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Twenties Girl
Lara Lington has always had an overactive imagination, but suddenly that imagination seems to be in overdrive. Normal professional twenty-something young women don’t get visited by ghosts. Or do they?
When the spirit of Lara’s great-aunt Sadie—a feisty, demanding girl with firm ideas about fashion, love, and the right way to dance—mysteriously appears, she has one request: Lara must find a missing necklace that had been in Sadie’s possession for more than seventy-five years, because Sadie cannot rest without it.
Lara and Sadie make a hilarious sparring duo, and at first it seems as though they have nothing in common. But as the mission to find Sadie’s necklace leads to intrigue and a new romance for Lara, these very different “twenties” girls learn some surprising truths from and about each other. Written with all the irrepressible charm and humor that have made Sophie Kinsella’s books beloved by millions, Twenties Girl is also a deeply moving testament to the transcendent bonds of friendship and family.
When the spirit of Lara’s great-aunt Sadie—a feisty, demanding girl with firm ideas about fashion, love, and the right way to dance—mysteriously appears, she has one request: Lara must find a missing necklace that had been in Sadie’s possession for more than seventy-five years, because Sadie cannot rest without it.
Lara and Sadie make a hilarious sparring duo, and at first it seems as though they have nothing in common. But as the mission to find Sadie’s necklace leads to intrigue and a new romance for Lara, these very different “twenties” girls learn some surprising truths from and about each other. Written with all the irrepressible charm and humor that have made Sophie Kinsella’s books beloved by millions, Twenties Girl is also a deeply moving testament to the transcendent bonds of friendship and family.
435 pages, Hardcover
First published July 21, 2009
About the author
Sophie Kinsella
169 books41.6k followersSophie Kinsella has sold over 40 million copies of her books in more than 60 countries, and she has been translated into over 40 languages.
Sophie Kinsella first hit the UK bestseller lists in September 2000 with her first novel in the Shopaholic series – The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic (also published as Confessions of a Shopaholic). The book’s heroine, Becky Bloomwood – a fun and feisty financial journalist who loves shopping but is hopeless with money – captured the hearts of readers worldwide. Becky has since featured in seven further bestselling books, Shopaholic Abroad (also published as Shopaholic Takes Manhattan), Shopaholic Ties the Knot, Shopaholic & Sister, Shopaholic & Baby, Mini Shopaholic, Shopaholic to the Stars and Shopaholic to the Rescue. Becky Bloomwood came to the big screen in 2009 with the hit Disney movie Confessions of a Shopaholic, starring Isla Fisher and Hugh Dancy.
Sophie has also written seven standalone novels which have all been bestsellers in the UK, USA and other countries around the world: Can You Keep A Secret?, The Undomestic Goddess, Remember Me?, Twenties Girl, I’ve Got Your Number, Wedding Night, and My Not So Perfect Life, which was a Goodreads Choice Awards finalist for Best Fiction in 2017.
In 2014 she published a Young Adult novel Finding Audrey about a teenage girl with social anxiety and her madcap family, and in January 2018, Sophie published her first illustrated book for young readers about the charming adventures of a mother-daughter fairy duo, Mummy Fairy and Me (also published as Fairy Mom and Me).
Sophie’s latest novel, Surprise Me, published in February 2018, presents a humorous yet moving portrait of a marriage—its intricacies, comforts, and complications. Surprise Me reveals that hidden layers in a close relationship are often yet to be discovered.
Sophie wrote her first novel under her real name, Madeleine Wickham, at the tender age of 24, whilst she was working as a financial journalist. The Tennis Party was immediately hailed as a success by critics and the public alike and became a top ten bestseller. She went on to publish six more novels as Madeleine Wickham: A Desirable Residence, Swimming Pool Sunday, The Gatecrasher, The Wedding Girl, Cocktails for Three and Sleeping Arrangements.
Sophie was born in London. She studied music at New College, Oxford, but after a year switched to Politics, Philosophy and Economics. She now lives in London, UK, with her husband and family.
Visit Sophie's Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/SophieKinsell...
Series:
* Shopaholic
Sophie Kinsella first hit the UK bestseller lists in September 2000 with her first novel in the Shopaholic series – The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic (also published as Confessions of a Shopaholic). The book’s heroine, Becky Bloomwood – a fun and feisty financial journalist who loves shopping but is hopeless with money – captured the hearts of readers worldwide. Becky has since featured in seven further bestselling books, Shopaholic Abroad (also published as Shopaholic Takes Manhattan), Shopaholic Ties the Knot, Shopaholic & Sister, Shopaholic & Baby, Mini Shopaholic, Shopaholic to the Stars and Shopaholic to the Rescue. Becky Bloomwood came to the big screen in 2009 with the hit Disney movie Confessions of a Shopaholic, starring Isla Fisher and Hugh Dancy.
Sophie has also written seven standalone novels which have all been bestsellers in the UK, USA and other countries around the world: Can You Keep A Secret?, The Undomestic Goddess, Remember Me?, Twenties Girl, I’ve Got Your Number, Wedding Night, and My Not So Perfect Life, which was a Goodreads Choice Awards finalist for Best Fiction in 2017.
In 2014 she published a Young Adult novel Finding Audrey about a teenage girl with social anxiety and her madcap family, and in January 2018, Sophie published her first illustrated book for young readers about the charming adventures of a mother-daughter fairy duo, Mummy Fairy and Me (also published as Fairy Mom and Me).
Sophie’s latest novel, Surprise Me, published in February 2018, presents a humorous yet moving portrait of a marriage—its intricacies, comforts, and complications. Surprise Me reveals that hidden layers in a close relationship are often yet to be discovered.
Sophie wrote her first novel under her real name, Madeleine Wickham, at the tender age of 24, whilst she was working as a financial journalist. The Tennis Party was immediately hailed as a success by critics and the public alike and became a top ten bestseller. She went on to publish six more novels as Madeleine Wickham: A Desirable Residence, Swimming Pool Sunday, The Gatecrasher, The Wedding Girl, Cocktails for Three and Sleeping Arrangements.
Sophie was born in London. She studied music at New College, Oxford, but after a year switched to Politics, Philosophy and Economics. She now lives in London, UK, with her husband and family.
Visit Sophie's Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/SophieKinsell...
Series:
* Shopaholic
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 7,916 reviews
January 28, 2016
You all obviously know how much I love Sophie Kinsella, so I'll go straight into my thoughts about this book!
Although there was a good romance in this book, it wasn't the main focus of the book. Instead, this novel put most of it's emphasis on family and friendship and I really liked that! Sadie definitely got on my nerves a lot, mostly because I was listening to this as an audio book and the narrator made her voice especially annoying while saying her lines. However, she had a surprising amount of character development keeping in mind that she was the GHOST of a 105 year old woman. I really enjoyed how this was a mystery as well, there was so much going on that you almost forgot about one part of the story when it showed up again! The one critique I have, though, is how long this book was. I felt like there were too many dead ends while trying to find that one necklace and it was starting to get a little repetitive. I think it could have wrapped up a little quicker, but it still was a fun read!
Although there was a good romance in this book, it wasn't the main focus of the book. Instead, this novel put most of it's emphasis on family and friendship and I really liked that! Sadie definitely got on my nerves a lot, mostly because I was listening to this as an audio book and the narrator made her voice especially annoying while saying her lines. However, she had a surprising amount of character development keeping in mind that she was the GHOST of a 105 year old woman. I really enjoyed how this was a mystery as well, there was so much going on that you almost forgot about one part of the story when it showed up again! The one critique I have, though, is how long this book was. I felt like there were too many dead ends while trying to find that one necklace and it was starting to get a little repetitive. I think it could have wrapped up a little quicker, but it still was a fun read!
January 20, 2024
When you land the right one, chick-lits can be so much fun!
I know I claim to hate most of Kinsella's frivolous protagonists *cough* Becky *cough* but I can't deny that I've had an amazing time reading her books. So my expectations going into this book were mindless hilarity and a half annoying-half entertaining heroine. But Lara and Sadie were just sooo epic.
The camaraderie between these two twenties girls was everything. Page after page, they gave me belly aching laughs and such a warm feeling. And surprisingly, I enjoyed both the love stories even if the main focus wasn't on romance. The mystery of Sadie's past was pretty intriguing too.
The character development was unbelievable considering it's a 100 year old ghost (also, given that Kinsella's heroines are not particularly famous for this). Even Lara toughened up and stopped letting people walk over her. The way these two girls brought out the best in each other was a delight to read.
Would recommend this book to pretty much anyone looking for a good time.
I know I claim to hate most of Kinsella's frivolous protagonists *cough* Becky *cough* but I can't deny that I've had an amazing time reading her books. So my expectations going into this book were mindless hilarity and a half annoying-half entertaining heroine. But Lara and Sadie were just sooo epic.
