Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella

Finding Audrey

Novel by Sophie Kinsella

Review by Lena Mistry

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Publisher: Doubleday Childrens (RHChildrens)

Date: 4 June 2015

Originality: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Quality of Writing: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Character Development: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Setting: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Overall view: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

So… Let me start of by saying that I have not ever read any of Sophie Kinsella's adult novels before despite knowing that she is widely known as one the most influential women's writers today. Most recognizable of her works are the shopaholic series. Women (and yes, guys too) love chick flicks, and love Sophie Kinsella as a writer.

I was given a chance to read the proof of Finding Audrey, Sophie Kinsella's first novel for a young adult audience. Believe me, it was a day worth well spent. Finding Audrey is possibly the funniest and most touching young adult book I've ever read since Sarah Dessen's Just Listen (among many other SD novels!) and Whitney Barbetti's He Found Me. Sophie Kinsella may just be on the same wavelength as these powerful YA novelists, because of her wit and humour and endless thought provoking narrative.

In Finding Audrey, readers are faced with Audrey, a girl who cannot socially physically connect with people and has anxiety disorders, an illness caused by a terrible experience between a group of high school girls. Although we don't see much of a background with what exactly happened, we focus more on Audrey trying to get better. Audrey learns to clamber out of her shell after communicating slowly with her brother's friend, Linus (cool name by the way!). But the best thing about the book is all the endless laughs and giggles that erupted out of me as I read along.

Here's an example (I had to share, really!): Audrey's dad has just realised he had written 39 instead of 38 on her mum's birthday cake. He panics and tells Audrey's brother to quickly go get something from the kitchen to try to write over it… He brings back… Ketchup! Okay so Kinsella narrates this tale way better than I have done, but seriously I couldn't stop laughing. So what I'm trying to say is that this books is not over serious, boring or tedious- it has a perfect mix of everything.

I loved the little hints of originality in the novel, i.e. The use of a script format to narrate Audrey filming scenes of her family, and Audrey and Linus's game of talking to strangers. All of it was really touching and cute and so very YA!

So, yes this book is definitely one to look out for. Even though I've read it, I'll buy it when it's out and read it again! As a final note, I hope Kinsella writes more YA books. I read this book in a day (among doing other things aswell) and I only focus on a book like that when it is as good as this was. Four stars and an excited smile from me!