Pursuing the Times

Lauren
Baratz-Logsted
ISBN Number: 
B00925R6M4
Genre: 
Contemporary

Mercury Lauren doesn’t want a lot, but is it really too much to ask to have her book reviewed by New York Times Book Review? It surely isn’t – her books are popular, so what if she writes Chick-Lit? It’s a great genre! Unfortunately, it seems the Editor-in-Chief of the NYTBR, Frank D’Arcangelo, doesn’t agree with her. Then there’s incident at the  National Book Awards ceremony - not only did she manage to embarrass herself, but she also insulted Mr. D’Arcangelo.
There begins the adventure! The daring (and impetuous) heroine does everything in her power to be recognized by the literary community, or maybe by one particular (incredibly attractive) Editor-in-Chief.
The first line of the book immediately brings a smile to a reader’s face (well, anyone who ever loved Pride & Prejudice): “It is a publishing truth, universally acknowledged, that anyone professionally involved in the pursuit of “Lit-e-ra-ture,” must, by definition, despise Chick-Lit”. The heroine shows a lot of promise – she’s snarky, obsessive about certain things, and always willing to express her opinion (especially with large amounts of alcohol).  The enigmatic Frank is also scrumptiously alluring. However, at some point, the heroine’s self-absorption (not selfishness) becomes too much. Some of the situations were also problematic, whether because of the heroine’s over-the-top behavior or the fact that, at times, it was too easy to predict further twists in the plot. Nevertheless, the way Mercury had to fight to become recognized simply because of the genre she writes in is intriguing.  Above all, seeing her fulfill her dreams (not only those concerning her career) was certainly rewarding!

Ana Smith