The camaraderie between these two twenties girls was everything. Page after page, they gave me belly aching laughs and such a warm feeling. And surprisingly, I enjoyed both the love stories even if the main focus wasn't on romance. The mystery of Sadie's past was pretty intriguing too.
The character development was unbelievable considering it's a 100 year old ghost (also, given that Kinsella's heroines are not particularly famous for this). Even Lara toughened up and stopped letting people walk over her. The way these two girls brought out the best in each other was a delight to read.
Would recommend this book to pretty much anyone looking for a good time.
October 30, 2018
It took me a while to get into “Twenties Girl”, but once I did… I was all the way in! Having a second heroine made the plot more complex than most of the meet-cute, happily-ever-after I have come to like from Sophie Kinsella – but I found myself loving Aunt Sadie. For a ghost, she’s just brimming with life!
I don't think the publisher’s summary does the book justice. It's not so much about a search for a necklace as it is about a career girl, recovering from a break up, who strikes up an unlikely friendship and gets a fresh perspective from an outsider on her own life. It's fun to see Lara grow and learn from this perspective, but the best part, as always with Kinsella, is the humor. What would you do if you have a friend who has special abilities? Perform bar tricks, spy on your ex-boyfriend, find out what goes on in business meetings behind closed doors…awesome!
This one requires a complete suspension of disbelief, even without the presence of the ghost. But it's always fun to see how masterfully the plot lines are wrapped up. Lara really develops a believable relationship with her Aunt Sadie and the story line involves mystery, romance, and above all, family values. I was happy to read about supportive parents as I found them very familiar, and the charm of this story was just a total joy.
I’m so glad I picked up this book, it was such a welcome surprise. A bit different from Sophie Kinsella’s usual formula, but it has her usual brand of endearing characters and humor. This is something I’ll revisit again and again!
I don't think the publisher’s summary does the book justice. It's not so much about a search for a necklace as it is about a career girl, recovering from a break up, who strikes up an unlikely friendship and gets a fresh perspective from an outsider on her own life. It's fun to see Lara grow and learn from this perspective, but the best part, as always with Kinsella, is the humor. What would you do if you have a friend who has special abilities? Perform bar tricks, spy on your ex-boyfriend, find out what goes on in business meetings behind closed doors…awesome!
This one requires a complete suspension of disbelief, even without the presence of the ghost. But it's always fun to see how masterfully the plot lines are wrapped up. Lara really develops a believable relationship with her Aunt Sadie and the story line involves mystery, romance, and above all, family values. I was happy to read about supportive parents as I found them very familiar, and the charm of this story was just a total joy.
I’m so glad I picked up this book, it was such a welcome surprise. A bit different from Sophie Kinsella’s usual formula, but it has her usual brand of endearing characters and humor. This is something I’ll revisit again and again!
August 6, 2011
Sophie Kinsella is a guilty pleasure of mine. This book made for a fun and much needed escape for me today.
July 31, 2022
This is meaning about an Aunt that comes back and only one person can see and hear her ghost. I feel this book shows how important family history and you should teach the older people in your family good. I loved this book so much. This book is one of my favorite books.
November 16, 2009
Lara Lington thinks of herself as a fairly hip twenties girl, living in the 21st century. But the last thing she expects at her Great Aunt Sadie’s funeral is for Sadie herself to appear and demand for the whole thing to be stopped. Lara thinks she’s going mad: how on Earth can she hear and see a dead person? It turns out Great Aunt Sadie is actually a ghost and a ghost with a mission: to track down her missing Dragonfly necklace. Sadie eventually manages to convince Lara to help look for the necklace. Can they find it, and can Sadie ever rest in peace?
I received Twenties Girl way back in July just before it was released but never thought of picking it up until now because I was worried I wouldn’t like it. I am in no way inclined to read a ghost story and I’ve never wanted to before. I also wondered exactly how it would work writing a ghost story, would it be a real ghost story or a magical-type ghost story in the vein of Alexandra Potter? I can thankfully reveal that it is a fantastic ghost story with a hint of magic that really sells it.
Twenties Girl really is an outstanding read. It took me a few pages to get into it and I was worried I wasn’t enoying it, when up popped Sadie and I was glued to the book from then on in. I thought the plot of the missing necklace was well thought out and I enjoyed Lara and Sadie’s search for the aforementioned necklace. I would love to see the Dragonfly necklace in real life, I have to say, as it sounds really beautiful.
The whole story is narrated by Lara and is greatly enjoyable, particularly when Sadie comes into the picture and Lara wonders if she’s going bonkers. Not only does Lara have to contend with an at-times-annoying ghost, but her best friend (and business partner) has done a bunk and her boyfriend has just dumped her, so you can see why she thinks she’s going mad; the scene in the funeral parlour where Sadie first appears was beyond hilarious. I thought Lara was a lovely character and I enjoyed her interaction with Sadie. I also thought it was hilarious when Lara decided to spy of her ex-boyfriend Josh and she bugged his table – that had me laughing out loud. Lara was funny, likeable, and yes, she probably was a bit bonkers, but I loved her regardless.
For me, the real star of the show, though, was Sadie. I thought Sadie was a fabulous character – outgoing, talkative but also incredibly nice and rather prone to teenage strops. I enjoyed unravelling the story of Sadie’s life and finding out exactly why the Dragonfly necklace was so precious to her. I didn’t find Sadie’s constant chanting when she wanted attention annoying, I merely found it endearing and, also, quite amusing. She told a great tale about her life and growing up in the Twenties. I thought Sophie Kinsella described the 1920’s fabulously. I could imagine the dresses Sophie described, and the music playing throughout, and I enjoyed learning the 1920’s slang, it all added to the charm of the book and I really couldn’t put it down.
I loved everything about the book and once Sadie made her appearance I couldn’t put the book down. There are a few other characters in the book, Ed Harrison being a favourite of mine. I loved how he went along with Lara when she asked him on a date (spurred on by Sadie, of course) and thought Ed made a fantastic male character. I also liked Lara’s family, the Lingtons, and was so so pleased Uncle Bill got his comeuppance. The story really takes a turn halfway through the book and I wanted to race to finish it to find out if all would come well in the end.
I have got to say that the ending gave me tears in my eyes. I knew it was going to happen. All through the book I just knew how it was going to end and I still didn’t expect it at all. I didn’t want to leave Sadie and Lara’s world and you have no idea how sad I was to leave it! This really was an outstanding book – making me laugh, making me cry and giving me an unputdownable read. A truly outstanding novel from Sophie Kinsella, her best to date and truly one of the best books of the year.
I received Twenties Girl way back in July just before it was released but never thought of picking it up until now because I was worried I wouldn’t like it. I am in no way inclined to read a ghost story and I’ve never wanted to before. I also wondered exactly how it would work writing a ghost story, would it be a real ghost story or a magical-type ghost story in the vein of Alexandra Potter? I can thankfully reveal that it is a fantastic ghost story with a hint of magic that really sells it.
Twenties Girl really is an outstanding read. It took me a few pages to get into it and I was worried I wasn’t enoying it, when up popped Sadie and I was glued to the book from then on in. I thought the plot of the missing necklace was well thought out and I enjoyed Lara and Sadie’s search for the aforementioned necklace. I would love to see the Dragonfly necklace in real life, I have to say, as it sounds really beautiful.
The whole story is narrated by Lara and is greatly enjoyable, particularly when Sadie comes into the picture and Lara wonders if she’s going bonkers. Not only does Lara have to contend with an at-times-annoying ghost, but her best friend (and business partner) has done a bunk and her boyfriend has just dumped her, so you can see why she thinks she’s going mad; the scene in the funeral parlour where Sadie first appears was beyond hilarious. I thought Lara was a lovely character and I enjoyed her interaction with Sadie. I also thought it was hilarious when Lara decided to spy of her ex-boyfriend Josh and she bugged his table – that had me laughing out loud. Lara was funny, likeable, and yes, she probably was a bit bonkers, but I loved her regardless.
For me, the real star of the show, though, was Sadie. I thought Sadie was a fabulous character – outgoing, talkative but also incredibly nice and rather prone to teenage strops. I enjoyed unravelling the story of Sadie’s life and finding out exactly why the Dragonfly necklace was so precious to her. I didn’t find Sadie’s constant chanting when she wanted attention annoying, I merely found it endearing and, also, quite amusing. She told a great tale about her life and growing up in the Twenties. I thought Sophie Kinsella described the 1920’s fabulously. I could imagine the dresses Sophie described, and the music playing throughout, and I enjoyed learning the 1920’s slang, it all added to the charm of the book and I really couldn’t put it down.
