Author: Stephanie Perkins
Publisher: Dutton
Pages: 372
Challenge: None
My Rating:
Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris—until she meets Étienne St. Claire: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home. -summary from goodreads.com
Such a wonderful contemporary YA read. I don’t think I’ve read one bad review on Anna and the French Kiss and this review wont be any different! The story follows eighteen-year-old Anna Oliphant who is sent off to SOAP (School of America in Paris) by her father in a ridiculous show of his newly found “author money”. Here she befriends a new group of classmates and meets the handsome Etienne St. Clair.
I really liked Anna. What I loved best about her, were her realistic traits; Anna is sometimes witty, sometimes smart, sometimes annoying. She’s not notably remarkable at anything, she’s clumsy, and she’s terrible at French. But I loved her persona and I admired how she continued to motivate herself even after her parents pretty much abandoned her in France.
Now, onto St. Claire…. I’ll admit, in the beginning I was a bit hesitant about liking him because he was totally leading Anna on, AND HE ALREADY HAD A GF! But then you learn about his relationship and how its unhealthy, unstable and tearing him apart…. *sigh* St. Clair is full of flaws, which makes him all that more real.
Overall, Anna and the French Kiss is a story about figuring out how to be good to your friends, your parents and yourself. Ms. Perkins was able to perfectly portray how important some people are in life, and how terrible it is to hurt those you love. This book is great on so many levels.
Awesome review!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to read this one!! :D
*grins*
ReplyDeleteI hope to finally get to read this in the next few days - I've been putting it off forever because I wanted some of the hype to die down.
Thanks for the honest review, you're the first person to mention having doubts about St. Claire, I like that, he was starting to sound TOO perfect.
:D
Ahhhh I'm supposed to be reading this now but I'm trying to get through my library books first! Everytime I start putting it out of my mind I read yet another amazing review :P
ReplyDelete@The book Pages & @ Laura- I'm sure u'll love it :) Let me know how it goes for you!
ReplyDelete@Alex- omg! I had heard so many other bloggers swoon on St. Claire, & when I didnt immediately love him, I thought something was wrong with me... :)haha! but its a gradual love... u'll have that big cheesy grin at the end of the book!
Oh... this sounds exactly like the kind of book I would love. Adding it to my list of to-reads. - Kate
ReplyDeleteI love your review style and it has honestly encouraged me to go out and get this book. I've heard a lot of good things about it lately but your review has convinced me.
ReplyDeleteI love this review! What you said about A&TFK is so true! I love that Anna was such a 3-dimensional character, and even St. Claire had problems of his own. No one in the book was perfect, and I think that's what made it such a success. They were like real people, instead of the unattainable perfection that is so apparent in books lately. :) It's one of my top favorite books. I loved this one!!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you liked it. The girlfriend thing was sooo frustrating, and I wish it hadn't dragged out like that, but still an awesome read.
ReplyDeleteHi Diana! Thanks for stopping by my site earlier-- I know, I am loving the Giovanni book! And great review here, this is one on my TBR list :) I'm now a follower!
ReplyDeleteHi Diana! Sorry for hijacking this post but it's Ashley (AKA Haysel) and I just want to say it was so nice meeting you in California as well! Thanks for being a follower of my blog - I think yours is so cool. By chance, will you be attending BEA this year? If you are just let me know.
ReplyDeleteHaysel
P.S. I don't remember if I gave you my email address: BCHaysel@yahoo.com.
Great review, Diana :) I don't think I've heard anything but praise for this book, either! I need to get around to reading it sometime soon.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I haven't read on bad review of AatFK either. But I love knowing both characters seem to be beautifully flawed. I think I will take your suggestion!
ReplyDeleteeeeeeeeeeee, im so glad you enjoyed it!! I can't wait for the next.!!!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it funny how St. Claire shouldn't be great b/c he leads Anna on and has a GF, but it's just impossible not to love him in the end.
ReplyDeleteI've heard loads of good things about this book lately.I think I'm definitely going to have to read it. Great review, thanks :)
ReplyDelete