I Review Emily Giffin

In a word: Guilty

Emily Giffin writes chick books.  Not Women's Fiction like Barbara Kingsolver.  Not dirty sexy beach trash like Nora Roberts.  No, Emily Giffin writes chick books.  Like chick flicks.  But you read them.  She doesn't examine the human condition.  You're not going to gain great insight into the plight of humanity.  And there aren't wildly ruacus sex scenes.  There's just good storytelling, funny characters, and witty writing.

Despite her protagonist's predictable flaws, we love them.  Don't want to get married? Check.  Don't want to have kids? Check.  Sleeping with your best friend's fiancee? Double check.  These women are painfully familiar, because we see them every morning in the mirror.  Like her readers, the protagonists make stupid decisions, like drunk dialing ex-boyfriends, dating co-workers, and spending too much money on shopping sprees.  And, we laugh at them when they do. 

If there is a best friend, she is usually hard-edged, says things that we all wish we had the guts to say, and dates men that are totally wrong for her.  She is hilarious and we love her. 

The men fall into a similar mold.  They are incredibly handsome, athletic, well educated, thoughtful, and have a strong work ethic.  They are all totally in love with the protagonist, but can't ever seem to say exactly what they're feeling.  Sometimes we love them, sometimes we hate them, but we're mostly just frustrated by them.  And attracted to them.

Giffin's stories are well told and fun.  At some point in every story, the reader laughs out loud and then cries a bit later.  She is witty, funny, sensitive, and charming.  On a personal note, she inspires me to keep reading, despite the late hour and droopy eyes.  I want to find out how it ends.  Ususally, if I'm halfway through, I'll push to the end.  And just suck it up and be exhausted the next day. 

Like today.

Ladies, if you want a good, fun read, I recommend these three books: Something Borrowed, Something Blue, and Baby Proof.  It's kind of a guilty pleasure.  I love me some Emily Giffin.