I love to read and especially enjoy discovering new authors. When this attractively presented book which promised to be a great read came through my letter box I looked forward to get started. I did try with this book, two or three times in fact however I just couldn’t get into it. There is no fatal flaw as such, it just didn’t “grab” me. As “I couldn’t get through it” isn’t a very descriptive review I passed the baton to my friend and colleague Martina Mercer who has not only had books published herself, she also spent some years editing and publishing books. This is what she found…
100 Names by Cecilia Ahern
I’m not usually a fan of chick lit, however I always have a few I read when spirits are low and I need a bit of boost, as quite simply my usual fodder of crime thrillers and Sci-Fi simply doesn’t cut it! That’s why when I need to empty my mind I choose Jane Green, Freya North or Cecilia Ahern as I feel as though I cut my teeth on their narratives and they make the perfect accompaniment to the tub of Hagan Daas and the roaring fire.
Cecilia enticed me, as she did for many when I read P.S. I love you, a book I cried the whole way through- even the film didn’t disappoint. However since, I’ve become quite fond of the little magical twists that allow us to become wrapped up in a story as they don’t over suspend our beliefs.
So when I do fancy true escapism, I turn to Cecilia Ahern. I’ve been there with the imaginary friend, in the Land of Lost things and I’ve even met someone’s life, so this time I hoped 100 names would make me feel silly, giddy, carefree and blessed just as the others did.
SPOILER: In fact there is no magic throughout the entire book, unless you use the cliché that “we are capable of magical things” and it’s this that quite frankly peed me off.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s readable, funny at times and clever in the way it all comes together, but it just didn’t cut it for me. Without the magic I’m afraid to say I found it quite lacking, the undercurrent of a love story just didn’t convince me, the characters didn’t come to life in my head and I didn’t really care what happened in the end.
One shining light was a character named Sam, maybe because I imagined a young Gerard Butler in the role. It was fun, it was light, it was frothy and “nice” but it didn’t touch my soul!
In the words of Simon and Garfunkel, Cecilia, you’re breaking my heart; I’m begging you please come home!
