Chick Lit: Review of Undomestic Goddess

(Previously unposted)
I actually found chick lit quite enjoyable sometimes.

They are fun to read, easy on page turning and light on the mind. Plus you get a glimpse of how women think. Albeit a very tiny glimpse...heheh.

Last week, I picked up Sophie Kinsella's "The Undomestic Goddess" last week from Way In bookstore in Beirut. I started reading the novel before my flight from Beirut to Algiers and finished the book soon after landing. That took a little more than 4 hours. Not a feat considering the book is quite easy to read. It's plot is straight-forward when compared to sci-fi, fantasy and thrillers books that I usually read.

However, I did find some of the characterization, perhaps intended for a dramatic comedy effect, not to my liking.

For instance, some characters were badly portrayed. Trish and Edwards, in particular, despite being mentioned as self-made business owners, were uncharacteristically portrayed as dumb and gullible.

It doesn't take long to figure out if someone is lying to be a professional. In the book's case, even with weekend cooking lessons from a good cook, it's not going to do a lot of good in a short span of weeks. Not good enough to do a gala event anyway. This subplot took a lot of suspension of belief on my part.

As a promising young top notch lawyer, the protagonist, Samatha, was gauche in several social situation and often prone to resort to a childish and whimsical behaviour.

Although such extremes in characterization is not quite persuasive in my opinion, anything is permissible in the name of good entertainment, perhaps.

Despite the flaws, the book did have it's moments and a bit of humour. I do recommend the book for someone who wants some lighthearted airplane reading.