I loved everything about the book and once Sadie made her appearance I couldn’t put the book down. There are a few other characters in the book, Ed Harrison being a favourite of mine. I loved how he went along with Lara when she asked him on a date (spurred on by Sadie, of course) and thought Ed made a fantastic male character. I also liked Lara’s family, the Lingtons, and was so so pleased Uncle Bill got his comeuppance. The story really takes a turn halfway through the book and I wanted to race to finish it to find out if all would come well in the end.
I have got to say that the ending gave me tears in my eyes. I knew it was going to happen. All through the book I just knew how it was going to end and I still didn’t expect it at all. I didn’t want to leave Sadie and Lara’s world and you have no idea how sad I was to leave it! This really was an outstanding book – making me laugh, making me cry and giving me an unputdownable read. A truly outstanding novel from Sophie Kinsella, her best to date and truly one of the best books of the year.
September 24, 2010
I loved this book.
At first I thought that this is going to be just another Sophie Kinsella book, full of chicklit drama, but it sort of surprised me.
There are several Sophie Kinsella trademarks I have noticed in this book:
1. Lara Lington. The heroines in the her books look like they're always helpless at first, they have this problems in their works and in their relationships. But then at the end, these heroines will be very lucky and make a breakthrough in their careers and they would discover the thing their really good at.
2. The leading man, Ed. I like Sophie Kinsella's leading men.They have this mysterious air around them and they are very sweet.
3. Evil sister, cousin, uncle. In this book, Lara has an evil sister and uncle who seems to be really mean and would do things to make Lara feel as if she's like a poor Cinderella.
4.FUNNY! Yeah! i think most of Kinsella's books are really witty! there are lots of situations in this book where Lara made embarrassing actions. I most of the time, am surprised to hear myself laughing so loud.ROFL!
At first I thought that this is going to be just another Sophie Kinsella book, full of chicklit drama, but it sort of surprised me.
There are several Sophie Kinsella trademarks I have noticed in this book:
1. Lara Lington. The heroines in the her books look like they're always helpless at first, they have this problems in their works and in their relationships. But then at the end, these heroines will be very lucky and make a breakthrough in their careers and they would discover the thing their really good at.
2. The leading man, Ed. I like Sophie Kinsella's leading men.They have this mysterious air around them and they are very sweet.
3. Evil sister, cousin, uncle. In this book, Lara has an evil sister and uncle who seems to be really mean and would do things to make Lara feel as if she's like a poor Cinderella.
4.FUNNY! Yeah! i think most of Kinsella's books are really witty! there are lots of situations in this book where Lara made embarrassing actions. I most of the time, am surprised to hear myself laughing so loud.ROFL!
August 27, 2009
I will never understand what kind of Jedi mind tricks Sophie Kinsella employs with her books. If any other author wrote this story I would have thrown it down in frustration. I'd be writing a scathing review about cheap plot devices and sloppy characterization. But, I'm not. I enjoyed this book. I devoured it in a couple of hours. I was thoroughly entertained by it, despite the fact that it's not really a "good book." This is the power that Kinsella has. Her energetic writing style and likable, if hugely flawed, characters are sort of impossible to dislike.
Think about Becky Bloomwood, who is kind of an idiot and irresponsible at best. And yet, you want to be her best friend. It's the same with Lara, the heroine of Twenties Girl. She's a bit of a sad sack and allows herself to be completely spun around by a domineering ghost. Yes, a ghost. And yet, she's adorable. You root for her and want her to solve the mystery of the missing necklace. Jedi mind tricks. I can come up with no other explanation.
I'm not even going to recount the storyline here, like I normally do, because if I type out the plot of Twenties Girl I will start asking myself a lot of tough questions about why I actually liked such a ludicrous story. So, I just won't. It was a fun, brainless and totally engaging Summer read. I enjoyed the heck out of it. And now I want to learn how to dance the Charleston.
Think about Becky Bloomwood, who is kind of an idiot and irresponsible at best. And yet, you want to be her best friend. It's the same with Lara, the heroine of Twenties Girl. She's a bit of a sad sack and allows herself to be completely spun around by a domineering ghost. Yes, a ghost. And yet, she's adorable. You root for her and want her to solve the mystery of the missing necklace. Jedi mind tricks. I can come up with no other explanation.
I'm not even going to recount the storyline here, like I normally do, because if I type out the plot of Twenties Girl I will start asking myself a lot of tough questions about why I actually liked such a ludicrous story. So, I just won't. It was a fun, brainless and totally engaging Summer read. I enjoyed the heck out of it. And now I want to learn how to dance the Charleston.
August 19, 2019
3.5 stars
It was fun!
I really enjoyed this book. I liked Sadie’s fierce and oppressive character and the comic situations made me laugh. Although some scenes were extremely embarrassing: Sadie forced Lara to do things nobody would do unless threatened lethally.
Anyway, Lara needs a development: at the beginning of the story, she is a naive, self-deluded, obsessional, sometimes infantile young woman, with a serious “allergy” to her own family, and without real friends. But she has a strong sense of justice, she is persistent, kind, honest, and true to her principles, even if they look idealistic.
By the end of the novel, she learns a lot about life, love, friendship, family, people surrounding her, and of course about herself. The story is more a coming-of-age novel in chick-lit style than a romance.
The plot is slow in the first half of the story, but the mystery of the dragonfly-necklace and the life-story of Sadie are really interesting, and smartly developed. Kinsella’s humor is very entertaining, so I really recommend this book!
My favorite quotes.
It was fun!
I really enjoyed this book. I liked Sadie’s fierce and oppressive character and the comic situations made me laugh. Although some scenes were extremely embarrassing: Sadie forced Lara to do things nobody would do unless threatened lethally.
Anyway, Lara needs a development: at the beginning of the story, she is a naive, self-deluded, obsessional, sometimes infantile young woman, with a serious “allergy” to her own family, and without real friends. But she has a strong sense of justice, she is persistent, kind, honest, and true to her principles, even if they look idealistic.
By the end of the novel, she learns a lot about life, love, friendship, family, people surrounding her, and of course about herself. The story is more a coming-of-age novel in chick-lit style than a romance.
The plot is slow in the first half of the story, but the mystery of the dragonfly-necklace and the life-story of Sadie are really interesting, and smartly developed. Kinsella’s humor is very entertaining, so I really recommend this book!
My favorite quotes.
August 24, 2018
Sophie Kinsella's books are comfort reading for me. But despite the fact I have a good time reading them, I had some reservations about this one because the story line involves a ghost. However, even though that aspect is a bit of a departure from her previous books, this one still had the fun and charming elements I have come to expect in her novels.
Lara Lington is attending the funeral for her great aunt Sadie who she hardly knew, when a much younger Sadie appears in ghost form. Lara is the only one who can see her, and Sadie demands Lara help find a necklace that is dear to her so she will be able to rest in peace. While the pair don't seem to have much in common, they might just learn something from one another.
Even though the story was a bit out there, I was pleasantly surprised how much I liked it. Lara was an easy character to root for as she's having a hard time getting over a breakup and the business she started with a friend is in serious trouble of folding. Sadie had a lot of spirit and it was fun watching the two interact. While there are definitely some crazy moments, everything just comes together really well. Definitely recommend if you have enjoyed Sophie Kinsella's other books.
Lara Lington is attending the funeral for her great aunt Sadie who she hardly knew, when a much younger Sadie appears in ghost form. Lara is the only one who can see her, and Sadie demands Lara help find a necklace that is dear to her so she will be able to rest in peace. While the pair don't seem to have much in common, they might just learn something from one another.
Even though the story was a bit out there, I was pleasantly surprised how much I liked it. Lara was an easy character to root for as she's having a hard time getting over a breakup and the business she started with a friend is in serious trouble of folding. Sadie had a lot of spirit and it was fun watching the two interact. While there are definitely some crazy moments, everything just comes together really well. Definitely recommend if you have enjoyed Sophie Kinsella's other books.
May 3, 2015
I really, really loved this one! It was over-the-top in an absolutely perfect, hilarious way that made reading it so much fun. I was cheering for Lara the whole time and I loved her interactions with Sadie. ALSO ED HARRISON <3 <3 <3
March 10, 2015
OMG. This book surprised me so much!! 'Remember me' was my first Kinsella book,and though i loved it, i must say i loved Twenties Girl even more! The story was so unique and funny and heart warming. ♥
I did not relate to Lara,and sometimes she pissed me off,but she had such a character development..she turned out amazing! Sadie was the sun,life's joy and the personalization of fun! She was the best ghost i've ever 'seen' or 'read' . Ed on the other hand...I LOVE HIMMM!!! He's like a modern Mister Darcy and i couldn't help but falling in love with him just as Lara did.
