Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld was my April Book of the Month pick. It was not on my radar, but it was the most intriguing book from that month’s selections. This book is labeled and marketed as a romance. However, it is much more or a character-driven story focused on the female main character’s growth. Read on for my synopsis and review:
Synopsis
Sally Milz is a comedy writer on the SNL-type show “The Nigh Owls.” Having been burned in the past, she stays away from serious romantic relationships. But, when pop star Noah Brewster comes on the show and expresses interest in her, she is dubious about his intentions. Sally must overcome her self-consciousness and skepticism to believe that someone like Noah could be interested in her.
Details/Review
- The structure of this book is very unique: it is broken into three distinct chapters. Chapter 1 focuses on Sally’s life at “The Night Owls”; chapter 2 is epistolary in the form of emails; chapter 3 is about Sally and Noah during quarantine (August 2020).
- I thought chapter 1 was interesting, but it lasted too long for my liking (it was 128 pages to be exact). There was just a bit too much detail about the night show for me.
- I struggled to connect with Sally. I found her reluctance and her defense mechanisms to be confusing. I think I wanted her to be like Liz Lemon from 30 Rock who is a bit disgusting yet lovable.
- Sittenfeld weaves some social commentary throughout the story. Sometimes I thought it was well-placed, other times it felt like overkill.
- Part of this story takes place during the pandemic. I really am not quite ready to relive those years yet, even fictionally. This detracted from my enjoyment of the story as well.
- I was excited about this one, and the premise sounded really interesting. Unfortunately, the execution fell flat, and the pacing was off.
Rating: ★★★
You can buy Romantic Comedy by clicking here or by visiting your local bookstore. ☻