky science-nerd desire to know what is going on.  Readers also get more time with Kate’s funny younger brother and Kate’s eclectic group of friends.  There’s a lot of the same stuff here, and when it works, it works well.  This is fun, frothy horror-humor.

The novel is definitely campy, but its tongue-in-cheek approach makes readers aware of the fact that the novel knows just how campy it is.  The plot starts rolling right away and doesn’t let up, which should keep even the most reluctant reader hooked.  There aren’t a ton of other titles like this for contemporary YA fans, so this one should stand out in that respect.

Funny, smart, and accessible for younger readers, this one should work for fans of the first in the series and anyone looking for a lighter side to their humor.  The novel is so fun that even the fact that the plot is far-fetched doesn’t really matter.

Bad Hair Day by Carrie Harris. Delacorte Press: 2012. Electronic galley accepted for review via NetGalley.

Book Review: Keeping the Castle by Patrice Kindl

Althea is seventeen and the only hope for her entire family.  If she doesn’t marry well, her mother and brother stand to lose everything, which isn’t much.  The family lives in a crumbling castle near some cliffs with Althea’s two (sort of) evil stepsisters.  While Althea is very beautiful, it’s more complicated than that: there are very few wealthy suitors to choose from, and even fewer handsome ones.  Then Lord Boring arrives and sets all the eligible women in town into a flurry of flirting.  To complicate things, Lord Boring’s friend and business manager Mr. Fredericks seems to tag along to all the events and outings, and he tends to cause trouble wherever he goes.

A delight of a book, Kindl’s Regency-set romance is a witty, frothy good time.  Kindl has crafted a strong, smart heroine in Althea, who wants to have adventures but fully realizes she will have to marry for money.  She loves her family but recognizes that they’re mostly useless, and as a result, she has to be the strong one.  Althea’s smart, funny (really, really funny) narration propels this sweet little book.  Although it’s largely predictable, it’s also incredibly fun.

There’s a lot of silliness to be found within the pages of Kindl’s breezy novel.  The characters are charming and funny, and Kindl’s gentle mocking of the Regency-era tropes adds a layer of entertainment to the already compelling story.  Althea’s attempts to attract a suitor are engaging and very funny.  Readers will be as enamored with her as her eventual marriage prospect is.

Funny, witty, and satisfying.  This is a great, sweet historical romantic comedy.  Teens looking for clean, clever reads will gobble this one up.  Recommended especially for fans of Jane Austen.

Keeping the Castle by Patrice Kindl. Viking Children’s Books: 2012. Library copy. Read for 2012 Cybils Round 1 Panel.

Book Review: Guy Langman, Crime Scene Procrastinator by Josh Berk

Guy Langman doesn’t let much ruffle him.  He’s your typical smart-boy slacker: he just doesn’t care all that much.  But when his best friend Anoop convinces him to join the school’s forensics club in order to meet some girls, Guy decides to go for it.  What results isn’t what they necessarily thought they were going to get: there’s a real dead body, a bunch of valuable stolen coins, and the fact that Guy can’t stop thinking about his recently-deceased father.  Like it or not, Guy’s going to have to use all his new forensic skills to figure some stuff out.

It’s difficult to walk the line between humor and grief.  It’s even harder to blend the two so perfectly, but that’s exactly what Josh Berk does in this funny, heartfelt novel about a slacker kid who’s starting to figure out his life.  Vivid characters, truly funny observations about life and love, and a memorable plot make this a standout in the mystery genre this year.

Berk nails Guy’s voice from page one, and in doing so guarantees that he’ll hook even the most reluctant reader (this one was convinced).  Guy is too smart for his own good, bored by school, and apathetic about most things, but it becomes clear early on that he’s really struggling with the death of his father.  There’s some character growth here, but it’s subtle, and Berk goes for the laughs as often as he does the tears.

A brilliant supporting cast make this one a total trip to read.  All of the characters who populate Guy’s world are interesting, quirky, and undeniably human.  The hijinx Guy and his friends find themselves up to are completely entertaining, and the novel’s quick pacing keep the games afoot (or a-thumb, as the case may be).

Overall a really fun read with a surprising amount of depth.  Highly recommended, but especially for those who like their humor a little dark and their wit a little edgy.  One of my favorite reads of the fall, for the laughs alone.

Guy Langman, Crime Scene Procrastinator by Josh Berk.  Knopf Books for Young Readers: 2012. Library copy. Read for 2012 Cybils Round 1 Panel.

 

Book Review: Getting Over Garrett Delaney by Abby McDonald

Sadie has been in love with her best friend Garrett for two years.  She’s pined for him since they first met, and he has remained blissfully oblivious to her affection.  Her unrequited love has reached new heights when Garrett leaves for the summer to go on a literary retreat–and then calls her to tell her he’s fallen in love.  Figuring that’s the final straw, Sadie sets out to create a 12-step program to help her get over him, and enlists the help of her new friends at the coffee shop where she’s gotten a job.

