A few days after I received my first package from Penguin Canada, a second arrived with Elizabeth Noble’s latest work, The Girl Next Door. I haven’t read any other novels by this UK author, but this one was enjoyable enough that I would definitely buy another if I came across it in a bookstore table display or endcap.
The novel is set in New York City –I love stories that include descriptions of place where I’ve visited or lived. It makes them seem more real– in a co-op apartment building on the Upper West Side. The plot hinges on the interwoven lives of the building residents, including a young couple who recently arrived from the UK, three single women, an elderly widow, a gay couple, a rich young bachelor, and several families with small children.
While I was reading this book, I had classified as fitting neatly into the chick lit genre. And who doesn’t love a little chick lit once in a while? I’m not a huge fan of the genre, admittedly, but I do enjoy a well-written, fast-paced story now and again when need to satisfy my book craving. The characters were mostly archetypal (of the three single women, for example, one is bookish, one is an athlete, and one is a gold-digger/party type) but that’s part of the beauty of this genre. It’s easy to feel empathy for or dislike a character because they’re familiar in a “I know someone who is like that” kind of way.
However, towards the end of the novel the plot takes a twist that you don’t expect and made me re-think the chick lit classification. I don’t particularly enjoy reading book reviews that detail the plot to such a degree that I then find myself disappointed because I know what to expect when reading. But, I felt in this case it was necessary to mention that there is a rather depressing event that occurs towards the end that may upset some readers. It works in the context of the story, but I have to say I’m glad I didn’t read this novel while I was pregnant.
The book is an easy read, something that’d be nice to take with you on a trip or to curl up with on a Saturday afternoon. I didn’t feel particularly connected to any of the characters but the writing was pleasant enough that you could get lost in the story without tripping over awkward phrasing or stilted dialogue.
I’m just reading your review now! I felt connected to the characters but I agree that it is a trip novel. I often think of novels like this as “beach novels” which is funny since I’m from Alberta and deathly pale and would never lie on a beach and read anyway – must be some weird marketing gimmick that has been burned into my brain.