Review of 28 Disastrous Dates: A (Mostly True) Humourous Memoir
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Danielle Dawes
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- Latest Review: 28 Disastrous Dates: A (Mostly True) Humourous Memoir by Poppy Mortimer
Review of 28 Disastrous Dates: A (Mostly True) Humourous Memoir
[Following is a volunteer review of "28 Disastrous Dates: A (Mostly True) Humourous Memoir" by Poppy Mortimer.]
(i)28 Disastrous Dates: A (Mostly True) Humourous Memoir(/i) by Poppy Mortimer is a somewhat exaggerated, mostly entertaining account of the author, Poppy Mortimer’s worst 28 dates. This spans from her late teenage years to the age of 40. Each chapter recounts a different date, starting off by sharing how she met the man in question, followed by a description of the date (and the juicy part about why it went so badly wrong!) and lastly a reflection - or ‘lessons I learned from this date’.
This is an entertaining read, narrated in a light-hearted manner. It has relatively short chapters so it is an easy read and easy to pick up for short stints at a time. Whilst some of the situations the narrator describes are somewhat far fetched, there is no doubting the humour - it certainly leaves you wondering how one woman can attract so many mishaps! What is more, each chapter’s section regarding what the narrator learned from the experience was insightful to read. It did feel that whilst she sometimes came across as a privileged overconfident young lady, Mortimer was at least on a journey of self-discovery and became more self-aware throughout the book, gaining more insight into what she wanted - and more importantly needed - from a future partner.
On the other hand, I did not found the narrator to be particularly likeable. She frequently describes herself as smart and attractive which I found difficult to empathise with. Additionally, despite attempts to claim that she doesn’t need looking after and is a modern woman, several comments are made which suggest otherwise. For example, Mortimer declares that men who show emotions are attractive: great, this is a modern and much needed perspective. However, she then berates a prospective partner for displaying his emotions and says that she needed to take a ‘masculine role’. Personally, I feel that in this day and age we are trying to move away from toxic masculinity and ideas of any particular gender roles, so for me this hampered my enjoyment of the book.
I would award this book (b)2 out of 4 stars(b). Due to the impression I got that Mortimer was man bashing, it wasn’t really for me. That said, others may well enjoy her style and humour and be able to look past her ideas about gender roles. I would recommend (i)28 Disastrous Dates: A (Mostly True) Humourous Memoir(/i) to younger, female readers (18-25 approx.). I would say that as it is light-hearted and easy to pick up for a chapter at a time without becoming confused, it is ideal for a summer holiday read.
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28 Disastrous Dates: A (Mostly True) Humourous Memoir
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
(i)28 Disastrous Dates: A (Mostly True) Humourous Memoir(/i) by Poppy Mortimer is a somewhat exaggerated, mostly entertaining account of the author, Poppy Mortimer’s worst 28 dates. This spans from her late teenage years to the age of 40. Each chapter recounts a different date, starting off by sharing how she met the man in question, followed by a description of the date (and the juicy part about why it went so badly wrong!) and lastly a reflection - or ‘lessons I learned from this date’.
This is an entertaining read, narrated in a light-hearted manner. It has relatively short chapters so it is an easy read and easy to pick up for short stints at a time. Whilst some of the situations the narrator describes are somewhat far fetched, there is no doubting the humour - it certainly leaves you wondering how one woman can attract so many mishaps! What is more, each chapter’s section regarding what the narrator learned from the experience was insightful to read. It did feel that whilst she sometimes came across as a privileged overconfident young lady, Mortimer was at least on a journey of self-discovery and became more self-aware throughout the book, gaining more insight into what she wanted - and more importantly needed - from a future partner.
On the other hand, I did not found the narrator to be particularly likeable. She frequently describes herself as smart and attractive which I found difficult to empathise with. Additionally, despite attempts to claim that she doesn’t need looking after and is a modern woman, several comments are made which suggest otherwise. For example, Mortimer declares that men who show emotions are attractive: great, this is a modern and much needed perspective. However, she then berates a prospective partner for displaying his emotions and says that she needed to take a ‘masculine role’. Personally, I feel that in this day and age we are trying to move away from toxic masculinity and ideas of any particular gender roles, so for me this hampered my enjoyment of the book.
I would award this book (b)2 out of 4 stars(b). Due to the impression I got that Mortimer was man bashing, it wasn’t really for me. That said, others may well enjoy her style and humour and be able to look past her ideas about gender roles. I would recommend (i)28 Disastrous Dates: A (Mostly True) Humourous Memoir(/i) to younger, female readers (18-25 approx.). I would say that as it is light-hearted and easy to pick up for a chapter at a time without becoming confused, it is ideal for a summer holiday read.
******
28 Disastrous Dates: A (Mostly True) Humourous Memoir
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