The ending was satisfactory and really emotional. I loved reading this book so much. Its a laugh out loud,cry your eyes out,page-turner and stay up late reading it,kind of book. ♥ ♥ ♥
I did not relate to Lara,and sometimes she pissed me off,but she had such a character development..she turned out amazing! Sadie was the sun,life's joy and the personalization of fun! She was the best ghost i've ever 'seen' or 'read' . Ed on the other hand...I LOVE HIMMM!!! He's like a modern Mister Darcy and i couldn't help but falling in love with him just as Lara did.
The ending was satisfactory and really emotional. I loved reading this book so much. Its a laugh out loud,cry your eyes out,page-turner and stay up late reading it,kind of book. ♥ ♥ ♥
January 17, 2023
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I'm doing an audit of my bookshelves as part of my New Year's Resolution and trying to read and get rid of some of my physical copies. TWENTIES GIRL is actually a reread. I read it for the first time when I was pretty young and I believe I gave it five stars because somehow it ended up in my "keepers" box. I wanted to give it a reread and see if I felt the same way about it now as I did then and... sadly I did not. It was still a good read but couldn't quite hold up to the test of time.
Sophie Kinsella does this thing I don't really like where she makes all of her heroines pathological liars. It's supposed to be cute and quirky but instead all it does is make her heroines look like little psychopaths. SHOPAHOLIC, for me, was the worst, as it portrayed someone with a very serious and concerning problem as lighthearted and fun. For years, SHOPAHOLIC put me off Kinsella because of how much I hated that heroine. That trope is present in TWENTIES GIRL as well, albeit to a slightly lesser extent and to be honest, it makes a little more sense in TWENTIES because the premise is so ridiculous.
When Lara goes to the funeral of her great aunt Sadie, whom she never met, it's a bit underwhelming. Nobody's there, there's no flowers or food or music. Everyone feels very begrudging about their wasted time, including Lara's rich uncle, a social media influencer-cum-coffee mogul who lords his wealth over the rest of the family. Just before the cremation, however, Lara is haunted by a vision of Sadie as a girl in her twenties, who screams at her to stop the ceremony because SHE NEEDS HER NECKLACE, and after lots of screaming and heckling, Lara does the only thing she can think of: lies to everyone that there's been a murder and that Sadie's nursing home must have been responsible.
With Sadie watching her every move, Lara halfheartedly does a search for the necklace, and the ghostly hijinks result in various shenanigans like mind-raping her ex-boyfriend into going out with her again and telling her he's still in love with her, sneaking into an office building and asking out a man that Sadie fancies looks like Rudolph Valentino, and going to a thrift store and buying used flapper clothes and-- cringe-- 1920s makeup for a fancy dinner date. None of this stuff aged very well and I found Lara a very hard heroine to like for most of the book (and Sadie was just as bad). But even with the weird ghost stuff, I liked the mystery of the necklace and the rom-com elements and I found myself thinking that this would make a nice movie. It also has a lovely ending that sort of made me tear up.
So I'd say that TWENTIES GIRL is an okay read. Not really Kinsella's best but not her worst either, and Lara grows from her experience and learns how to be a better person and to let people make their own choices while living life on their terms.
3 stars
May 6, 2022
This is the cutest ghost story that is also not a ghost story. Because it’s also kind of a love story. But anyway, it’s not one of those annoying books where you think you’re reading a ghost story and then it ends with “and then she woke up in an asylum and had hallucinated everything.”
Back to the book though-my main takeaway is I want a ghost to befriend me who will scream in the ears of my enemies and convince them that they are thinking whatever is being screamed at them, I love it
Back to the book though-my main takeaway is I want a ghost to befriend me who will scream in the ears of my enemies and convince them that they are thinking whatever is being screamed at them, I love it
March 10, 2017
Liked some parts of the story, the main characters though were seriously awful, they were both so irritating. Lara was an obsessed, deluded, idiotic stalker. She spent so much time stalking her ex boyfriend and coming up with silly reasons about why he dumped her, she was beyond daft when it came to him. Worst of all was when she used Sadie to brainwash him into dating her again, she was demented and behaved like a total buffoon in most aspects of her life. I suppose, she was better towards the end as she finally managed to gain some common sense and a backbone. She was actually quite likeable when she stood up to her uncle and business partner, otherwise she was mostly a flailing mess.
Then there was bloody Sadie, she was a selfish, spoilt, whiny brat. All she did was scream and shout, and if things didn't go her way she'd throw a massive fit and then pout for ages. Like Lara though she did become more tolerable at the end, but that was mainly down to everything finally going her way rather than actual character development.
The secondary characters were much better than Sadie and Lara, they were far more entertaining and likeable.
Liked that the romance was only ever really a side story, and there was quite a bit of focus on Lara's work and family life, as well as all her trying to help Sadie with the missing necklace and whatnot.
Then there was bloody Sadie, she was a selfish, spoilt, whiny brat. All she did was scream and shout, and if things didn't go her way she'd throw a massive fit and then pout for ages. Like Lara though she did become more tolerable at the end, but that was mainly down to everything finally going her way rather than actual character development.
The secondary characters were much better than Sadie and Lara, they were far more entertaining and likeable.
Liked that the romance was only ever really a side story, and there was quite a bit of focus on Lara's work and family life, as well as all her trying to help Sadie with the missing necklace and whatnot.
February 29, 2020
This was the first book I read by Sophie Kinsella, and it sure won't be the last! I totally fell for her writing style and the development of the story and the characters, which went very smoothly. The outcome was light, funny and addictive 😍
When reading this novel, I alternated between my Kindle and the audiobook, and I have to say I totally loved the audiobook. It brought Lara to life and brought her closer to my heart ❤
When reading this novel, I alternated between my Kindle and the audiobook, and I have to say I totally loved the audiobook. It brought Lara to life and brought her closer to my heart ❤
October 5, 2009
Sophie Kinsella made me feel like I was visiting with a best friend every time I went on another zany, warmhearted adventure with Becky Bloomwood--and Kinsella herself seemed quite a kindred spirit when my sister and I attended her book talk for "Shopaholic and Baby" a few years ago--so I suppose I should not be surprised that Kinsella could make me care so much about the twenty-three year old Flapper ghost of a one-hundred-and-five year old lady who died lonely and came back to "haunt" her present-day great-niece. But, gosh darn it, Sophie, you made me care SO much! I don't know how you did it, but you did! It was like magic. For the first 1/4 of the book, I thought, "this is kinda cliche, kinda lame, a bit dull, but, hey, I'll stay with you..." Lara (modern-day girl) and Sadie ('20s ghost) had the altercations one might expect of such a clash of generations and, um, states of alive-ness. The discord with styles of music, slang, etc. Ho-hum. Yet, somewhere along the way, this transforms into a beautiful, heartfelt relationship, a true friendship. Sadie and Lara deserve one another, both for their bad qualities and their good ones. They help bring out the best in each other. Sadie helps Lara with relationship struggles and career woes, all the while feeling that her own life had been little more than a shell after she lost her own love when she was in her early '20s. But Lara learns that her great-aunt (whom she only visited once while she was alive) was actually a really cool gal with an amazing and inspiring life; and it only remains for her to convince Sadie of this! There is also an interesting little mystery involving Sadie's missing dragonfly necklace, and some suspicious behavior by Lara's mega-rich and successful (and pompous!) Uncle Bill. There is some romance, too (and might I say THANK YOU, Sophie! I liked our handsome and thoughtful gent in this tale so much better than Luke Brandon!) but it's not the driving force of the tale. Rather, it is the relationship between Sadie and Lara. There are some genuinely touching moments; I must say that the characters in this "fluffy chick lit" resonated with me more than some of those in classic works I've read. Kinsella is true talent! The tale left me wishing I could have got glimpses into the lives of my departed grandparents when they were in their '20s, and to spend even more time with my eighty-six-year-old grandfather--though, thankfully, I have appreciated what a good thing he is all these years! I don't need this book to make me realize THAT :-) "Twenties Girl" does have the trademark Kinsella humor, but it really touches the heartstrings, too.
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I hope this is good but don't think I'll pay hardcover prices for it evenif it is! Still, I felt Kinsella could be a kindred spirit when we saw her at the author talk last year and her love of the 1920s furthers my suspicion!!!
"Writing Twenties Girl was like going on my own magical mystery tour. My U.S. editor Susan Kamil had once said casually, "You should write a ghost story one day." This comment stayed with me for years. I loved the idea, but didn't know who my ghost could be. I've always loved the glamour and spirit of the 1920s, and the idea came to me of a flapper ghost. A feisty, fun, glamorous girl who adored to dance and drink cocktails and get her own way. I wanted her to be a determined character who would blast into the life of someone with no warning and cause havoc. I then decided she should haunt a thoroughly modern girl, with all the culture clashes and comedy that would bring.
