Anna and The French Kiss (Stephanie Perkins)

Ebook, Epub format, 266 pages

Published December 2nd, 2010 by Dutton

Rating 4/5

I just didn’t know why I was attracted to this novel some time ago when I read someone’s review or recommendation somewhere. From then on, I kept searching here and there. And finally, I found it in my friend’s calibre. Thanks to Ana. Oya, another thing is frankly, I was in search of Chaos Walking the series when I found this book. But then, I finished this book instead of starting to read Chaos Walking the series. Haha

OK. Its enough for the intermezzo. Let’s start the review.

What do you think if you got a chance to go to France even you were not really into it? Would you say no?

Anna Olliphant, or Banana Elephant (she has her own nickname), 18, got to go to France since her father insisted her to. Anna, who had a cute brother Sean, a best friend, Brigitte, and just got her kiss from her-almost-boyfriend-to-be, Christopher or Toph, had to leave them in Atlanta, and flew to France to continue her study in SOAP—School of America in Paris, a school for Americans in France. There, she lived in a dormitory together with her best friends to be, Meredith,Rashmi and her boyfriend,Josh,  and of course the heart and soul provoking American guy with British accent who could speak French, Etienne St. Clair. Who could resist his charm? Even me, who is no longer teen, head over heels over him. Duh….

But, he was taken.

Anna’s heart was still longing for Toph.

France really has its magic to everyone who is longing for love, including Anna and St. Clair. Anna had to survive her first weeks in SOAP with minimum French. St. Clair was always there beside her; classes, cafeteria, all the streets near by Notre Dame, Seine River, Point Zero and of course some movie theaters that spread around the street. So, who could resist the attraction? How envious I am.

Actually, this teenlit has verrryy simple plot that I could guess the ending. No particular twist that could surprise the readers. But I like the way Stephanie built their chemistry from time to time. I even liked the funny Christmas song they twisted

St. Clair’s version: “Jingle bells, Batman smells, Robin flew away. Batmobile  lost a wheel, on the MI motorway, hey”.

Anna’s version: “Jingle bells, Batman smells, Robin laid an egg. Batmobile lost a wheel and the joker got away.”

Or their favorite game where one of them created the beginning of the clichéd tagline and the other finished it.

St. Clair: “Being bad has…”

Anna: “…never looked good.”

St. Clair: With friends like these…”

Anna: …who needs enemies?”

Hahahaha… how I love Stephanie told jokes here. However, there’s one thing that I don’t really feel comfortable. The main character’s name, Anna, really reminds me of Anastasia Steele, Mr. Grey’s sub. Duh, if only Stephanie changed into Anne, I would love it. The other thing is Anna’s characters remind me of Cabot’s most characters, pretty but she does not realize how pretty she is, less confident, attracted to the coolest guy ever, you name it. Yet, I still love the story. Another thing is Stephanie didn’t really push some problems between St. Clair and his father to finish smoothly. Rashmi and her boyfriend even got some portions even though they were not main characters, something that sometimes I don’t find in other novels that mostly focus on the main characters. The last thing is I’d like to cite the concept of home for Anna. Home is not a place. Home is a person. Anna and St. Clair are home for each other. Sweet.

Lila Podungge

Membaca, Menonton, Mereview

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