Customer Reviews

The Continuity Girl

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

Let's cut to the chase. Ms. McLaren's book is a mess. It drags the reader from one preposterous situation to another without being particularly original or interesting. It seems that, in her effort to convince the reader what a good writer she is (debatable), she forgot to write a good story.

It's disappointing. When I saw her cite the assistance of Andrew Pyper in her dedication, I had high hopes. Mr. Pyper has a knack for taking stock genres and infusing them with a literary quality that is ultimately refreshing. Ms. McLaren does not. She does not even try. It's this lack of effort that is most apparent. She relies on the stock plot twists and fairy tale conventions of the genre rather than building on them.

To be fair, it's not a horrible read. It's just not a very good one.

Continuity Girl is to literature what Britney Spears is to music: superficial cack!
Even in the now predictable genre of "chick-lit", this book disappoints. The characterization is completely flat; the reader never gets a sense of any character as a person with feelings or thoughts, rather they are people who wear certain things, live in certain places and hang out at certain hot-spots. But ultimately it is the sophmoric writing that is so hard to bear - this might get an "A" in Grade 9 creative writing but how it ever got published is a mystery. It's not smart, it's not interesting, it's not even funny. If you're undecided about reading it, I'd strongly urge you not to waste your time.

You will enjoy this book IF you don't expect too much. The story is fun, there are some amusing insights and observations (which may mean most to Canadians living in London and/or to 30-something-not-all-married-and-settled women) and it is easy reading. There are too many coincidences to be able to say the plot was well-crafted and the ending is predictable (but it made me feel good so I don't care). Perhaps it was a meta attempt at irony that no continuity girl read the novel and picked out the many inconsistencies (e.g. Meredith's cell phone working in the UK (maybe even on the tube, can't remember exactly), Mich's apparent ability to work in the UK without a permit, etc etc) but in the end it was enjoyable enough to forgive these problems.

This book isn't even good in a trashy chick-lit way. The narrative is insultingly stupid, there are editorial mistakes throughout and if you even get the end it's shockingly cliched.

Perhaps as a very short parody, but as a book. Perhaps if we were provided with coloured pencils and asked to try to stay within the lines . . .

If you're expecting a typical chick-lit novel who features a male and a female who fall in love with each other in a very atypical way, you should put this book down. "Continuity Girl" isn't such a novel. It's targeted to working women in their late 20s or early 30s. It's quite well-written with a few creative subplots - which you don't see often in typical chick-lit - as well as some great quotes. It's quite witty and stands out amongst young women literature. There is a lot of content to wrap your head around as you read the book, so it isn't like the usual predictable chick-lit in women literature. "Continuity Girl" gives you room for thought, which is a nice change in a market bogged down by chick-lit nowadays.

My only complaint is that it is a little lengthy, but I didn't read it in one sitting, so it didn't bother me as much as it would have.

this is by far the worst book i have ever read, no joke. i immensely enjoyed ms. mclarenès wit and humour in her writing for the globe and mail, and i am dumbfounded by how bad this novel is. i didnt expect it to be great or anything, but i am certain an eight grader could have done a better job at character development, plot, dialogue, etc, not to mention having typos in a published work. it is nonsensical at times. i almost retched during the whiskey love scene near the end of the book. i really cant believe how bad it is. i am very confused at how this could have happened. as an admirer of ms mclarens, i feel bad for her as this work is just plain embarassing.

I bought it on sale for $2.50 and I still feel ripped off. Not even worth reading the cover! It's a revolting book that I feel 100% sure that is the worst one I have ever read.

I can't believe this book has gotten any good reviews at all. I am even more amazed that someone actually called it "stunning". I found this book pretty ridiculous and trite, not even good as chick lit goes. It was painful and embarrassing to read, and I don't even want to admit I own it let alone recommend it to someone!
It is a formulaic attempt to match Bridget Jones, but without any of the charm or wit. The book will not only not make you laugh, it will often make you roll your eyes with its forced attempts at wackiness and "hilarity". The characters are empty and the plot is boring. I'd say if you wanted to buy this, write to me and I 'll send you mine, but I threw mine out.

I had high hopes for the book that has a review on the cover stating "Canada's Carrie Bradshaw"...this was so far from the truth that I think I lost all respect for the Globe and Mail..but oh wait, didn't the writer work for the Globe and Mail and thank them in her credits? I'm pretty sure that review was paid for, or they have no clue who Carrie Bradshaw is!
Continuity Girl put me to sleep a few times, chapters dragged, details ended up going no where. I had to resist putting this book back on the shelf a number of times. By far this is one of the most boring books I have ever read.