Having come up with this idea I loved it, so it then remained to plunge myself into 1920s research, which was no hardship at all, as I find the era fascinating. I researched vintage make-up, vintage dresses, read fiction from the period, investigated 1920s slang, and tried to channel as much I could of those feisty flappers who cut their hair short (shock!), smoked cigarettes in public (shock!), had sex (shock!) and generally rebelled in all the outrageous ways they could.
The book isn't a period piece though. It's a modern story about two girls and their sparky friendship, right here in the 21st century. One of them just happens to be a ghost from the 1920s. It's a quest, a romance, and a coming of age... and above all a comedy. It's no exaggeration to say that writing the character of Sadie made me look at life differently, and I hope some readers feel the same way. —Sophie Kinsella"
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I hope this is good but don't think I'll pay hardcover prices for it evenif it is! Still, I felt Kinsella could be a kindred spirit when we saw her at the author talk last year and her love of the 1920s furthers my suspicion!!!
"Writing Twenties Girl was like going on my own magical mystery tour. My U.S. editor Susan Kamil had once said casually, "You should write a ghost story one day." This comment stayed with me for years. I loved the idea, but didn't know who my ghost could be. I've always loved the glamour and spirit of the 1920s, and the idea came to me of a flapper ghost. A feisty, fun, glamorous girl who adored to dance and drink cocktails and get her own way. I wanted her to be a determined character who would blast into the life of someone with no warning and cause havoc. I then decided she should haunt a thoroughly modern girl, with all the culture clashes and comedy that would bring.
Having come up with this idea I loved it, so it then remained to plunge myself into 1920s research, which was no hardship at all, as I find the era fascinating. I researched vintage make-up, vintage dresses, read fiction from the period, investigated 1920s slang, and tried to channel as much I could of those feisty flappers who cut their hair short (shock!), smoked cigarettes in public (shock!), had sex (shock!) and generally rebelled in all the outrageous ways they could.
The book isn't a period piece though. It's a modern story about two girls and their sparky friendship, right here in the 21st century. One of them just happens to be a ghost from the 1920s. It's a quest, a romance, and a coming of age... and above all a comedy. It's no exaggeration to say that writing the character of Sadie made me look at life differently, and I hope some readers feel the same way. —Sophie Kinsella"
November 13, 2015
For me this is one of the best chick-lit books ever.
It is funny, original, and surprising.
It has a family secret to uncover and a magical twist.
I have read all of Kinsella’s books, but this one is most definitely my favorite.
It is funny, original, and surprising.
It has a family secret to uncover and a magical twist.
I have read all of Kinsella’s books, but this one is most definitely my favorite.
July 16, 2022
4 stars - Loved it.
This was a lovely read. It got me out of my reading slump, I hadn't finished a book in the last whole month, and I turned to this book. I knew it'd work, and it did. It worked even better than I expected. Sophie Kinsella, you rock!
About the book, it's a typical Sophie Kinsella chick lit. It's heroine is relatable, kind of. And the cherry on the cake is...we have two female protagonists, both have somewhat different personalities, so you resonate with both of them in some way or the other. The book has friendship, family, light swoony romance, a young woman tryna make it in her career, it's hilarious, it's fun, it's awesome. It also has that unbelievable-celebrity-moment almost every Sophie Kinsella book has, which I especially adore.
I'd have liked it more if it had a better ending, don't wanna give spoilers, so not gonna elaborate this.
Sadie was my favorite, she's remarkable. I'd really like a personal 23 yo ghost/guardian angel Sadie, even if she won't give me any privacy.
Overall, loved it.
This was a lovely read. It got me out of my reading slump, I hadn't finished a book in the last whole month, and I turned to this book. I knew it'd work, and it did. It worked even better than I expected. Sophie Kinsella, you rock!
About the book, it's a typical Sophie Kinsella chick lit. It's heroine is relatable, kind of. And the cherry on the cake is...we have two female protagonists, both have somewhat different personalities, so you resonate with both of them in some way or the other. The book has friendship, family, light swoony romance, a young woman tryna make it in her career, it's hilarious, it's fun, it's awesome. It also has that unbelievable-celebrity-moment almost every Sophie Kinsella book has, which I especially adore.
I'd have liked it more if it had a better ending, don't wanna give spoilers, so not gonna elaborate this.
Sadie was my favorite, she's remarkable. I'd really like a personal 23 yo ghost/guardian angel Sadie, even if she won't give me any privacy.
Overall, loved it.
May 15, 2023
Loved!
I knew nothing going in and I'm glad I didn't, it was a lot of fun.
Five stars.
I knew nothing going in and I'm glad I didn't, it was a lot of fun.
Five stars.
November 18, 2015
Very sweet book and I loved the message about appreciating the elderly and older people in our lives. Actual rating 4.25 stars!
February 12, 2021
Lara Lington is a next door girl which means she's funny, independent, smart, a little annoying (I mean in a good normal way). Her boyfriend, Josh dumped her without any explanation and she's obsessing about him. She's opened a business with her best friend, Natalie who left her to go holidaying in Goa, India. She has caring parents and a very rich I mean super rich uncle. Her great aunt, Sadie just died and she can hear and see and hear Sadie's spirit.
This started out as a very funny read and I knew that I will love it and will rate it 5 stars. I was reading it on the train and laughing so hard that I had tears in my eyes, not to mention people surrounding me were looking at me like I was a loony. I can't blame them because first few chapters were a laugh-riot. Until Sadie appears and becomes annoying almost instantly. Let's just say that I didn't like her in the beginning and mostly anywhere in the book. Some aspects of her character were good but she was annoying for the most part.
Lara helps find Sadie her dragonfly necklace which is the only thing that can put Sadie to RIP. How Lara get this necklace, get over Josh and finds love with another man, Ed and how she discovers that her super rich uncle's fortune story is all a lie is this book.
Besides Sadie, I found another let down with this book. Often, I felt like that Sophie was just on one track with the story not quite intermingling the plot. If Lara is trying to find the necklace, Ed was all forgotten about along with basically everything else. And if Lara is making progress with Ed then necklace was no where to be seen and so on.
I still enjoyed the book. I would recommend this to chick-lit lovers obviously.
4 stars
This started out as a very funny read and I knew that I will love it and will rate it 5 stars. I was reading it on the train and laughing so hard that I had tears in my eyes, not to mention people surrounding me were looking at me like I was a loony. I can't blame them because first few chapters were a laugh-riot. Until Sadie appears and becomes annoying almost instantly. Let's just say that I didn't like her in the beginning and mostly anywhere in the book. Some aspects of her character were good but she was annoying for the most part.
Lara helps find Sadie her dragonfly necklace which is the only thing that can put Sadie to RIP. How Lara get this necklace, get over Josh and finds love with another man, Ed and how she discovers that her super rich uncle's fortune story is all a lie is this book.
Besides Sadie, I found another let down with this book. Often, I felt like that Sophie was just on one track with the story not quite intermingling the plot. If Lara is trying to find the necklace, Ed was all forgotten about along with basically everything else. And if Lara is making progress with Ed then necklace was no where to be seen and so on.
I still enjoyed the book. I would recommend this to chick-lit lovers obviously.
4 stars
January 31, 2019
This was chosen as a light read and it did the job. Lara Lington forms an unlikely bond with a family member from the past which rattles her. Sadie turns up inconvenient times, meddling in her relationships and causing all kinds of trouble. Conveniently she uses Sadie to help an ex boyfriend change his mind, but this causes all kinds of trouble after she meets Ed, a handsome exec from America. This annoying behaviour turns into a stronger kinship, and Lara helps solve a mystery from Sadie's past.
Sophie Kinsella often has an American suitor involved, and this story is no exception. Fans of this author will find it similar in this regard. Nice and light fluffy read with a few laugh out loud moments.
Sophie Kinsella often has an American suitor involved, and this story is no exception. Fans of this author will find it similar in this regard. Nice and light fluffy read with a few laugh out loud moments.
August 23, 2022
August 23, 2022 review: I only did this re-read since it fit a bingo book category. I really didn't like it the first time I read it, and I liked it even less on my second read through as well. I think it just was all over the place and the "romance" was not even central to the story. I just found the main hero to be another blander version of the character of Luke Brandon from the "Shopaholic" series.
Updated: December 2019: So, I am a dumb ass. I thought I liked this book when I first read it. Since I was in a reading slump I grabbed this and a few other books to re-read during Christmas Day. Ugh. This is still goofy and irritating for all of the reasons I said below. However, having wine and cheese while reading this made the book much more palatable.
I have always been fascinated by the 20s. You had the so-called Jazz Age, women fighting for the right to vote in the U.S., etc. and all of it ending when the U.S. enters the Great Depression in the 1930s. I never much thought of what the 1920s was like in England, and now I still would want a book about that since "Twenties Girl" did not hit the mark for me.
