Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham
I actually pre-ordered this book, so I received it on it's publication date (April 30, 2013). I began it immediately, even though I knew that it wasn't my typical literary taste. But hey, we have to support the glorious LG, amirite? About a week later, I gave birth to my own Lorelai... so that was my excuse... for a little while, anyway. But both Lorelai and Someday, Someday, Maybe celebrated their 2nd birthdays not too long ago. Sooooooo... yeah.
I even brought the book with me to the Gilmore girls reunion at ATX in Austin. My friend Stacy even got a shot of me reading it in the lobby of The Intercontinental Hotel as we waited between panels. But that weekend was such an incredible whirlwind... very little reading got done. I was busy MEETING AMY SHERMAN-PALLADINO, FOR GOD'S SAKE! I'M NOT A MACHINE, PEOPLE!
Was it the writing? Lack of time? Dislike of the Brooklyn Bridge? Twee chicks in red coats riding bikes across said bridge? No. However, I will be honest and say that I solely purchased this book as a way to support the author. The genre is not necessarily my preference... I skew more towards darker literary fiction. I'm not a Nicholas Sparks person. I read some Sophia Kinsella yeeeeeears ago and it just wasn't for me. And this book seems to fall squarely between those two categories. Unless a someone dies a tragic and disturbed death or someone walks around Williamsburg thinking thoughts, I'm not sure I'm into it.
The other night, it finally bothered me enough that I still had this book sitting out there half-read, so I took it down from my bookshelf and turned on my determination to avoid another DNF. I ended up starting completely over as it was so long ago that I started following Franny Banks. It was a quick read, but I'm so glad I decided to give it a second chance. Graham's main character was so intensly relatable. I was so pissed at her at so many points in the book... because I've been in her shoes, so neurotically second-guessing every breath I take and thinking I just need to stumble upon THE THING that will make my life perfect. The book nerd in me loved the literary references (including the inspiration for Franny's name). And I just really liked how Graham basically owned her book being a stereotypical romcom. She makes a few references throughout the book that show the reader that she's FULLY aware that this isn't breaking any new ground... but it's an interesting and fun glimpse into the life of a struggling actor in New York City. And the author's writing makes the story both accessible and engaging.
I'm actually excited for the sequel and now I'm thrilled that on the reallllllly off-chance that LG reads this review, she wont hate my guts. ::waves:: I love you, Lauren. Please love me back! Too desperate? Okay, I'll try to tone it down a bit.
Synopsis:
It's January 1995, and Franny Banks has just six months left of the three-year deadline she set for herself when she came to New York, dreaming of Broadway and doing important work. But all she has to show for her efforts so far is a part in an ad for ugly Christmas sweaters, and a gig waiting tables at a comedy club. Her roommates her best friend Jane, and Dan, an aspiring sci-fi writer are supportive, yet Franny knows a two-person fan club doesn t exactly count as success. Everyone tells her she needs a backup plan, and though she can almost picture moving back home and settling down with her perfectly nice ex-boyfriend, she's not ready to give up on her goal of having a career like her idols Diane Keaton and Meryl Streep. Not just yet. But while she dreams of filling their shoes, in the meantime, she d happily settle for a speaking part in almost anything and finding a hair product combination that works.
Everything is riding on the upcoming showcase for her acting class, where she ll finally have a chance to perform for people who could actually hire her. And she can t let herself be distracted by James Franklin, a notorious flirt and the most successful actor in her class, even though he's suddenly started paying attention. Meanwhile, her bank account is rapidly dwindling, her father wants her to come home, and her agent doesn t return her calls. But for some reason, she keeps believing that she just might get what she came for. "Someday, Someday, Maybe" is a story about hopes and dreams, being young in a city, and wanting something deeply, madly, desperately. It's about finding love, finding yourself, and perhaps most difficult of all in New York City, finding an acting job.
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