Showing posts with label Mina V. Esguerra. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mina V. Esguerra. Show all posts
Chick Lit Review # 12: That Kind of Guy by Mina V. Esguerra
First of all, before I get deep into my musings about this
new title, I’d like to say something about my absence in the blogosphere: real life took over. Yes, I know it’s probably the most overused
excuse ever but what the heck, it’s the truth.
Anyway, I’m back and hope this gets somewhat regular.
So on to business.
And something I’m actually happy about!
Despite my default snark and sarcasm I’ve managed to sit back and enjoy
this new outing of Mina V. Esguerra, fast becoming one of my favorite local
chick lit writers. That Kind of Guy,
like the title suggests, is centered on this one guy—Anton—whose original
bad-boy image and reputation belied the sincere, caring, and sensible man he
really was. Then there’s Julie,
self-professed manang or prude, whose no-nonsense demeanor also hid the
insecure woman within, who believed in stereotypes and playing exclusively
within one’s league. As Julie
unwittingly tried to measure up against the many women Anton had dated before
her, Anton, on the other hand, was showing her that he was not a stereotype,
that he could make a serious decision, that she was the one he wanted to be
with. So, when he popped the
all-too-rhetorical question one evening, Julie decided to turn him down on the
pretext that she didn’t really know him.
Wait, what? Are you crazy,
girl? Then again, that’s what made Julie
an unpredictable character that didn’t fit the world of stereotypes she often
boxed people into. Julie then started
dating Harry—obviously thrown in to create yet another stereotype, that of the
good guy, to pit against Anton—who was great but offered noting else other than
what his 2D character could. Ultimately,
after trying out a sort of role-playing game where Juliet experienced first-hand
what kind of bad-boy date Anton was, they got back together as they
should. But the author, bless, her, did
not just give it away like that; though the last part was an actual wedding, it
was told from the point of view of a completely different character (never even
mentioned in the story, in fact) who gave her impression of Julie and who
presumably was Anton. Talk about
anti-climactic! It was a great way to
end the story.
Once more, Mina Esguerra doesn’t disappoint, with this piece
written with the same intuitive style as her previous No Strings Attached and My
Imaginary Ex. I love a writer who pushes beyond what is expected, and even
uses the expected to change things around.
Well worth the money. :)
Chick Lit Review #9: No Strings Attached by Mina V. Esguerra
I have an older book by Mina V. Esguerra which I remember liking a lot, but it's been a while back that I can't recall the entire story. Will have to write a review of it sometime soon.
No Strings Attached is quite interesting, insightful in many ways, particularly of the single lifestyle choice. The story is about Carla, who, like many of us, has been bullied by well-meaning friends to settle into a stable relationship with a stable guy who would be able to afford the occasional LV bag. Because this might mean limiting the choices to bankers and stock brokers--no offense--the best thing to do is go with someone the exact opposite of what is expected. And this is precisely what Carla does, to the surprise and disapproval of her friends, as they were all poised to begin their lives as serious thirtysomethings. Carla's new guy Dante is 24, a teacher, and the son of her boss' boss.
The narrative goes through some relatively fresh twists, specifically by showing Carla wanting to be the epitome of singledom while Dante had his heart set on commitment. The sex was good, their relationship easy and comfortable. But Carla's worried friends just had to be there to create trouble. All's well that ends well, as Carla and Dante resolve to be at least no-nonsense the second time around. I thought Esguerra pulled off each character well and convincingly enough, especially with Carla, who seemed to be quite wishy-washy (there is a reason for this); her friends Tonio and Mary both had very strong and defined personalities that one as mellow as Carla's would be rendered dull instantly. But this was not the case, and it was this kind of outward weakness and internal conflict that gave Carla more dimension. Dante was cool enough, but possibly too perfect that he ended up, in my opinion, as mere decor.
Language was good, dialogue believable. Carla can sometimes be annoying and bratty, but that's part of her characterization. I do have a little issue with the story, though: there seems to be little excitement (aside from Carla's almost-R date with another guy) in terms of plot, and in the end I just had warm, fuzzy feelings--as opposed to a balance of drama and reality. Then again, if the book was a film, it would be one of those quiet, understated indie movies.
Read this. Especially if you're turning or over 30.
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- Cubicle # 12
- Should be making reports and presentations but would rather go shopping in Greenbelt.
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