Rating: 
Summary: Not that great
Review: I picked up this book because I like Steve Martin. I think he is smart and funny. This book is neither. I caught myself praying that Mirabelle's doctor would abandon her and cut off her mood-altering drugs which would lead to her grabbing a gun....--but not before she offed Mr. Ray Porter. I wasn't expecting this to be a wild and crazy book. But I was expecting something interesting.
Rating: 
Summary: slight
Review: I know that I should have done a better job of managing my expectations when I settled into my car to listen to Steve Martin's "Shopgirl." Over the years, I have admired how the author has managed to keep a strong following while at the same time continuing to push into more "mature" projects. That said, I found myself a bit disappointed by the story of Mirabelle the Shopgirl.Mirabelle is the saleswoman at the counter of the glove department of Nieman Marcus. Mirabelle is a small-town girl fighting depression and loneliness in Los Angeles. She is in her mid-twenties, feeling her way through her post-college awkwardness in a city that doesn't know what to do with a shy artist from Vermont. We follow Mirabelle through two romantic relationships. One with a wealthy businessman and another with a slacker in the guitar amplifier business. The meat of the book is found in the inner-thoughts of the characters who are all feeling their way through the politics of sex, commitment, love, and relationships. Interestingly, I found that the descriptions of the thoughts of the secondary characters were more fully explored than those of the main character. I suspect that the thoughts of the male characters came more easily to the author. Somehow, I found the thoughts of the shop-girl herself to be largely caricatures of what men think that women are probably thinking. I'd be interested to hear the comments of women that have read this book. I doubt that I would have even considered this book had it not been for my familiarity of Steve Martin. That being said, it was a nice non-challenging book to listen to while commuting. Don't come expecting the Steve Martin of The Three Amigos. Don't come expecting the Steve martin of The Spanish Prisoner either.
Rating: 
Summary: Wonderfully Surprised...
Review: I had to slightly chuckle to myself when I first purchased this book, thinking of Steve Martin sitting there writing this from a woman's point of view. As I was reading, and after I finished it, I could not believe that a man wrote this. I am currently in a similar situation and could relate to everything Maribelle was going through. I was wonderfully pleased at how Steve Martin managed to capture the many dimensions of the characters. If you have ever been in a 'May-December relatoinship/romance' or are going through one now, I deffinetely recomend reading this book. It puts so many things in perspective.
Rating: 
Summary: Heather Grahmm Should Play Mirabelle.....
Review: This is a surprise. When I heard Imus talk up the book I had to read it. WOW is it funny.It is a good story as well. For maximum effect think of Heather Grahmm as Mirabelle. Buy it..you won't be sorry.
Rating:
Summary: A Well Written Character Study
Review: This isn't the kind of book I would normally read, I bought it mainly because I enjoy everything Steve Martin does. Pure Drivel, his collection of essays and articles, caused me to laugh so hard it hurt. I was expecting the same kind of insight and irony in this book. I was taken by surprise however. While this book is full of clever quips and observations, it is also very insightful in it's explorations of love and loneliness and what people do to avoid that loneliness. The main characters, Mirabelle and Ray, are written very three dimensional. The author doesn't flinch at showing the little girl neediness of Mirabelle as well as her endearing innocence. Likewise, Ray Porter is shown to be a shallow user but without making excuses for him the author also shows that he is a decent man. The secondary characters also recieve a non-judgemental exploration of who and why they are what they are. The ending had just the right touch. It wasn't the fairy tale, happy ending but a realistic, life-goes-on ending that had happiness in it. This book packs a rich dense narrative into 128 pages. It makes you care for Mirabelle and the people in her life. I'm glad I tried a book I wouldn't normally have read. Mr. Martin has written an enjoyable, fluid first novel and I look forward to more.
Rating:
Summary: Mixed Feelings
Review: I enjoyed the characters in this book BUT... you never feel as if they are feeling anything. Still the book ended much too soon for me, I would have liked to keep on reading, perhaps hoping they would have an emotional breakthrough beyond a few sentences.
Rating:
Summary: Quick Entertaining Story
Review: I absolutely loved this book. The characters are well developed and quite interesting. Mr. Martin did a great job writing this story. Shop Girl is the type of book you need while sitting by the pool soaking up rays. Buy it!!! You will NOT be disappointed!
Rating:
Summary: Compact Analysis of Relationships
Review: Steve Martin has grown from being that wild and crazy guy of the '70s into a remarkably perceptive writer of the 90's. While Shopgirl may not be great literature it is however worthy of a careful read. In this novella we follow the life and loves of Mirabelle Buttersfeld, a shopgirl at the Beverly Hills Neiman Marcus. Mirabelle is a little like all of us shy, not real sure of herself and looking for someone to love her for who she is. In the course of the novel she becomes involved with the much older Ray Porter. Ray uses Mirabelle for his own ends but over time becomes quite fond of her for reasons that he either can't or won't admit to himself. Martin is extremely perceptive in his writing and the reader sees the relationship from both sides. It becomes a sort of "he said-she said" with the narrator interjecting himself only enough to make sure that the reader notes the differences. The style of the story takes a little getting used to. There is almost no real dialogue to speak of but rather a detached third person monologue taking in the lives of all the characters. If there is a weakness in the story it is in the development of some of the secondary characters. At one point an old army acquaintance of Mirabelle's father is introduced and then disappears. We get no clear picture of Mirabelle'snemesis, Lisa Cramer, who does however provide some of the story's best comic relief. All in all this novella provides the reader insight into the relationship process of the '90's and a good deal to think about. The novella reads relatively well and is a small triumph for the newly mature Steve Martin. I look forward to more to come in the future.
Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Book for any Author
Review: I don't understand some of the criticisms written below. Shopgirl is a finely written novella that shows real sensitivity on behalf of the author. The surface level plot explores a variety of relationships from different vantage points. And the author does an admirable job of intricately intertwining the characters in the underlying subtext. Shopgirl is poignant and insightful without being condescending. Above all, Shopgirl is an easy read and very entertaining with a few rather humerous moments. For readers who enjoyed Shopgirl, I would also recommend Fried Calamari and Love Songs of the Tone-Deaf, both of which I found to be witty, unique and insightful.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointed
Review: I've always admired Steve Martin's willingness to take creative risks. His screenplays in particular are very interesting and thought-provoking. That said I'd have to agree that if anyone else had written this book I don't think it would have been published. It's extremely light-weight writing. The characters are 1-dimensional and there isn't a plot to speak of. If you really want to read this book check it out from your local library. I gave him 1 star for attempting to write a novel and a second star for getting it past an editor and into print. Maybe the next book will be better.
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