The big reason why I didn't rate this above 2 stars though is that I hated the main character Lara. She was awful. She honestly only gets a bit better a couple of chapters before the book ends which is just way too long for me to be reading about an insufferable character. I guess you can say the other main character in this one is Lara's Great Aunt Sadie. Sadie is a spirit that is tied to Lara for whatever reason and is now following Lara around to find her necklace so that Sadie can move on.
Lara's life is a mess. She is trying to hold onto her dwindling recruiting business after her best friend goes off with some random guy. Her parents are concerned about her since she has grown obsessed with her ex boyfriend who dumped her via email. Okay that last bit is a jerk move, but her texting and also stalking the guy didn't win me over to her side. When Lara attends her great aunt's funeral and realize her spirit is back from the dead and "haunting" her, Lara initially hopes she's just imagining things. But when she realizes Sadie is here to stay, she does whatever she needs in order to get her life back.
I don't know. This could have been a funny book, or a book version of Ghost (without the weeping and wailing at the end). But it just didn't work. Lara is insufferable. She uses Sadie in order to make herself more popular. She also uses her to manipulate others around her (to hire her as a recruiter) and uses her to force her ex to get back together with her.
Sadie is no prize either since she uses Lara right back to get her to do what she wants too.
There are additional characters in this book, and a side plot dealing with Lara's jerk of an uncle, but honestly I don't even want to go down that road.
The writing was okay, the flow was too. I think if I had liked the central premise and characters more this would have been a 4 or 5 star read.
Updated: December 2019: So, I am a dumb ass. I thought I liked this book when I first read it. Since I was in a reading slump I grabbed this and a few other books to re-read during Christmas Day. Ugh. This is still goofy and irritating for all of the reasons I said below. However, having wine and cheese while reading this made the book much more palatable.
I have always been fascinated by the 20s. You had the so-called Jazz Age, women fighting for the right to vote in the U.S., etc. and all of it ending when the U.S. enters the Great Depression in the 1930s. I never much thought of what the 1920s was like in England, and now I still would want a book about that since "Twenties Girl" did not hit the mark for me.
The big reason why I didn't rate this above 2 stars though is that I hated the main character Lara. She was awful. She honestly only gets a bit better a couple of chapters before the book ends which is just way too long for me to be reading about an insufferable character. I guess you can say the other main character in this one is Lara's Great Aunt Sadie. Sadie is a spirit that is tied to Lara for whatever reason and is now following Lara around to find her necklace so that Sadie can move on.
Lara's life is a mess. She is trying to hold onto her dwindling recruiting business after her best friend goes off with some random guy. Her parents are concerned about her since she has grown obsessed with her ex boyfriend who dumped her via email. Okay that last bit is a jerk move, but her texting and also stalking the guy didn't win me over to her side. When Lara attends her great aunt's funeral and realize her spirit is back from the dead and "haunting" her, Lara initially hopes she's just imagining things. But when she realizes Sadie is here to stay, she does whatever she needs in order to get her life back.
I don't know. This could have been a funny book, or a book version of Ghost (without the weeping and wailing at the end). But it just didn't work. Lara is insufferable. She uses Sadie in order to make herself more popular. She also uses her to manipulate others around her (to hire her as a recruiter) and uses her to force her ex to get back together with her.
Sadie is no prize either since she uses Lara right back to get her to do what she wants too.
There are additional characters in this book, and a side plot dealing with Lara's jerk of an uncle, but honestly I don't even want to go down that road.
The writing was okay, the flow was too. I think if I had liked the central premise and characters more this would have been a 4 or 5 star read.
May 16, 2020
I really can't be sure from where should I start describing this book, initially I thought this is just a light chick lit book with self love kinda plot. But did this book wow me and how?! The story follows life of Lara who is going to a funeral of her great grand aunt Sadie, nobody in the family knows about the aunt but since the millionaire uncle Bill asks them to come pay respects, they do.
Nobody is happy or really looking forward to the funeral but impressing uncle Bill by their presence. A background of Lara's miserable love life and flunking business is provided. In short, Lara's basically on a sinking ship. In the funeral Lara suddenly hears a young girl asking her to stop the funeral. Nobody can see the girl or hear her but Lara. When the girl introduces herself she realises the girl is a ghost of Sadie. The ghost Sadie wants her necklace and wants Lara to find it for her.
Initially the plot is quite funny as Sadie asks Lara to ask a stranger out on a date and stuff, one will think it's a funny story about a ghost guiding a girl into funny circumstances. But! BUT WAIT FOR IT! there is an unexpected mystery which will leave the readers absorbed in the book by the end. Important lessons about leaving a mark in life, being a person, a life that matters are just some of thought provoking insights the book left me with.
Will recommend it to anyone who is looking for a good ghost, guardian angel-ish book with a mystery. Its actually quite funny too.
Nobody is happy or really looking forward to the funeral but impressing uncle Bill by their presence. A background of Lara's miserable love life and flunking business is provided. In short, Lara's basically on a sinking ship. In the funeral Lara suddenly hears a young girl asking her to stop the funeral. Nobody can see the girl or hear her but Lara. When the girl introduces herself she realises the girl is a ghost of Sadie. The ghost Sadie wants her necklace and wants Lara to find it for her.
Initially the plot is quite funny as Sadie asks Lara to ask a stranger out on a date and stuff, one will think it's a funny story about a ghost guiding a girl into funny circumstances. But! BUT WAIT FOR IT! there is an unexpected mystery which will leave the readers absorbed in the book by the end. Important lessons about leaving a mark in life, being a person, a life that matters are just some of thought provoking insights the book left me with.
Will recommend it to anyone who is looking for a good ghost, guardian angel-ish book with a mystery. Its actually quite funny too.
April 15, 2020
Reto Popsugar 42. Un libro cuyo título contenga “20” o “veinte”
«Si una historia de amor solo funciona por un lado, entonces será siempre una pregunta, no una respuesta. Y no puedes vivir toda tu vida esperando una respuesta.»
¡Que ganas de haber conocido a Sadie! Ella lleva el libro.
Bueno, se supone que es de Lara Lington, una chica bastante obsesionada con su ex-novio, y con una mini empresa cazatalentos (busca ejecutivos para ponerlos en otras empresas) que esta casi en bancarrota porque su socia se ha marchado de vacaciones sin explicaciones. El tio de ella Bill Lington es un millonario con una cadena de cafeterias que tiene todo un rollo de "Usted tambien puede ser millonario tal como yo lo hice" con seminarios incluidos.
Todo empieza con el funeral de su tia abuela que ha fallecido en un residencia de ancianos a los 105. Me caen todos muy mal porque nunca la han ido ver cuando ella estaba viva; no les interesaba. Van de obligacion a la funeraria, no hay ramos de flores, ni fotos, ni un preparativo. Vacio, como todos ellos. Eso hasta que a la quejumbrosa prota a la que se le aparece un fantasma vestida como chica flapper que le exige a gritos que ubique su collar o no la dejará nunca más en paz.
De ahi empieza un mini-misterio en que Lara debe empezar a investigar la vida de su tia abuela, y hacer tiempo mientras para que no la entierren aun, para saber que fue del famoso collar de la libelula.
El contraste de la forma de pensar de Sadie, los consejos que le da, las cosas que le obliga a hacer para salirse de su pequeño contexto de mundo es lo mejor del libro.
La historia de cómica, casi nada. Muchas cosas son muy obvias. Pero igual te encariñas con Sadie, sus aventuras, sus amores, y aquella generación entre guerras.
--------------------
I wish I had met Sadie! She carries the book.
Well, it's supposed to be about Lara Lington, a girl quite obsessed with her ex-boyfriend, and with a mini-scouting company (looking for executives to put them in other companies) that is almost bankrupt because her partner has gone on vacation without explanation . Her uncle Bill Lington is a millionaire with a chain of coffee shops that has a whole "You can be a millionaire just like I did" roll with seminars included.
It all starts with the funeral of her great-aunt who died in a nursing home at 105. I really dislike the complete family then because they have never been to see her when she was alive; they were not interested. They go to the funeral home, there are no bouquets, no photos, no preparation. That is until the complaining protagonist got to see a ghost dressed as a flapper girl who cries out for her to locate her necklace or she will never leave her alone.
From there begins a mini-mystery in which Lara must begin to investigate the life of her great-aunt, and make time while not to be buried yet, to know what happened to the famous dragonfly necklace.
The contrast of Sadie's way of thinking, the advice she gives her, the things she forces Lara to do to get out of her little world context is the best thing about the book.
Humor?, almost nothing. Many things are very obvious. But you still get attached to Sadie, her adventures, her loves, and that generation between wars.
