Oct 9, 2011

The Carrie Diaries

Before Carrie Bradshaw hit the big time in the City, she was a regular girl growing up in the suburbs of Connecticut. How did she turn into one of the most-read social observers of our generation?

The Carrie Diaries opens up in Carrie's senior year of high school. She and her best friends -- Walt, Lali, Maggie, and the Mouse -- are inseparable, amid the sea of Jens, Jocks and Jets. And then Sebastian Kydd comes into the picture. Sebastian is a bad boy-older, intriguing, and unpredictable. Carrie falls into the relationship that she was always supposed to have in high school-until a friend's betrayal makes her question everything. With her high school days coming to a close, Carrie will realize it's finally time to go after everything she ever wanted.

Rabid fans of Sex and the City will love seeing Carrie Bradshaw evolve from a regular girl into a sharp, insightful writer. They'll learn about her family background -- how she found her writing voice, and the indelible impression her early friendships and relationships left on her. We'll see what brings Carrie to her beloved New York City, where the next Carrie Diaries book will take place.





I haven't read the Sex And The City books.
I didn't watch the Sex And The City TV series because I was too young back then. I caught some episodes but I don't remember much of them.
But I did watch the SATC movies and I liked them. A lot.


So when Carrie appeared in a YA version of herself, I had a good mind to read it. It did take a while, but I did read it. The Carrie Diaries does not show the Manolo-Blahnik-totting, Prada-wearing fashionista/writer trotting down New York City. This is Carrie Bradshaw, before the glamour, before New York, fledgling writer, navigating the waters of high school in the 80s. This is Marlboro-smoking, beer-drinking Carrie in her last year at high school. 


The book doesn't have one life-changing event around which everything revolves, it has lots of episodes in this girl's life that changes her dynamics with the people around her, changes the way she sees the world, gradually. Truth be told, I was rolling my eyes when the book began with Carrie and her friend starting senior year and worrying about not having boyfriends and I was like same old, same old story. The first couple of chapters didn't do much for me. I only read along because, well, I wanted to read a Carrie Bradshaw book *shrugs*


But I'm glad I did. Because things got deeper and so much of the book is introspective. I didn't like many of the characters. There wasn't much to like, plus they seemed rather one-dimensional. The Mouse and Walt were the only characters who held my interest among the secondary characters, but there wasn't really much about them either. All that kept me going with this book was Carrie. Carrie, charmed by a boy she doesn't know what to make of. Carrie, worrying about her future and secretly grieving but carrying around her rejection letter from her dream writing school. Carrie, harbouring big dreams, dreams of a bigger life. Carrie, Carrie, Carrie. 


Yes, there were times when I wanted to shake her for being boy-blind, scream at her for not realising how traitorous her friend could get (when I guessed so much earlier!) but..oh, well, it happens to the best of us.


There are some inconsistencies between the book and the tv series/movies. For instance, in the show it's her father who had left them, but in here it's the mother who has died. But if you get past that and stop trying to relate the two together, it's quite enjoyable.


I liked the juxtaposition of the trifle and the profound and the equal seriousness with which almost both are handled at times. I think therein lies the very realism of the book. Although, somewhere along the line, I also think Carrie got very, very lucky with something that set her up for the rest of her life.


Oh, the ending? That's one helluva ending. The last line's a killer. If you're familiar with atleast the characters of Sex And The City, you'd know why. And it sets up the tone perfectly for the sequel, which I'm definitely reading.


Smart one liners, wry humour, the 80s generation, a coming-of-age story that deals with everything from grief to sexuality, ambition and betrayal - you'd want to read this Candace Bushnell offering :)


See, even Tom Felton thinks so ;)




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Have you read/watched Sex And The City?

11 comments:

Aleeza said...

you must be the only one i know who actually likes the SATC movies! i saw the first one--the second half, anyway--and thought it was okayish. as for the books, i'm really not sure about them. they just...don't seem my type, i suppose.

Rida said...

I loved this book- mostly because I could completely relate to Carrie. I haven't actually seen the SATC movies or show, but I do like the teenage Carrie :)

And I'm sure Tom Felton really would think so... :)

Linda said...

Sounds like fun! I haven't read the books or seen the second movie, but I used to be obsessed with the show and have been thinking about reading the book.

xoxo said...

I hope you enjoy it.
I'm not much of a sex in the city girl, I like supernatural fantasies :D
Xoxo

Lydia Kang said...

I wonder if she'll get a ton of YA readers with this one. It sounds like a fun read!

Chey said...

In the beginning of the year I chose to watch the entire Sex and the City series, as well as both the movies. I couldn't get enough. That's when I found out about these books. It took me a while, but when I won Summer and the City, I found The Carrie Diaries for $3, so I got it. It's been a few months and I still haven't read them. I haven't heard much about the series, but I'm glad to hear that it doesn't sound as bad as I thought. :)

Jolene Perry said...

When I was pregnant with my second, I was SO sick, and I watched every single episode of Sex and the City from beginning to end.

Way better than the movies - though, they were fun.

I wasn't sure about the YA stuff she did, but it sounds fun :D

Ghenet Myrthil said...

I loved Sex and the City (the TV show) so I would totally check this out. You really should rent the DVDs - the show's fantastic! Much better than the movies.

Ciara said...

It's nice to meet you. I'm glad you noticed the cover of my book over at Lydia's. I'm following you now.

Shooting Stars Mag said...

I've never seen the movies or watched the show, so I'm not sure this would be quite right for me. I'm glad you enjoyed it though. I think my sister in law might like it. :) Love the Tom Felton photo.

Thanks for the sweet note on my blog.

-Lauren

xoxo said...

Oh Tom Felton!
Um...what where we talking about...;P
Sounds like a great book, but I don't know. I kind of really liked the stylish Carrie, she'll seem naked without her Prada. Yes, I'm that shallow.
Xoxo

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