Abby McDonald’s crafted an entertaining anti-romance with this novel, and it’s sure to appeal to readers looking for smart, funny heroines.  This novel about unrequited love and how to move on offers an inside look into how hard it can be to let someone go while still keeping a light tone and a sense of humor throughout.  While it’s certainly predictable, the novel offers a fresher take on a sometimes tired topic.

Sadie is a remarkably well-drawn protagonist.  Her candid first person narrative provides plenty of insight into what makes her tick as well as providing plenty of laughs for both her and the reader.  Sharp insight into her own ridiculousness helps lessen some of the shenanigans she engages in, including a scene where she ends up spread-eagle on the floor during a mad rush at work in order to take a phone call from Garrett.  Sadie’s character is easy to relate to but never seems too much like an everygirl.

Much of the supporting cast is colorful and well-drawn, too.  The girls Sadie befriends at the coffee shop add dimension and humor to the story.  Sadie’s evolution as a character is marked by her taking chances on making new friends and discovering that the world doesn’t revolve around Garrett (much as he might like it to).  There’s some nice stuff done here with regard to female friendships, which was a pleasant surprise.

This reviewer couldn’t help but wish that Garrett had been a little more authentic.  Near the end of the book especially, McDonald goes to great lengths to make Garrett seem like a total jerk, and it felt a little forced.  There were plenty of smaller moments throughout the book to get the point across, and the culminating event feels a little like overkill.  Despite all this, it’s an incredibly enjoyable read.

Recommended to fans of contemporary YA featuring plucky heroines.

Getting Over Garrett Delaney by Abby McDonald. Candlewick: 2012.  Library copy.

Book Review: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling

Part memoir, part humorous essay, Mindy Kaling’s first book aims to be a little bit of everything.  She offers stories about growing up the obedient child of immigrants, offers a list of commandments for a best friend, and offers some tidbits about what it’s like to be a writer for The Office.  A quick, breezy read, Kaling’s book offers some gentle laughs and some genuine insights into a very bright, very funny woman.

It’s impossible for Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? to live up to its own hype.  When the publisher released a sneak peek of the book on the internet last year, the outlook was exceptionally good: the parts of the book readers were privy to were well-written, funny, and warm.  While this is true of most of Kaling’s book, the thing as a whole doesn’t quite work.  Although it is often funny, Kaling’s odd detours from personal memories–like when she talks about why guys should wear pea-coats–detract from the book’s resonance.

The best parts of the book are the parts where Kaling writes about the entertainment industry.  Her keen observations about being a female writer in comedy are particularly astute, and it is here that she really shines.  Her observations about life as a writer on the set of The Office and her struggles to make it as a writer/actress in Hollywood in general are some of the book’s strongest moments.  She writes about her coworkers with grace and admiration, and there’s nothing saccharine or fake about it: she genuinely admires these people.

There’s no doubt that Kaling is funny.  It’s also clear that she’s a good writer, as her conversational tone throughout the book is part of its appeal.  In fact, it often reads like a more verbose version of her Twitter feed, which isn’t a bad thing at all.  This reader just wishes the book had been more focused and that Kaling had allowed herself to be as funny as we know she is.

Recommended to fans of Kaling’s Twitter, fans of The Office, fans of light comedy.

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling. Crown Archetype: 2011.  Purchased copy for Kindle.

Book Review: Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

For sixth-grader Greg, life is kind of complicated. He and his best friend Rowley have always bonded over the fact that both of them are weaklings amongst boys who could break them in half.  When Rowley starts to get more popular than Greg, he does everything he can to ensure that he doesn’t lose his best friend.  Told in short diary entries interspersed with cartoons, Greg’s story of his first year of middle school is at times very funny and very poignant.

In the interest of full disclosure, I should state that this isn’t a book I would have picked up if it hadn’t been required reading for my children’s lit class.  The book has been on my radar simply because it’s become something of a pop culture phenomenon, especially with pre-teen boys, and there have been a couple of successful movies based on the books (which actually started as a web series).  But a book about a middle-school boy?  Not necessarily my cup of tea.  Considering how beloved it is, I’m guessing that’s why it didn’t work for me.

The book has a lot of things that make it stand out.  Full of legible “hand-lettered” text and simple, funny cartoons, its marketed perfectly to the ADD-generation.  Readers who like graphic novels are more likely to be drawn to this book than to a more traditional book full of text.  Kinney’s funny, pitch-perfect pre-teen boy voice helps propel the story.  It’s fast-paced and a quick read.  The trials and tribulations of Greg are pretty universal to the middle-school experience, and many readers will sympathize with what he goes through.  It’s easy to relate to, to be sure.

