Description:
Shannon Olson's second novel, Children of God Go Bowling, is a hilarious sequel to her equally amusing debut, Welcome to My Planet. This time around the protagonist (who shares the same name as her creator) is struggling to find her place as a single woman amidst a sea of married-with-children friends and siblings. Alternatively adding to the struggle and the solution are a supporting cast of richly painted characters, including Shannon's psychologist Dr. Douglas, whose advice often seems based on his addiction to Animal Planet, and her overbearing-yet-loving mother Flo, who warns Shannon that "just because you get a new bed doesn't mean a boyfriend comes with it." Olson rounds out this flavorful mix with the colorful gang from group therapy, and Ellie and Adam, Shannon's best friends from her days at St. Olaf college. While Children of God Go Bowling does seem to follow the format of its single-heroine-amongst-smug-married predecessors, Olson certainly infuses this novel with enough wit, humor, and depth to move the plot along while keeping the reader invested in her characters. Even when Shannon starts to wonder over whether her eternal quest for the ideal mate has left her to overlook some pretty good options, Olson never takes the easy way out--she forces Shannon to own up to her emotions in a way that many readers, married or single, will easily identify. By constantly challenging her heroine to rise above her own limitations, Olson not only proves herself to be more than a one-hit wonder, but also elevates her novel to a level beyond the Chick Lit label. --Gisele Toueg
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