«Si una historia de amor solo funciona por un lado, entonces será siempre una pregunta, no una respuesta. Y no puedes vivir toda tu vida esperando una respuesta.»
¡Que ganas de haber conocido a Sadie! Ella lleva el libro.
Bueno, se supone que es de Lara Lington, una chica bastante obsesionada con su ex-novio, y con una mini empresa cazatalentos (busca ejecutivos para ponerlos en otras empresas) que esta casi en bancarrota porque su socia se ha marchado de vacaciones sin explicaciones. El tio de ella Bill Lington es un millonario con una cadena de cafeterias que tiene todo un rollo de "Usted tambien puede ser millonario tal como yo lo hice" con seminarios incluidos.
Todo empieza con el funeral de su tia abuela que ha fallecido en un residencia de ancianos a los 105. Me caen todos muy mal porque nunca la han ido ver cuando ella estaba viva; no les interesaba. Van de obligacion a la funeraria, no hay ramos de flores, ni fotos, ni un preparativo. Vacio, como todos ellos. Eso hasta que a la quejumbrosa prota a la que se le aparece un fantasma vestida como chica flapper que le exige a gritos que ubique su collar o no la dejará nunca más en paz.
De ahi empieza un mini-misterio en que Lara debe empezar a investigar la vida de su tia abuela, y hacer tiempo mientras para que no la entierren aun, para saber que fue del famoso collar de la libelula.
El contraste de la forma de pensar de Sadie, los consejos que le da, las cosas que le obliga a hacer para salirse de su pequeño contexto de mundo es lo mejor del libro.
La historia de cómica, casi nada. Muchas cosas son muy obvias. Pero igual te encariñas con Sadie, sus aventuras, sus amores, y aquella generación entre guerras.
--------------------
I wish I had met Sadie! She carries the book.
Well, it's supposed to be about Lara Lington, a girl quite obsessed with her ex-boyfriend, and with a mini-scouting company (looking for executives to put them in other companies) that is almost bankrupt because her partner has gone on vacation without explanation . Her uncle Bill Lington is a millionaire with a chain of coffee shops that has a whole "You can be a millionaire just like I did" roll with seminars included.
It all starts with the funeral of her great-aunt who died in a nursing home at 105. I really dislike the complete family then because they have never been to see her when she was alive; they were not interested. They go to the funeral home, there are no bouquets, no photos, no preparation. That is until the complaining protagonist got to see a ghost dressed as a flapper girl who cries out for her to locate her necklace or she will never leave her alone.
From there begins a mini-mystery in which Lara must begin to investigate the life of her great-aunt, and make time while not to be buried yet, to know what happened to the famous dragonfly necklace.
The contrast of Sadie's way of thinking, the advice she gives her, the things she forces Lara to do to get out of her little world context is the best thing about the book.
Humor?, almost nothing. Many things are very obvious. But you still get attached to Sadie, her adventures, her loves, and that generation between wars.
July 23, 2010
#2010-64#
”Kalau kau tinggal di suatu tempat, tidak peduli berapa lama, kau perlu melibatkan diri dengannya. Kalau tidak, kau tidak benar-benar menjalani hidupmu. Hanya berfungsi.”h.334.
Twenties girl. Gadis 20-an. Gadis dari tahun 1920 bernama Sadie Lancester. Selalu berusia 20 tahun. Karena dia tidak fana. Dia hantu. Arwah penasaran yang tidak mau dikubur karena belum menemukan kalung kesayangannya.
Sadie menghantui cucu buyutnya, Lara, untuk mencari kalungnya. Lara yang mulanya terganggu dengan kehadiran Sadie, ditambah dengan kepusingan pekerjaannya karena rekanannya meninggalkannya, akhirnya bisa bersahabat dengan Sadie. Lucunya, Sadie memaksa Lara untuk berkenalan dengan Ed, salah satu eksekutif yang ia taksir, seseorang yang baru tinggal di London tapi tak pernah berjalan-jalan.
Konflik disajikan antara hubungan Lara dengan keluarganya, dengan Josh mantan pacarnya, pamannya yang pengusaha terkenal, pencarian kalung, pencarian kandidat headhunting, perkenalannya dengan Ed, dijalin dengan cerita yang mengalir lancar dan lucu, tanpa berkesan banyak kebetulan. Mungkin lebih banyak kenekatan.
Menariknya adalah, perindahan loncatan antara hal-hal yang dialami oleh Lara terjadi sangat apik, seperti membuka hari. Tidak terasa terburu-buru, tetapi runut menceritakan kejadian pada satu waktu ke waktu yang lain. Satu ketika ia berbicara tentang menghadapi klien, lalu malamnya berkencan dengan Ed, yang dirangkai dengan kehadiran hantu Sadie yang mengganggunya.
Yang menjadi nilai tambah saya adalah Kinsella menceritakan dengan detail setting profesi Lara, bagaimana kesehariannya, kesibukannya, yang membuat tokoh ini istimewa, membuat kesibukan hariannya memang menjadi bagian dari cerita tanpa terasa sebagai tempelan belaka.
Cara mengungkap misteri siapa Sadie sebenarnya terasa agak kebetulan, tapi, itulah khas tokoh tak-mau-menyerah Kinsella, ketika semua kekesalan menghimpit, kekuatan terbesarlah yang akan keluar.
***
Sophie Kinsella selalu menjadi favorit saya. Walaupun ceritanya sering berupa cinderella story, tapi cara pengemasan dan kelucuan barunya membuat karyanya dinanti. Yang saya kagum, ia berhasil lolos dari prototipe 'Becky Bloomwood' dari Shopaholic series yang melambungkan namanya. Banyak penulis cerita serial yang tidak bisa menulis sesuatu yang berbeda dari karakter barunya. Namun, Kinsella berhasil lepas dari jeratan itu. Tokoh-tokohnya selalu memiliki identitas baru, bila dibandingkan dengan tokoh di Shopaholic, menyelesaikan masalah dengan cara yang berbeda-beda. Sehingga bisa dibandingkan Emma Corrigan di Can You Keep a Secret?, seorang gadis yang tak sengaja membocorkan rahasia dirinya pada seseorang yang tak ia kenal, yang ternyata rekanan kantornya, Samantha si pengacara super pintar yang kaget dan menemukan dirinya adalah The Undomestic Goddess di daerah pedesaan, Lexy si bukan siapa-siapa yang mengalami amnesia 3 tahun dalam Remember Me? adalah sales karpet, dan Lara ini, twenties girl, dari perusahaan headhunter yang didatangi arwah penasaran.
Apakah tidak ada persamaan? Tentu ada. Kinsella selalu membuat gadis-gadis ini tidak terlalu cantik,tampak bodoh, kekurangan cinta, dan mendapat pangerannya karena intensitas pertemuan. Namun gadis-gadis ini selalu memiliki kekuatan tersembunyi, ide-ide dan keberanian, prinsip percaya diri yang kuat, bahkan untuk mengambil risiko. Di saat uang tidak bisa menyelesaikan segalanya.
Inner beauty itu memang ada. Kecantikan tidak tersembunyi dalam kaki jenjang, pinggul ramping, atau rambut pirang. Justru ketidaksempurnaannya membuat gadis-gadis ini dijatuhcintai. Melalui dialog-dialog cerdas dan lucu, sifat sedikit manja tapi mandiri, walaupun betis besar, badan agak gemuk, menjadi tak nampak karena lebur dengan kehangatan dan persahabatan yang diberikannya. Karena ketidaksempurnaan berarti ada sesuatu yang harus diisi untuk mengimbangi.
Mereka seperti girl next door yang bisa menjadi sahabat anda, kekasih, saudara. Terkadang bingung dan bengong, namun manis, ramah, dan berani mengambil sikap.
Tidak usah repot untuk mengatakan ini bacaan ringan atau berisi. Sebut saja ini kisah cinta, persahabatan, keberuntungan, ide, keberanian dan kenekatan. Untung juga saya dapat buku ini dari sahabat. Terima kasih kang Hippo atas e-booknya, terima kasih Ijul atas bukunya..
”Kalau kau tinggal di suatu tempat, tidak peduli berapa lama, kau perlu melibatkan diri dengannya. Kalau tidak, kau tidak benar-benar menjalani hidupmu. Hanya berfungsi.”h.334.
Twenties girl. Gadis 20-an. Gadis dari tahun 1920 bernama Sadie Lancester. Selalu berusia 20 tahun. Karena dia tidak fana. Dia hantu. Arwah penasaran yang tidak mau dikubur karena belum menemukan kalung kesayangannya.
