Review: If You Were Here

Just finished reading If You Were Here, Jen Lancaster's first fictional novel, and couldn't wait to discuss it.

As I said in my previous post, this book was everything I hoped it would be. And more. Lancaster's unique voice shines through her characters, keeping right on point with the clever wit and hilarious sarcasm. At several points throughout the novel, I literally laughed out loud at the comedy of phrasing and the situations these characters, Mac and Mia, get themselves in. One of my favorite lines in the entire book comes after a local gang member in the Chicago neighborhood tries to throw a Molotov Cocktail at their rental home. He fails and Mia remarks, “One second he's standing there looking all smug and menacing in his ski mask, and the next, he's covered in turpentine and flaming harder than Boys Town on Pride weekend.” HI-larious. Humorous remarks like this land throughout If You Were Here.

Clever one liners aside, the story itself is quite interesting. If You Were Here tells the story of Mac and Mia, a Chicago based couple who decide it's time to make the move to the suburbs. After looking at an endless supply of almost houses, they settle on a money pit of a house in need of total renovation. The story retells their adventures in DIY home repair, hiring contractors, renovation nightmares and all things in between. What I loved was the twists and turns this novel takes. There are many unpredictable points reached that I never saw coming. They added a captivating element that made it hard to put the book down. I also really enjoyed that just when you think things can't get any worse or go any further, they do. Lancaster does a great job of setting up scenes and then taking it to the brink, keeping the reader engaged and entertained.

Mac and Mia (who slightly resemble Jen and Fletch in some ways from the memoirs, in a good way) have an interesting and realistic relationship that you can't not root for all the way to the end. Lancaster delves into the other side of happily ever after and hits at real marital problems stemming from financial woes, house disrepair and disagreements. We, the readers, get to see this couple work through such looming problems, making Mac and Mia seem more like old friends than simply characters on a page.

My only (minor) gripe is that I wish Mia was a little more confrontational up front when having to deal with overbearing neighbors and pushy executives and the like. In the end though, she steps up and makes her voice heard in a fantastic way.

Lancaster has successfully made her mark on the fiction world and I can't wait to see where she takes us next.

Jen Lancaster, in person.

If you're a book nerd like me then getting to meet one of your favorite authors in person is always a big thrill.


Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending my second (!) Jen Lancaster book signing for her new novel, If You Were Here.

This is Lancaster's first work of fiction, which is quite exciting. I'm totally obsessed with her memoirs and couldn't wait to my my hands on this book. Luckily, my sister pre-ordered me a copy for my birthday (Thanks, sis!) and I got it just in time for the event.

Even getting to the Barnes and Noble the better part of an hour early, it was still standing room only left. The crowds had already formed to hear Lancaster read, answer questions and get books signed. My friend Jen and I patiently waited, discussing all things Jen Lancaster: previous books and the parts we loved, how Lancaster might make her entrance (we hoped pumping her fists like Rocky to “Eye of the Tiger”....no luck), and what we thought the new novel was going to be like.

Then the time came, Lancaster came to the podium as the crowd snaked all around the upstairs of Barnes and Noble cheered. She started off reading an excerpt from If You Were Here that had everyone laughing out loud at her trademark humor and wit. There's certainly no lacking of Lancaster's voice in her characters. With that excerpt, anyone who hadn't read the book yet (Jen and I included) couldn't wait to see what else was in store. Following the reading Lancaster answered questions from the audience about her pets, what she misses about the city and other things book related.

Lancaster's just as funny in person as she is in her writing and it always a pleasure getting to hear her speak. After a quick coffee break, it was time to get our books signed. Jen and I stepped into the line winding around various book shelves displaying titles from all things gardening to parenting, spirituality and all things in between. We spent out time waiting entertaining ourselves discussing random book titles and reading through a book of useless information (example: people, on average, laugh about 13 times per day.) Finally, it was almost our turn. We briefly discussed what we should talk about while getting our books signs and then we were. Lancaster was friendly and open as she signed out books and posed for a picture. It was a fantastically fun evening and I've since made my way over halfway through If You Were Here. So far I'll say it's everything I hoped it would be.

