With the release of Sophie Kinsell’s new novel, “I’ve Got Your Number,” upon us, it seems only fitting to talk about her last stand-alone novel and how it fits in with Kinslla’s reigning queen-of-chick-lit status.
When “Twenties Girl” heroine Lara Lington’s parents force her to go to the funeral of her great-aunt, Sadie, the last thing she expects is to have a conversation with a ghost and to stop the proceedings by declaring the great-aunt she never met was murdered. The six other attendees, including Lara’s parents, sister, uncle Bill, aunt Trudy and cousin Diamante, are extremely agitated by this claim and anxious to get the funeral over with so they can resume their lives. What they don’t know is that Lara and Sadie’s ghostly meeting that day will change all of their lives forever.
Lara’s life is in shambles when she meets Sadie’s ghost. Her business partner and best friend, Natalie, deserted her to live with a man she met while on vacation in Goa and her long-term boyfriend, Josh, just ended their relationship with no explanation. Meanwhile, Lara must pretend to be fine to keep her parents from discovering just how bad her life is and her sister from gloating over being the better sibling.
Sophie Kinsella, creator of the lovable “Confessions of a Shopaholic” heroine, Rebecca Bloomwood, is no stranger to complex and captivating characters. “Twenties Girl’s,” Lara, is yet another of these intriguing characters, as are the others she encounters on her adventure, most of whom are missing something in their lives.
Kinsella has hit gold once again with this latest novel which combines the struggles of Lara and Sadie with a history of 1920s culture and a tour of London’s most notable landmarks. Sadie appears as a 23 year old girl even though she was 105 when she died, causing her to be stuck in a 1920s frame of mind. She is especially preoccupied with the clothing of the period which she makes Lara wear on a blind date that Sadie convinces her to go on.
Lara goes along with it, unable to deny her great-aunt a last wish, and helps Sadie search for the lost necklace. Because no one else can see or hear Sadie, Lara finds herself in some awkward and comical situations like the time Sadie disappears on a bridge and Lara screams for her causing passersby to think someone has jumped.
At times, Lara is just a little too naïve to be believable, like when she convinces herself that Josh is just laid back because he shows no interest in her or her concerns over the failing business. And it takes her far too long to realize that she is attracted to the blind date guy, Ed, who bears a striking resemblance to the love interest of the main characters in Kinsella’s “Can You Keep a Secret?” and “Remember Me?” Also, the heroines in each think they are in love with an obviously wrong-for-them man when this dark-haired, frowning stranger appears in their lives.
Regardless of the similarities, Lara and Ed’s path to romance is unique and filled with funny, heartwarming moments and some very unusual obstacles, such as Sadie’s crush on Ed. Lara and Sadie’s road to friendship and understanding is a bumpy one but one that is definitely worth the ride. Each character is able to learn something valuable from the curious situations brought about by the secrets behind the lost necklace and a famous artist who may know more about Sadie than anyone ever imagined. When the secrets are revealed, thanks to Lara’s relentless determination, no one will ever be the same.
Sophie Kinsella, which is a pen name, first revealed after the release of the aforementioned “Can You Keep a Secret?” for author Madeleine Wickham, never disappoints when she puts pen to paper to create a new story. Her humor is sharp and witty and her characters draw you in and make you hope for them as they search for the thing that is missing from their lives. Her writing style is precise and so easy to follow that it’s possible to get lost in it for hours at a time. My only complaint is that “Twenties Girl” isn’t longer than its 435 pages. Fortunately, though, Kinsella’s new book “I’ve Got Your Number” was released last week and is waiting for me on my Kindle.