Sadie menghantui cucu buyutnya, Lara, untuk mencari kalungnya. Lara yang mulanya terganggu dengan kehadiran Sadie, ditambah dengan kepusingan pekerjaannya karena rekanannya meninggalkannya, akhirnya bisa bersahabat dengan Sadie. Lucunya, Sadie memaksa Lara untuk berkenalan dengan Ed, salah satu eksekutif yang ia taksir, seseorang yang baru tinggal di London tapi tak pernah berjalan-jalan.
Konflik disajikan antara hubungan Lara dengan keluarganya, dengan Josh mantan pacarnya, pamannya yang pengusaha terkenal, pencarian kalung, pencarian kandidat headhunting, perkenalannya dengan Ed, dijalin dengan cerita yang mengalir lancar dan lucu, tanpa berkesan banyak kebetulan. Mungkin lebih banyak kenekatan.
Menariknya adalah, perindahan loncatan antara hal-hal yang dialami oleh Lara terjadi sangat apik, seperti membuka hari. Tidak terasa terburu-buru, tetapi runut menceritakan kejadian pada satu waktu ke waktu yang lain. Satu ketika ia berbicara tentang menghadapi klien, lalu malamnya berkencan dengan Ed, yang dirangkai dengan kehadiran hantu Sadie yang mengganggunya.
Yang menjadi nilai tambah saya adalah Kinsella menceritakan dengan detail setting profesi Lara, bagaimana kesehariannya, kesibukannya, yang membuat tokoh ini istimewa, membuat kesibukan hariannya memang menjadi bagian dari cerita tanpa terasa sebagai tempelan belaka.
Cara mengungkap misteri siapa Sadie sebenarnya terasa agak kebetulan, tapi, itulah khas tokoh tak-mau-menyerah Kinsella, ketika semua kekesalan menghimpit, kekuatan terbesarlah yang akan keluar.
***
Sophie Kinsella selalu menjadi favorit saya. Walaupun ceritanya sering berupa cinderella story, tapi cara pengemasan dan kelucuan barunya membuat karyanya dinanti. Yang saya kagum, ia berhasil lolos dari prototipe 'Becky Bloomwood' dari Shopaholic series yang melambungkan namanya. Banyak penulis cerita serial yang tidak bisa menulis sesuatu yang berbeda dari karakter barunya. Namun, Kinsella berhasil lepas dari jeratan itu. Tokoh-tokohnya selalu memiliki identitas baru, bila dibandingkan dengan tokoh di Shopaholic, menyelesaikan masalah dengan cara yang berbeda-beda. Sehingga bisa dibandingkan Emma Corrigan di Can You Keep a Secret?, seorang gadis yang tak sengaja membocorkan rahasia dirinya pada seseorang yang tak ia kenal, yang ternyata rekanan kantornya, Samantha si pengacara super pintar yang kaget dan menemukan dirinya adalah The Undomestic Goddess di daerah pedesaan, Lexy si bukan siapa-siapa yang mengalami amnesia 3 tahun dalam Remember Me? adalah sales karpet, dan Lara ini, twenties girl, dari perusahaan headhunter yang didatangi arwah penasaran.
Apakah tidak ada persamaan? Tentu ada. Kinsella selalu membuat gadis-gadis ini tidak terlalu cantik,tampak bodoh, kekurangan cinta, dan mendapat pangerannya karena intensitas pertemuan. Namun gadis-gadis ini selalu memiliki kekuatan tersembunyi, ide-ide dan keberanian, prinsip percaya diri yang kuat, bahkan untuk mengambil risiko. Di saat uang tidak bisa menyelesaikan segalanya.
Inner beauty itu memang ada. Kecantikan tidak tersembunyi dalam kaki jenjang, pinggul ramping, atau rambut pirang. Justru ketidaksempurnaannya membuat gadis-gadis ini dijatuhcintai. Melalui dialog-dialog cerdas dan lucu, sifat sedikit manja tapi mandiri, walaupun betis besar, badan agak gemuk, menjadi tak nampak karena lebur dengan kehangatan dan persahabatan yang diberikannya. Karena ketidaksempurnaan berarti ada sesuatu yang harus diisi untuk mengimbangi.
Mereka seperti girl next door yang bisa menjadi sahabat anda, kekasih, saudara. Terkadang bingung dan bengong, namun manis, ramah, dan berani mengambil sikap.
Tidak usah repot untuk mengatakan ini bacaan ringan atau berisi. Sebut saja ini kisah cinta, persahabatan, keberuntungan, ide, keberanian dan kenekatan. Untung juga saya dapat buku ini dari sahabat. Terima kasih kang Hippo atas e-booknya, terima kasih Ijul atas bukunya..
November 14, 2009
This was a FUN read. If you like romatic comedy and light ghost stories and light myster it is for you in spades. British author and takes place in London - the perspective on the American boyfriend is interesting. Starts slow but accelerates to the end. Sorry when you turn the last page.
February 26, 2018
Lara is having some major life issues currently including, her ex- boyfriend, a job that she isn’t too sure about and now a dead aunt who might be haunting her. Lara is just trying to keep her imagination under control and get her life on track, but maybe her dead aunt Sadie is just what she needs to get everything in line.
The author does a great job creating Lara’s personality. We can see right from the beginning that Lara is a little stressed and has a lot going on, but is working hard on putting up a good front. Lara doesn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings or trouble anyone. Lara grew on me when I was reading the book and I ended up rooting for her the whole time to get everything in order. Lara did get a little stuck on the ex-boyfriend issue, but it does end up working on in the book.
The story follows Lara as she is in search of her great-aunt Sadie’s necklace. Lara is somewhat looking for the necklace while trying to keep going with her career. I loved the banter that occurred between Lara and Sadie during the book. The banter alone would keep me listening to the book. I loved the relationship that developed between the two of them and how much that Lara could learn about Sadie’s life. Sadie was an amazing second character since she was a ghost stuck in the past it was an interesting view on life. I enjoyed how it brought the Twenties Girl idea to life through Sadie.
The story moves along at a nice pace and is easy to follow along. I loved how the story unfolded and it kept my attention most of the time. The story gets busier towards the end, but overall a great pace.
My major complaint with the book would have been the romance. I have read several Sophie Kinsella books and enjoyed the romance portion of those books. The romance in this book felt slightly as an afterthought in this book. The book is focused mainly on Lara and getting her life back together and trying to figure out what she wants out of life. I did enjoy the romance at times and felt it was cute, but at other times I felt it could have been almost a second book.
I would suggest this as a nighttime read. There were a lot of parts where I felt that the book could be put down and picked back up. The book kept my attention while listening to it, but I was able to take some breaks and not feel like I missed anything.
The author does a great job creating Lara’s personality. We can see right from the beginning that Lara is a little stressed and has a lot going on, but is working hard on putting up a good front. Lara doesn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings or trouble anyone. Lara grew on me when I was reading the book and I ended up rooting for her the whole time to get everything in order. Lara did get a little stuck on the ex-boyfriend issue, but it does end up working on in the book.
The story follows Lara as she is in search of her great-aunt Sadie’s necklace. Lara is somewhat looking for the necklace while trying to keep going with her career. I loved the banter that occurred between Lara and Sadie during the book. The banter alone would keep me listening to the book. I loved the relationship that developed between the two of them and how much that Lara could learn about Sadie’s life. Sadie was an amazing second character since she was a ghost stuck in the past it was an interesting view on life. I enjoyed how it brought the Twenties Girl idea to life through Sadie.
The story moves along at a nice pace and is easy to follow along. I loved how the story unfolded and it kept my attention most of the time. The story gets busier towards the end, but overall a great pace.
My major complaint with the book would have been the romance. I have read several Sophie Kinsella books and enjoyed the romance portion of those books. The romance in this book felt slightly as an afterthought in this book. The book is focused mainly on Lara and getting her life back together and trying to figure out what she wants out of life. I did enjoy the romance at times and felt it was cute, but at other times I felt it could have been almost a second book.
I would suggest this as a nighttime read. There were a lot of parts where I felt that the book could be put down and picked back up. The book kept my attention while listening to it, but I was able to take some breaks and not feel like I missed anything.
February 18, 2017
This might be my new favorite by Sophie Kinsella....
I absolutely loved the paranormal/magical realism aspect of this book... The relationship between Sadie and Lara was so fun... so many laugh out loud moments, made me want to put on a flapper dress and do the Charleston... not sure about that 1920s make up though..... I also really liked the relationship between Ed and Lara she was just the right shade of color to add to his life..... this book just left me feeling good, and now I want a great aunt to come haunt me....
I absolutely loved the paranormal/magical realism aspect of this book... The relationship between Sadie and Lara was so fun... so many laugh out loud moments, made me want to put on a flapper dress and do the Charleston... not sure about that 1920s make up though..... I also really liked the relationship between Ed and Lara she was just the right shade of color to add to his life..... this book just left me feeling good, and now I want a great aunt to come haunt me....
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