The thing about Slow Love by Dominique Browning is that it’s not even a terrible read. Browning’s voice is actually charming and lively, it’s just everything the she says that gets to me.
This is the story of a divorced woman who has money, lives in a huge, beautiful house in a wealthy suburb of NYC, shops on Saturday at the farmer’s market and her biggest concern during a portion of the book is the waistband of her expensive, designer pajamas. She has also recently lost her job and is carrying out a tedious affair with a married man. She goes so far down the rabbit hole at one point, that she starts eating an entire cookie each day. (Mind you, she splits it into two halves, what is she? An animal?)
Given that she is basically living a privileged dream life, I have a hard time identifying with her state of listlessness and depression. Her hardships basically boil down to being mostly self-inflicted “first world pains.” You know, like… my pillow is too squishy and I can’t see the tv without straining my neck?
So, let’s talk about her cookie addiction. She says on p. 45, “I break the cookie in two, behaving in that fetishistic way of a junkie. Halfway into the chocolate chip, my heart begins to race.” Seeing that I’ve been an actual junkie, that I’ve read gut-wrenching memoirs written by actual junkies, I found her issues to be a little less than gripping.
Don’t even get me started about her understanding of feminism. No really, don’t. It won’t be pretty, so I’ll save it for the discussions. Head over to Blogher's Book Club and find out what the Blogher Bloggers thought of Slow Love.
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This was a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own.
Hmmm I am going to need to go back an re-read it because I thought that each cookie = an entire batch of cookie dough.
ReplyDeleteShe is privileged. Even very much so... but she still had a lot to learn about herself.
Excellent review. Great job.
ReplyDeleteSo I'm probably not going to move this title to the top of my reading list this autumn. Due to fact that I am obsessively objective at times, I will however read more reviews on this book, and determine then, whether it lands on my list at all.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the opportunity to read a variety of outlooks on Ms Browning's efforts.
ooh, I love your writing so much more than hers. I'm still waiting for your book to come out.
ReplyDeleteKaws, you are so totally right to remain objective! Reviews are only ever somebody's opinion, and I know that a lot of people really loved this book! So, who knows?
ReplyDeleteAJ, I started sending out queries today! I'm still obsessively editing and rearranging the last 1/3 of my book, but it will be finished someday!
ReplyDeleteWhen I read the title I thought, I could probably relate to this book seeing how I lost my job and found happiness through being an entrepreneur (and yes I do stay in my pajamas sometimes all day long...while working of course). Then, I read your description and crossed it off my list! LOL! Thanks for your honest review. Oh, and for the record, I can eat a TUB of cookie dough, this woman has issues.
ReplyDeleteJessica, you never know! Some people really liked the book!
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