Single Girl Lit - Reviewed February 2010

This novel was really fun, despite the somewhat heavy content, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first picked it up so I was happy I brought it with me to read on holiday!

Anna is in a relationship with a man who has been controlling her life for many years. It happened slowly so I don’t think that at first she was aware that she was losing herself. Her friends try to tell her but her family just wants to have grandkids and she’s stuck between knowing the truth but scared of the truth. Anna and her boyfriend are separated at the start of the novel and it follows her journey for a just a few months.

Anna’s friends are all very different but they all seem to support her in their own way while still dealing with their own various stages of life. I liked them for the most part. Her parents are pretty funny- kind of scary actually but I guess as they’re not mine they were funny! Anna has a sister who is on a strange journey of self-discovery and I liked her as part of the plot- made Anna more real to me.

One of the things I particularly liked about this novel was that Daria Salamon gave quite clear characters to the people Anna works with in the English department at her school. They worked their way in to the story as support and irritation! It was nice to be able to get a lot of Anna’s life from her co-workers- often times I find that those relationships are a bit weak.

All in all I enjoyed The Prairie Bridesmaid a lot- not sure about the squirrel but I guess that’s a matter of taste!

I enjoyed this novel which made me laugh out loud several times! It also made me grimace due to the heavier subject matter and wanting the heroine, Anna, to figure it out and get on with dumping her controlling boyfriend. Unfortunately this is easier said than done as we see during her journey of self discovery.

There were times when I just wanted her to get on with it though and was frustrated with the character, but it was telling in the way Anna was reluctant to let go as is the case in many circumstances with controlling partners.

The relationship with her friends was interesting and at times I couldn’t see why they were friends and her parents and co-workers gave me a laugh. The relationship with her four legged friend was unusual and made the novel a little quirkier. Anna’s sister’s side story added another dimension to the story and made the it deeper.

Solomon’s characters are well developed, even the secondary ones and the plot moves along nicely. The ending left me wanting more though, as the story doesn’t all wrap up as neatly as much chick lit does.

Anyone having a hard time breaking up with someone or interested in relationship dynamics should find this book an interesting read.