"The thing about lying to your parents is, you have to do it to protect them. It’s for their own good. I mean, take my own parents. If they knew the unvarnished truth about my finances/love life/plumbing/council tax, they’d have instant heart attacks and the doctor would say, “Did anyone give them a terrible shock?” and it would all be my fault."
So starts Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella. Lara is a 27 year old girl in London whose life is in a mess. Her boyfriend has dumped her, her best friend cum business partner is absconding and the business in which she has put all her savings is dying. On top of it all she is dragged by her family to the funeral of her 105 year old great aunt Sadie who she had never met. Things take a turn for the worse at the funeral when the ghost of Sadie appears in front of her – not as a 105 year old but as a 23 year old (because that’s how old Sadie felt all her life).
Now Sadie is no old-fashioned girl of the 1920s – she is a dance-loving, fashion-loving and men-loving wild child. Since Lara is the only one who can see her, she demands that Lara help her find her lost necklace without which she can’t ‘rest in peace’. A bewildered Lara has no option but to go along with Sadie. Together these two girls from two different eras embark on a series of crazy adventures and end up teaching each other some lessons in love and life.
The basic plot of the book is nothing novel – a ghost who is not able to ‘pass on’ because of an unfulfilled last wish and seeks help from the only person who can see her. But hats off to Kinsella for taking this done-to-death theme and presenting it in a unique and hilarious way. The book takes time to grow on the reader as the first few chapters aren’t very gripping but once the story gets into its groove, it becomes a thrilling joyride. And boy, did it make me laugh!
Kinsella’s storytelling combines humour with heartwarming lessons on the importance of family, friendship and self-worth. In Lara, she creates a character most women can identify with - sincere, vulnerable, confused about her life and career. Sadie is the complete opposite - bohemian, rebellious, obnoxious yet charming in her own way. Inspite of being as different from each other as chalk and cheese, Lara and Sadie complement each other in a quirky way.
There are some more interesting characters like Lara’s constantly worrying parents, her snobbish billionaire uncle and his family, the dashing Ed whom Sadie takes a fancy to and wants Lara to date on her behalf! But it is Lara and Sadie’s unlikely friendship and crackling chemistry that is the mainstay of this book. Together they create one funny scenario after another that leaves one laughing out loud and at times feeling all gooey inside.
This book is not for those who dislike frothy stuff. Twenties Girl is a light, fluffy, sometimes ludicrous read. After finishing it I couldn’t believe that I liked it so much. But what the hell! I started reading it again the next day. And now I am off to find the other books written by Sophie Kinsella.