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Imperfect Bliss: A Novel
by Susan Fales-Hill
by Susan Fales-Hill
http://www.cozylittlebookjournal.com/...
If I have to read one more time that Imperfect Bliss is "Jane Austen meets The Bachelorette," I might scream. But the reason for this ubiquitous description of Susan Fales-Hill's novel (apart from a press release) is because it follows the ups and downs of four single sisters whose mother is obsessed with British culture and the marriageability of her daughters (including Elizabeth--aka Bliss--or our Lizzie Bennett) when one of them is selected to be the star of a horrifying new TV reality show called The Virgin.
There is a rule of the internet (Poe's Law, for those in the know) that says that no matter how hard you try to parody extreme fundamentalism, there are people who will believe it is real. The idea is that when the group you're trying to parody (which varies) is already so extreme, chances are that anything you pretend they're saying (using difficult-to-pull-off internet satire) seems like something they might have actually said. I personally believe that Poe's Law also applies to people trying to satirize TV reality dating shows. Does anyone remember MILF Island from 30 Rock? As awful as that was, was it any more awful than Love in the Wild? (If you've never seen Love in the Wild, don't.) So as awful as The Virgin is, it seems plausible (horribly, horribly plausible).
Overall, the book is amusing but it's definitely the sort of thing that gets called "chick lit." I don't mean to suggest that books by, about, or for women are in any way inferior, I just mean that the "chick lit" label is usually applied to books about women desperately trying to sort out their love lives and little else. And this book is, well, little else. If you're craving a fun summer read and you're a fan of Jane Austen (and modern interpretations of her style) or you like a smart love story with lots of pop culture references, you might enjoy Imperfect Bliss.
Disclaimer: I received a digital galley of this book free from the publisher from NetGalley.com. I was not obliged to write a favourable review, or even any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
If I have to read one more time that Imperfect Bliss is "Jane Austen meets The Bachelorette," I might scream. But the reason for this ubiquitous description of Susan Fales-Hill's novel (apart from a press release) is because it follows the ups and downs of four single sisters whose mother is obsessed with British culture and the marriageability of her daughters (including Elizabeth--aka Bliss--or our Lizzie Bennett) when one of them is selected to be the star of a horrifying new TV reality show called The Virgin.
There is a rule of the internet (Poe's Law, for those in the know) that says that no matter how hard you try to parody extreme fundamentalism, there are people who will believe it is real. The idea is that when the group you're trying to parody (which varies) is already so extreme, chances are that anything you pretend they're saying (using difficult-to-pull-off internet satire) seems like something they might have actually said. I personally believe that Poe's Law also applies to people trying to satirize TV reality dating shows. Does anyone remember MILF Island from 30 Rock? As awful as that was, was it any more awful than Love in the Wild? (If you've never seen Love in the Wild, don't.) So as awful as The Virgin is, it seems plausible (horribly, horribly plausible).
Overall, the book is amusing but it's definitely the sort of thing that gets called "chick lit." I don't mean to suggest that books by, about, or for women are in any way inferior, I just mean that the "chick lit" label is usually applied to books about women desperately trying to sort out their love lives and little else. And this book is, well, little else. If you're craving a fun summer read and you're a fan of Jane Austen (and modern interpretations of her style) or you like a smart love story with lots of pop culture references, you might enjoy Imperfect Bliss.
Disclaimer: I received a digital galley of this book free from the publisher from NetGalley.com. I was not obliged to write a favourable review, or even any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
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