Rating: 
Summary: A great read
Review: Not only is Steve Martin an excellent comedian and actor, he has now proven himself to be a great writer of fiction as well. I picked up this book yesterday at 4pm and couldn't put it down until I finished it at 10pm last night. Kudos and 5 stars to this wonderful short read by Mr. Martin.
Rating:
Summary: Great book
Review: I really enjoyed shopgirl. I am a big fan of Steve Martin, which is why I originally purchased the book. I was truly impressed with how well he wrote the main character, Mirabelle. There were some really funny lines in the book which made me laugh out loud...but what can I say I am a 20-something female and can relate! He has showed us time and again how talented he is and sucessfully proved to us how well he can write.
Rating: 
Summary: Another Kind of L.A. Story
Review: While reading Shopgirl: A Novella, my mind repeatedly returned to author Steve Martin's 1990 film L.A. Story. In the film, Martin meets a young, nubile woman (Sarah Jessica Parker) who is working in a clothing store. Martin, going through something of a midlife crisis, is attracted to this girl. Although we know it is doomed from the beginning, we watch in fascination.So it is with Shopgirl, but this time the story focuses on the young woman. Mirabelle works in Neiman's department store, exiled to the lonely glove department. Then one day, she sells a pair of gloves and her life changes. She meets an older man who lavishes her with affection and gifts, making her feel like the center of the universe. But in this May/December romance, there are destined to be problems, and Martin explores the failings of both sides who fail to communicate on the most basic level. I cannot discuss Shopgirl without acknowledging the creative mind of Martin. Aside from being a gifted comic and actor, Martin is wonderful wordsmith who enjoys the subtle uses of language and the poetry of mismatched words and phrases. In his collection of short stories, Pure Drivel, he crafted some very entertaining anecdotes that worked solely because of his attention to style. This novella is an extension of Martin's style. Quite simply, Shopgirl is a delight to read. Martin can take something very ordinary and make it seem extremely poetic. By the same token, he often uses the mundane to highlight the extraordinary. For example, when Mirabelle dresses up for an art show opening, he describes her as "a rainbow refracted in the spray of a lawn sprinkler." While some of his descriptive passages lack punch, there are enough pearls in it to be worth your time. Written in present tense and with a lot of exposition, this novella would have ripped apart by most editors and agents had it not been for Martin's name. But this is not a criticism of the form. In fact, it works (which makes it the exception to the publishing rule). The short form of Shopgirl certainly lends a hand. The writing style and long expository passages are a delight, because it makes the story more personal. In a longer work, I might have grown tired, but Martin retained my interest for the full 120 pages. While Shopgirl may not suit the tastes of every reader, I found it an enjoyable read. Martin's wit and attention to detail wonderfully match the poetry and style of his writing.
Rating: 
Summary: Ambivalence all around
Review: While I many of the insights into relationships (expectations v. reality) truly stellar, my overall impression of Shopgirl is one of unease and incompleteness. Perhaps that's the irony Martin was going for--do we ever really know ourselves or others? Mirabelle and Ray are wonderfully drawn characters both physically as well as emotionally. Mirabelle's parents, Jeremy, and the loathsome Lisa however, seem to exist on the surface only (though Lisa and Jeremy's tryst was great farce). Jeremy's transformation seemed especially artificial. One last observation, Martin captured depression perfectly when during a depressive episode, Ray asked Mirabelle how she was. She answered, "Pretty okay." Oh!
Rating:
Summary: Touching!
Review: This brief look into Mirabella's life is enchanting. The novella style is exactly what this story needed to make it wonderful. It didn't need any more pages, story lines or characters to muddy it. Like looking through a picture window into this girl-woman's life, enjoying what you see and moving on. Martin has dealt with her life honestly and with tenderness. It is the quintessential example of quality over quantity. This only further ensures that my opion of Steve Martin is accurate. He is the rare example of a genius with a sensitive soul.
Rating:
Summary: A Surpising Novel
Review: I, as many other reviewers, simply picked up this book as a fan of Martin's work. This bridge to being a novelist for Martin has been significantly set with this novel. Mirabelle is a character that many people can relate to on so many different levels. The way she approaches life is both astonishing, yet alarmingly familiar. Her relationships with both Ray and Jeremy are indeed as different as night and day...Ray is the man she longs to be with and she wishes for him to succome to his feelings for her, and Jeremy is the underdog who pops back into her life just when you think the ending is clear cut. Even is the story is not a cliffhanger of any sort, Martin's meer descriptions and phrases are outstanding. That alone will keep you hooked.
Rating:
Summary: More L.A. Story than King Tut
Review: I dove into this book and couldn't come up for air. An earlier reviewer said the characters were pathetic and this is true, but they are real. What is so wonderful about this book is that it shows how we are all pathetic to a certain extent, but we learn and go on. They are pathetic, but hopeful. Steve Martin does an excellent job of examining all the aspects of a relationship, especially how each party can interpret a single conversation so differently. The writing is clear and honest. The humor is subtle and dry. I sped through shopgirl in 2 hours and loved every minute of it.
Rating:
Summary: A Quick Pleasent read by a master
Review: This book is more about understanding Steve Martin than it is about the characters. How could the ultimate comedian from the 70s and well known movie star, write a story about lonliness and love of a 20 something female? I had previously not read Martin's books and after finishing this one, I'm still not sure I understand the message. Martin follows a Shopgirl under medication for depression as she struggles with weak dates but eventually lands in the arms of an older man who clearly uses her for sex. But this heavy subject always reads very light through his touch. He paints a vivid picture of the everyday life of an everyday Los Angelino. This is a very quick read that will be finished in one plane ride. But don't focus too much on the shopgirl because the real question is how did this spring from the mind of Steve Martin?
Rating:
Summary: Quite impressive
Review: Well, I ventured out and read Steve Martin's novella. I am very impressed. This is a beautiful and poignant story that captures the more profound part of human relationships. The novella introduces Mirabelle, otherwise known as the "shopgirl." She is a 28-year-old salesgirl at a department store in LA whose passion for art and off-kilter personality makes her irresistible to men. No sooner does another bout of depression begin than she meets Ray Porter -- a rich and important businessman almost twice her age. Inevitably, they embark on a relationship based on mixed messages. What does Ray really feel about Mirabelle? Is Mirabelle in love with Ray, or does she love his paternal protection? There is a Freudian undertone in the story -- except that the novella captures the matters of the heart and soul. The language is very unique. Steve Martin mixes beauty and poignancy with humor and irony. As I've mentioned, I am very impressed with his writing. He is a gifted comedian and a wonderful storyteller. I highly recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: A Nice Afternoons' Read
Review: I was a bit hesitant when I approached this story. I don't know if I was expecting Steve Martin wackiness or a Bridgette Jones rip-off. Happily, I discovered something altogether different! This is a nice story about a young woman. It is told with wit, intelligence, and truth.
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