Candace Bushnell
4.5\5
Age rec- 13 up
After about a year of putting it off, I finally read The Carrie Diaries. When I finished it, I thought.... wow. I LOVED this book while I was reading it. It's fun, spunky, and enjoyable. Carrie is the sort of girl you'd expect to run into at school- she's real, as are The Mouse, Walt, Maggie, Sebastian, Lali and even Donna LaDonna. (LOVE that name xD)
A definite favourite character (besides Carrie) was Walt. He was caring, and nice, and he, like Carrie and everyone, wasn't perfect. He made fun of people and he could be nasty at times, but we all can be. Dorrit's character is also a necessary one to discuss. Dorrit stole, hung out with "dodgy" people and even attempted to run away. She was a little messed up, and obviously upset, and it showed that the Bradshaw family as wasn't perfect- not even close- as Donna thought. There were cracks in the family, partly due to Carrie's mothers death.
The betrayal of Lali was expected, and obvious, but it still hurt. For a bit, I was mad at only her, but then I realised it wasn't just her fault. The Donna-Carrie conflict was realistic too- catty, and at times funny. Donna could be nasty, but I found her slightly endearing by the end, and I did pity her a bit. I read 70% of this book in one sitting, and put it down and promptly fell asleep (It was 1 am).
All the relationships, the fights, and everything felt so realistic, and I loved that. I also loved that Carrie didn't change too much- she grew from her challenges, sure, but she didn't turn into someone she's not. On top of that, it was readable, and I enjoyed it a LOT. I liked Sebastian at first- even knowing the ending- but the realised some people... are just jerks. Before The Big Twist, he tried to pressure Carrie into having sex, nearly THREATENING her! He was sweet at first, but he could turn it on and off, and that became obvious.
I was also pleased to see a book in which a couple break up, and even though the girl isn't necessarily over him, she knows she's better without him. It made the story so, so so real.
Maybe Sebastian was the Big Love, maybe he wasn't. But I do know that NYC Carrie will find herself - with tears, laughter and surprises along the way.
the spoiler sessions
Again, I wasn't surprised about Lali and Sebastian being together, ultimately meaning Sebastian cheated on Carrie. But I WAS annoyed that neither felt bad, and Lali even told Carrie, "I love him." As Carrie said, though, if Lali wanted Sebastian so much she'd ruin a lifelong friendship, I pitied her. What she did was wrong. I was also glad that she and Carrie didn't become friends again. And to further prove what an idiot Sebastian was by having him make out with Lali's little sister was PERFECT. My favourite part was possibly when Carrie threw books at Sebastian. XD. The dysfunctional-ness of Lali and Carrie's friendship shows how things change. They started from being closer than anyone, and went to hating each other. It was realistic.One more thing I NEED to mention? The irony that Mary Gordon Howard, Carrie's mothers favourite author and supposed feminist, who turned out to be a monster lady, was George's (Carrie's friend at a college) aunt. I found that funny.
On the note of George, he was a nice guy, and it was a shame his feelings for Carrie were one-sided, but Carrie felt no spark, no connection. And that's life. And that's okay.
Candace Bushnell did an amazing job of bringing this (prequel) story to life, and I will read the sequel, and try and catch the TV series.
four and a half stars!!!
Until the next time!
XemmiariaX
No comments:
Post a Comment