Of course, for me, the problem was that Greg wasn’t very sympathetic.  Despite the fact that Kinney peppers his novel with believable dialogue and interesting secondary characters, the book never quite worked for me.  While I realize that Greg’s deadpan voice was intentional and the accompanying comics were meant to enhance the humor of said deadpan, I couldn’t get past what a total jerk Greg was.  His obliviousness to his friends and family is supposed to become a running joke in the story, but the fact that Greg never displays even an ounce of personal growth grated on me.  There’s no real character development, and that’s something I can’t forgive.

Even so, this book is going to resonate with reluctant readers.  Boys, especially, will benefit from Kinney’s funny, pretty accurate account of sixth grade.  Recommended to middle-grade readers.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney.  Abrams books for Young Readers: 2007.  Library copy.

(#91) Book Review: Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang by Chelsea Handler

Chelsea Handler is back with a third collection of stories about her crazy life.  These stories run the gamut from her weird youth to her even weird family to the nasty pranks she likes to play on her friends.  As each story seems to get crazier and even more ludicrous, Handler still manages to top it with the next.  Anecdotes from her life continue to entertain in this collection of conversational essays.

The problem with Handler’s third collection of essays about her life is that the joke is starting to wear thin.  Whereas Handler’s first two books were very funny and seemed generally focused, this one feels rushed, a little forced, and completely disjointed.  There’s no cohesive feeling to this one, and when I read about the fact that Handler has talked openly about how hard this one was to write and how much she hated doing it, it made sense.  There’s an undercurrent of resentment running through this one, and it made for a rather unpleasant reading experience.

That’s not to say that there aren’t moments where Handler is particularly funny or on-point.  The early parts of the book are its strongest moments, including the story about how Handler discovered masturbation as a child & the story about the day she stayed in bed and watched the Sex & the City movie twice in a row.  These bits give way to meandering stories about vacations with her friends and elaborate pranks she’s played on employees, and it is here that I started to get uncomfortable as a reader.  Not only were the stories overly-long to the point where I wondered where it was all going, but some of them were so mean-spirited that I no longer felt comfortable reading about her exploits.

Some readers have taken issue with what they think is Handler’s tendency to grossly exaggerate her stories.  This makes some people question the legitimacy and veracity of the stories Handler weaves, but that isn’t my issue.  Handler is a comedian; exaggeration is comedy’s bread and butter.  My issue lies with the fact that in this third book, Handler is not very funny, nor is she very unique.  This book read like a woman who has run out of good stories and resents the fact that she’s expected to keep coming up with stuff.  Give this one a pass and revisit one of Handler’s first two collections.

Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang by Chelsea Handler.  Grand Central Publishing: 2010.  Borrowed on Kindle.

(#84) Book Review: Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris

It doesn’t take long for football team manager Kate Grable to figure out that not only is the coach giving the team steroids, but they’re having an unintended effect on the boys.  The boys who have been dosed turn into zombies with a thirst for human flesh.  As the zombies threaten to take over the school (and the town), Kate rushes to figure out a way to protect herself, her crush Aaron, and her little brother, Jonah.

Carrie Harris’s Bad Taste in Boys is pretty mindless.  It’s a fun, often funny romp through a world in which zombies exist but aren’t as terrifying as they maybe should be.  Harris has a light sense of humor and a quick wit, and those two things carry the rather thin premise of this book all the way to the end.  Cartoonish violence and virtually no sexual content make this a good pick for the younger teen set.

The character of Kate is given more development than any of the characters who populate her world.  She is smart, funny, and mostly fearless.  Added to this is the fact that she’s a total science nerd with clear goals and aspirations, and we have a much stronger heroine than many YA books today.  Of course, Kate’s quest to find a cure to the zombie virus takes a little too long, as the answer has been staring her in the face since nearly the beginning of the story.  This obtuseness was hard for this reader to swallow but will likely be ignored by many readers.

The rest of the characters in the story aren’t given nearly as much development.  Kate’s crush, Aaron, is literally an every boy because I couldn’t tell you a thing about him.  He could be anyone.  Kate’s parents are almost nonexistent, her friends are pretty interchangeable, and while her brother Jonah has a couple of good moments, he’s pretty underdeveloped, too.  All of this almost doesn’t matter, though, because Harris’s story is whip-fast, paced extremely well, and really, really fun.

Recommended for reluctant readers and the younger teen set looking for a fun summer read.  This is one that can be torn through in a day.  Fans of series are in luck: this is the first in a planned series; the next features Kate taking on werewolves.

Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris.  Delacorte: 2011.  Library copy.