Title: Confessions of A Teen Sleuth: A Parody
Author: Chelsea Cain
Pages: 160 p.s (Hardback)
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Hardcover Price: $15.95
Rating: * * */ 5
I honestly don't know what to think of this book, and I don't mean that in a positive way. Er, I think. So we'll give it 3 *s, mmkay? Just average, didn't hate it, didn't love it, like the way you feel about a neighborhood cat that sometimes comes around. ANYways.
This book is a parody of the Carolyn Keene series, Nancy Drew, who I'm sure many of us- me reluctantly included- read the books in this series. I, for one, refused to read anything else but the new Nancy Drew series by- possibly the 18Th Carolyn Keene? C'mon, we know this person didn't live to still be writing this stuff. The first was in 1913!
If you're expecting a hilarious, obvious parody of the annoyingly perfect "not blond, TITIAN" - haired eternal 16 year old who always had something like a lock pick kit handy (yet she's never arrested!), then keep walking. This is more subtle stabs at the above-mentioned qualities that made her perfect enough to give a girl some SERIOUS self-esteem issues, like at the words Nancy uses (catawampus, hypers, SPECIAL FRIEND- Ned N., but still... CREEPY much?), and how she constantly mentions her titian hair.
This is the blurb on the back of my library copy, which hopefully explains it: "As many of you know me only as a character in a series of books written by a former friend of mine, let me make one thing clear: she used my name without my permission, and made a career for herself telling stories of my adventures. I feared that if I revealed myself, details might come to light that would embarrass my husband and child... I feel that it is time to set the record straight."
- Confessions of A Teen Sleuth by C. Cain
The book is Nancy Drew's manuscripts, which it says in the intro was sent to Ms. Cain to be published. Carolyn Keene was actually her college roommate ( who Nancy had no issues pointing out was fat in the chapter about her as much as possible).
This book is more of a dry humor, which is weird that I didn't like it, because of my intense love for all things like the Office (WHAT!!!????! You don't like the Office? Breathe... okay, back to the review). If you enjoy things like that, however, give this book a try. It's pretty short, I finished it in half a day (Sooner if I had read nonstop).
