Rating: 
Summary: Can't wait for the next one ...
Review: Where to begin? On first glance, this may appear like something written by a woman meant to be read by other women. Look deeper and what you'll find is an entertaining story written by an author with an uncanny knack for drawing you into the scene and acquainting you with the characters. Yes, it is a novel about a woman in her mid twenties, who is running through a turnstile of relationships with C-grade musicians, but it is also clearly a work of personal introspection for the main character that I found to be somewhat reminiscent of Neil Simon, Tobias Wolff, or even T.C. Boyle (especially when you factor in all of the humorous elements).This book has more than a few good qualities. For starters, I always found myself having a hard time putting it down. The story was set well and was so realistic, I felt as if I was listening to a friend recount some past goings on, rather than simply reading fiction. The characters very much represent real people with real issues - a quality sorely lacking in so much of what mass media offers us today. It is both honest and witty, without ever being pretentious. The narration moves seamlessly from present time to the appropriate flashback points, where the current storyline is aptly injected with some poignant recollections from the past that may (or may not) serve to explain the main character Eliza's current behavior. Each of the scenes in story were rendered so dutifully by way of meticulously sculpted imagery, that I was consistently able to picture myself being right there with the characters. The multitude of references to 80's pop-culture brought forth feelings of both nostalgia and embarrassment, having been a teenager in that time period myself ;-) The key value of this novel is that it somehow manages to be dramatically engrossing, comically entertaining, and still carry forth (and deliver) some meaningful messages - particularly about one's self image, outlook on life, and happiness in general. As the ending deftly avoided going down the many paths that would lead to a sellout Hollywood ending, I was left with a true sense of satisfaction upon completing the story. Note: Make sure to read the interview with the author at the end. Ms. Juska - you rock. I look forward to your next one ...
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