This book is such a huge disappointment. I guess this is a typical example of what happens when you fantasize so much about something that you've actually built up this ideal in your mind... which has nothing to do with reality, sadly. Careful people, spoilers ahead.
I'd like to begin by saying that I am a big fan of Anna and the French Kiss. That book's a master piece, clearly. I absolutely loved Stephanie Perkins' writing and I couldn't wait to read the companion book.
But unfortunately, Lola and the Boy Next Door feels like.. I don't know, the biggest letdown of the year?
First off, I have to say it; Lola surely is the most unbelievable and unlikable narrator, I have ever had the misfortune to read about. I'm sorry. I really wanted to like her, I did. But I hated her. I'm just one year older than she is, but all along the book, I felt like she was twelve. Her reactions, her constant lies, her attitude, everything bothered me... her dress code on top.
Okay. So I understand the concept of wanting to be different, as well as being into fashion. But this just felt ridiculous and weird and wrong. Seriously, big fake sparkly eyelashes and prom dresses and WIGS every day ? What is wrong with that girl? And how is this supposed to make her relatable?
She's self-centered and instead of making her look original, that just showed bad taste and immaturity. At some point she goes to school wearing a dress made out of a sheet and some Cleopatrian make up, hum, hello, ARE YOU FOR REAL?!
I understand if you're like eight or if it's Halloween or whatever but being a junior and all?
How come her parents don't say anything? Aren't they supposed to have a say in their kid's image or something? Don't they ever wonder why she feels the necessity of hiding herself? Of wearing outfits that make her absolutely unrecognizable in the streets? Don't they ever think it might be more than teenage drama? What kind of parents wouldn't sit the kid down and try to figure out what's going on?
I kept thinking that Lola was disturbed
Which naturally brings me to talk about the main hero of the story, Cricket. I feel so, so sorry that no one in the whole editing world could convince Perkins to change that name. It was just so irritating, it bugged (no pun intended) me the whole time and because of that, I was never, ever able to visualize him as a potential hottie.
Imagine you're at the hospital. After 9 months of long and exhausting pregnancy, you now have your baby boy in your arms, and he's perfect. And the smiling nurse comes to you and say "What will be the name of that sweetheart?" and you say ... CRICKET.
Perkins worked on that book with a simple goal: make teenage girls swoon over the characters, and over the story.
But for the love of God, people, just tell me!
HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO BE SWOONING OVER THAT?
So I'm sorry. I really am. But I just can't. It's beyond what I can accept. (And don't even get me started on the too-short-pants-and-pointy-red-shoes, because it's painfully obvious how Perkins tried to give him a wannabe "edgy"/hipster/rock n' roll attitude = so cool. Not. It's geeky and unattractive.)
Basically, I think what was really disturbing in that story is the lack of any realistic element whatsoever. Simplicity anyone ? Not here:
The names (Dolores
Perkins tried too much to differentiate her characters, just so her book would be nothing like the clichés of the YA lit world. She tried too hard. Way too hard. Everything was overdone. And the thing is, she doesn't even need to try that hard!
Perkins is an amazing writer; her work can be amazing, where tons of others just fail miserably. She doesn't need to develop extraordinary characters. Anna didn't have anything special but she was adorable.
Also, the love triangle was very badly achieved. From the first page, I think, Lola describes Max with the words "tattooed, 22 years old, rock star, pot-addicted, hated by the parents"... I mean, hey, diabolizing much ? (And a five year difference isn't SUCH a big deal. No, it just isn't. St Clair's reaction was ridiculous. Seriously, grow the fuck up Lola. If you keep thinking he's too old to the point of screwing up your relationship, then you're definitely too young.)
You know what, I think that's precisely the problem actually. Lola felt too young. Like Perkins aimed the book at a younger audience.
And of course, there's the whole "reverse plot" that everyone spotted. Now it's Lola who's in a relationship, and she has sex YOU GUYS so she's MATURE! But the whole detective thing with her best friend and everything.. It really felt like she was still a young teenager, and that's not what I want to read. I personally like it better when the characters of the books I read are a bit older than me (I suppose it makes me expect great adventures for the years to come or something like that).. But here, I felt like I'd borrowed a book from the middle school's library. And when Lola's acting like a stupid toddler.. it just makes me want to close that damn book and move on.
And the title was also a bad choice. Yes, yes, it's cute and all the 13 year olds will love it but since you know that the title is "boy next door", it was so obviouuus. So Lola virtually spends the whole story with some guy who you just KNOW is the wrong one. The more you read, the more Max is being described as an asshole - in case you didn't know you HAD to hate him and expect
The whole goal of love triangles is that you ache NOT knowing what choice would be the best.. Here, we're just left waiting for Lola to open her eyes and stop acting like a lying kid. It's exhausting, really.
There's another problem, which was SO irritating I wanted to throw the book away. Anna and Etienne. Please. PLEASE. I adored them in their OWN book, here they're just this ridiculous idealized version of a perfect couple, and I found myself cringing whenever they were saying cheesy pseudo romantic bullshit. I mean come on. Like, three months ago, Etienne was still with Ellie, doing his Spanish homework and whining like a baby that he didn't want to be alooone. So don't blame me for laughing out loud when he says oh-so-very-seriously "When you know, you know!"
Which makes me think about this awful scene that I found absolutely revolting :
So Lola's upset and she wants to talk about it with Anna, but she says reluctantly "I know you're just going to repeat everything to St Clair."
(This is the part where you expect Anna to say "Are you kidding? Of course not. It's not his business. Besides I have my own life, you know. We're not pathetic codependent idiots. What's going on? Talk to me")
Silly me.
Anna actually GRINS broadly and says "Yep".
(YEP. I swear that's what she answers!)
Seriously ? What kind of friend is that ? So basically, Perkins, being with someone means you can no longer be a friend and keep a secret without telling your
It was really annoying that repeatedly throughout the book, Etienne's mentioned as the-guy-ALWAYS-sticking-around-Anna, I don't think it's healthy not to have certain aspects of your life where you can be apart from each other. Besides, some stuff like the shrugs of Etienne were okay when it was noticed from Anna's point of view, here I think it was too much (
Overall, I'd say I couldn't bring myself to care about the (very boring) description of San Fransisco ; or the characters, or the plot, or anything, really. Actually I skimmed
It's a shame because I know what Perkins can do and this is why I won't give up on her. I'm sorta curious of her new book. Which I think is about Isla & Josh from Anna and the French Kiss. That does seem cool, Josh has the potential to be really interesting. I also read somewhere it took place in Paris or something so maybe it'll be better than this one. I hope so, anyway. Thanks for reading !["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>