The Reading Picnic

This book was our first book back after our book club hiatus, and I was glad it was something that was really readable. I don't mind sitting through books I don't like as long as they're readable (see [book: Will Grayson, Will Grayson]), but I will say I had pretty high expectations for this book. One of my closest friends whose book recommendations I trust more than anything LOVES Rainbow Rowell, and has even said that Rowell is now her favorite author over John Green (which is saying something!) and while this book was pretty adorable, I expected more. I liked the characters, and absolutely adored the email format, and watching the friendship between the women happen, but Lincoln still struck me as kind of creepy? I also seemed to be the only one at book club who actually LIKED Beth's boyfriend and maybe it's because I cast him as Chris Pratt although apparently NO ONE ELSE DID.

Rowell's writing is amazing, readable and relateable, and I loved Doris so very much, mostly because she reminded me of my grandmother whose name was also Doris. I loved the parts about Y2K, and I also loved that the book slowly made you invested in the characters. One particular part, when we discover the miscarriage, was written so extremely beautifully, and made me realize how attached I actually was to these characters. I wanted to know more about Jennifer, I liked Beth and Lincoln, but Rowell left me wanting to know more about Jennifer and how her life turned out. How everything ended up with her husband and just...how her life is. I'm such a sucker though, in all honesty, for when writers aren't afraid to write huge issues like the one she wrote for Jennifer, and watch as the characters grow around it.

I really loved the email format. I'd read a whole book in that type of format, and I did find that the alternating between email and narrative felt slightly jarring. This was Rowell's first book, so I can only imagine that they keep getting better and better.

But really though, when did my standards get so high?