Romantic Comedy — fangirl, interrupted

May 10

May 10 Romantic Comedy

I’ve always been a huge Curtis Sittenfeld fan. Starting with Prep, I’ve kind of devoured every single book she’s written — save for Sisterland (which I know I should just dive in and do — but I digress). And so when she announced that she was releasing a new book entitled, Romantic Comedy, I knew I had to have it.

Unluckily for me, I got stuck reading some pretty heavy things before it and so I had to live vicariously through friends like Macy and Chinggay as they dove in and gave real-time reactions (spoiler-free always, though I wouldn’t mind) and it only made me all the more-excited for it.

I love a non-showbiz girlfriend trope and I always have. This is but my life’s dream. This is why I enjoyed Nora Goes Off Script last year and this is why I knew I would adore Romantic Comedy. I’ve also been a casual fan of SNL and though they get their flack, I watched Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip because it was the nearest I would get to the behind the scenes of an SNL-type show.

So this book definitely put together elements that I love. And it doesn’t hurt that Chinggay and Macy have fancast a John Mayer type figure to fill the character of Noah, ageing surfer rockstar and part time The Night Owls host and musical performer. I assume Sally Miz is me in my head because who wouldn’t want to be a writer for SNL, I mean TNO.

I think I enjoyed this love story so much more because apart from the non-showbiz girlfriend trope, it’s the first time I’m reading a COVID-19 depiction in fiction. I’ve read non-fiction narratives on how things went down but to see it incorporated into fiction — something I lived through and is still so fresh, was wonderful.

The entire second chapter brings a You’ve Got Mail spin to it (another favourite trope) with letter writing and I was screaming and getting kilig by myself on the couch as I read and texting the girls because I could not contain myself.

This definitely goes into the all-time favourites list and I’m so glad I was able to devour it in almost one-sitting. Miss Sittenfeld has done it again.