Sunday 2 January 2011

Six Months to read a book ...

Yes, it's true, the holiday chicky-litty, light-hearted, fun, easy-to-read, no pressure, rom-com I chose to read whilst away for a few days in the sun last summer, has just been binned. I couldn't possibly pass it on to anyone else to read. Giving anyone a pile of trivia with an interest level of minus 1 to a reader or non-reader just wouldn't be fair.

As a follow up to the The Devil Wears Prada, Last Night at Chateau Marmont by Lauren Weisberger was one of the most boring reads I have ever undertaken. With every movement and utterance expressed the the nth degree, I wondered how I ever managed a routine day without logging my every movement and comment. I know I'm sounding harsh - but has anyone ever asked for their money back when they've endured a poor read? I often wonder where do the trading standards stand on this? After all, the blurb does promise 'dining at the glitziest restaurants, attending the most outrageious parties ... jetting off the the trendiest hotspots.' I suppose a book is like a hair-doo / cut - we just cringe, accept it in public ~ and complain later.

Having had my moan - I have to say that I can completely see the novel on the screen. The heartbreak, the eccentric in-laws, the rock-stardom and the romantic re-union. Sadly, Ms Weisberger didn't manage to create a realistic heartbreak, the in-laws were gaudy but boring and the rising rock star, Julian, lacked charisma, energy, musicality, sex-appeal, any kind of power or pzazz ... in fact, totally rock-star-less. As for the sorry to repeat it again, boring, what was her name, oh yes, Brooke [nick-named Rook or Rooky by the un-romantic Julian], the text was virtually faint for most of the time. Come to think of it, I still don't know what Brook/Rook/Rooky looks like and I sure find her name irritating.

It makes me think ~ I could have easily written something like that. Ok, I hear you say ... Get on with it. Point taken. I do beleive there's always something to learn from every experience in life - and plenty to learn here. This story is so simple. And people are buying it [even if it is on the back of The Devil Wears Prada]. The husband becomes famous. The wife is left behind. They make up in the end. There aren't too many characters. The one main girl-friend appears at the most obvious times. We know what's going to happen next [Something to learn NOT to do]. No real surprises [Something else to learn NOT to do]. It's easy when I think about it. Just follow the basic plan. Simplify my story, delete some characters, save them for the follow up novel, in fact, save them for the next 2 novels. So why am I wasting time talking about someone else's novel instead of getting on with mine?

Point taken. Off to write the beginning of chapter 8 ...

And maybe next time I'm looking for a holiday chicky-litty, light-hearted, fun, easy-to-read, no pressure rom com type novel, I'll try something more intentional ~ something from my long reading list or even just go to see a film ...

Thoroughly inspired to get writing now I've got that off my chest ...

Gillian

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