An Ode to Jen Lancaster

Earlier this year I was at a loss for something to read. I had finished my current book, wasn't able to get to a bookstore and nothing looked appealing as a reread on my personal bookshelf. Then my friend Jen asked me if I had ever heard of Jen Lancaster, an author from Chicago who writes memoirs and calls people “asshats” and is funnily bitter? No I hadn't and so the next day at work Jen brought to me Bitter is the New Black, Lancaster's debut memoir. After then reading all the memoirs of Jennifer Lancaster, dot com goddess turned author, I feel like I have a new best friend. Lancaster's writing is so witty and inviting you feel like you've truly come to know her as a person by the time the back cover closes.

The first memoir, Bitter is the New Black, opens with an almost archetypal portrait of a typical, rich, city-girl diva. Lancaster does not try to shy away from who she is and fully divulges that she was not the nicest or most concerned person in Chicago, While this might be initially off-putting, it's refreshing to see someone who is self aware and not afraid to put it out there. Lancaster herself admits with her subtitle, "the bitch had it coming." Throughout the memoir, though, Lancaster loses her big money-making job and subsequently faces the challenges of unemployment. Through this the reader sees a very clear metamorphosis which can only be described as touching and insightful. There's a definite switch throughout where the reader can truly get to know Lancaster as a person and can, because of her unique writing style that pulls the reader right in, really empathize with her situation.

Bright Lights, Big Ass, Lancaster's second memoir, is just plain, laugh-out-loud entertaining. She takes the most mundane occurrences, like grocery shopping, cooking dinner and working temp jobs for example, and turns it into a noteworthy adventure. Combining letters to city officials, emails to friends and first person narratives Lancaster pieces together a portrait of Chicago living sure to amuse both those from the city and those from others.

Such a Pretty Fat, is not only a pleasure to read but an inspirational story. Lancaster's third memoir explores her desire and quest to lose weight, get in shape and get healthier. She keeps her sarcastic, larger-than-life witty tone but the reader can see the real struggle she goes through while attempting different diet fads and trying to make peace with working out at the gym. As Lancaster relays her trials and tribulations, it's easy to enter into her world and go along for the ride. The reader can easily feel Lancaster's frustrations and triumphs throughout the memoir. In the end you are cheering her on as well as gearing up for your own health and fitness makeover.

Pretty in Plaid, explores her past and the events that led up to where she is now. This memoir offers terrific insight to where Lancaster comes from, what makes her what she is and how she became the person she is. Through thoughtfully chosen details from her girlhood, adolescence and early adulthood the reader gets to see the depth of Lancaster and put into perspective her three previous novels. Also, the novels layout, chronicled by wardrobe choices is a brilliant idea and absolutely fitting to Lancaster as a character.

Throughout each memoir, Lancaster achieves a light, entertaining tone that keeps the reader in stitches, literally laughing out loud at the ridiculous and outrageous things that occur in her everyday life. She is able to take the seemingly uninteresting and morph it into something worthy of being shared with others through her friendly writing style and her sarcastically cynical attitude (in the best possible sense). Reading Lancaster's memoirs is like sitting down to coffee with an old friend and catching up on recent events, leaving with a renewed sense of connection to a dear friend.

Not that long ago, Jen and I had the delightful privilege of meeting Jen Lancaster at a book signing for her latest memoir, My Fair Lazy. Truly one of the best nights of my life to date. Lancaster read aloud one of my favorite parts of the memoir, answered questions from the audience and signed copies. She's just as funny and entertaining in person. And My Fair Lazy did not fall short of expectation. Lancaster sets out to “culture up” because, she realized, she watched almost every single reality T.V. show ever created and really didn't do much else. As always, it's an entertaining adventure as Lancaster tries different foods from around the world, learns about wine, takes in a traditional Chinese tea ceremony, eats food created through molecular gastronomy at Moto and finds other ways to become a more cultured person.