false 4 0 false false Mon Feb 16 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Thu Feb 12 00:10:42 -0800 2009 Wed Feb 25 01:01:57 -0800 2009
While I enjoy intense navel gazing as much as the next gal--Sittenfeld's Prep comes to mind for drama, and David Sedaris along the comedy vein--there was something charming yet realistic about Alex's struggles with her own neurosis as she attempts to think about how to fix her problems without thinking too hard, an action that leads to, as many of those who have been depressed know, the downward spiral of self-recrimination.

I originally picked this book because:

A) It was on the sale rack. I have a budget!
B) The title is a cute song.
C) In the acknowledgements, Weiss mentions that she listened to Jeff Buckley's Grace album, among others, ceaselessly while writing this book. Any mention of Jeff Buckley is immediately gobbled up.

And I am not disappointed in my purchase. Like I said earlier, this isn't high literature, but it is tight all around, and Alex's thoughts and relationships are very realistic. The felt that the answer to the riddle was a bit too obvious (unless you think a mental elbow to the ribs is subtle) but otherwise, I don't have any reservations about recommending this book.]]>