"Something Borrowed" by Emily Giffin

I have been referencing and praising this book in other posts but have yet to review it myself.  Since it is the opening weekend for the movie, I figure I should do it now before my judgement becomes skewed by the film. 

It has been a couple of years since I have read this novel so I reimmersed myself to refresh my memory.  What I completely forgot was how fast and easy this read was.  If you are not aware, I am a painfully slow reader and for me to be able to start and finish a book in two and a half days screams loads!  The plot is not groundbreakingly original so what kept me so engaged?  I think it was the characters.  The two best friends from childhood could not be more different.  Darcy to me is a winny two year old trapped in a twenty-nine year old’s body who needs to outshine everyone and ALWAYS get her way.  The stuff that comes out her mouth is hilariously mean and she is the exaggerated form of perfect bitch we all know and hate.  She is getting married to the classic chick-lit male lead who is smart, gorgeous, kind and naturally oblivious to all of his perfection.  Her best friend Rachel is a push over and people pleaser, and as the novel’s lead heroin: smart, beautiful, kind and even more oblivious to this than prince charming back there. 

I know by now you are thinking how is this different to any other book of its kind.  But hang in there.  Since Dex (prince charming) and Rachel are law school friends who have always believed they were out of each other’s leagues, yet of course perfect for one another, end up sleeping together only months away from his wedding.  The book spins out from here but what I think is the driving point of the novel is how Darcy’s outspoken statements and fairytale life is so unrealistic, it becomes comical (instead of annoying) in contrast to the normality happening around her.  Just try reading the first few pages in the book store, you will understand right away.

The only thing I do not get is why Dex is dating, let alone marrying, such a monstrous character.  He is described as so level headed and later proves to have a decent backbone that it seems unrealistic for him to put up with her for seven years.  However, chick-lits will be as they always will: fairytale escapes that momentarially allow us to experience a Carrie Bradshaw-like existance.  So if you are in need of this fix, pick up this book and perhaps the sequal for you will fly through both of them in no time.