Review of 28 Disastrous Dates: A (Mostly True) Humourous Memoir
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Jess Simpson
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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.]
28 Disastrous Dates: A (Mostly True) Humourous Memoir by Poppy Mortimer is a hilarious, light-hearted book that takes the reader on the most unbelievable dates. I found this to be a page-turning, original, relatable book that was filled to the brim with stories that made me laugh out loud or gasp in disbelief.
Mortimer begins her dating journey in the UK, as a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed young woman looking for her one-and-only. The following 28 chapters take the reader on a journey to Australia and America in search of Mr Right, however, Mortimer, unfortunately, kisses a few frogs on the way.
I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. There wasn’t anything I disliked about the book. I believe that one of the strongest parts of the memoir is the set-up of each chapter. The titles are nicknames of each date that Mortimer met. For example, ‘Chapter 1: Mr Strong Man’. These give each man a level of anonymity whilst also a strong sense of character. These also slightly foreshadow the disastrous date, however, despite these nicknames, I was never able to predict the events that were to follow.
Then, she states four things; her age, location, where they met and how the date asked her out. I really liked this detail as it meant Mortimer’s timeline was easy to follow. The author then uses the first few paragraphs to introduce the next date in a unique way. Mortimer gives plenty of context to each event so that the reader can feel fully immersed, describing things such as her job status, her friendships, and her intermediate relationships. After narrating each date with a healthy dose of humour, Mortimer finishes each chapter with a section named “Lessons I learned from this date”. I found these paragraphs to be the most enjoyable part of the book. The author reflects on her preferences and standards, which changed after every date. This conveys a sense of growth and forgiveness; Mortimer does not dwell on the disastrous experiences she had, but instead chooses to take each one as a lesson and learn from it. An inspiring approach.
The reader gets a strong sense of who Poppy Mortimer is and whom she grows to become over time. It is apparent that although she is a strong believer in true love, every person she dates is there to add to her happiness, not to define it. I found this book taught me a lot about self-respect and love, which Mortimer concludes to be more important than finding love with another person.
Mortimer’s writing style is brilliant. She describes each person and setting with enough detail that makes you feel as if you’re on a date with her. Her friendly tone and charisma ensure that the reader is never bored, and at times it feels as if you are chatting with a good friend. She utilises enough tension and momentum to keep the reader engaged but takes the time to vividly describe details such as what she wore on the dates.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and cannot think of any negative points!
The book does contain adult content, so I would recommend it to readers above the age of 18. However, Mortimer does a fantastic job of giving trigger warnings at the beginning of each chapter. Another aspect that I enjoyed whilst reading this book was the censoring of swear words. The author uses the word “bleep” in place of curse words which left more to my imagination, an exciting and unique touch. I would strongly recommend this book for any female with a dating history, whether you’re in a relationship or not. Although it is geared towards a female audience, I would also recommend this book for any man wishing to understand why women complain about dating!
******
28 Disastrous Dates: A (Mostly True) Humourous Memoir
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
28 Disastrous Dates: A (Mostly True) Humourous Memoir by Poppy Mortimer is a hilarious, light-hearted book that takes the reader on the most unbelievable dates. I found this to be a page-turning, original, relatable book that was filled to the brim with stories that made me laugh out loud or gasp in disbelief.
Mortimer begins her dating journey in the UK, as a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed young woman looking for her one-and-only. The following 28 chapters take the reader on a journey to Australia and America in search of Mr Right, however, Mortimer, unfortunately, kisses a few frogs on the way.
I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. There wasn’t anything I disliked about the book. I believe that one of the strongest parts of the memoir is the set-up of each chapter. The titles are nicknames of each date that Mortimer met. For example, ‘Chapter 1: Mr Strong Man’. These give each man a level of anonymity whilst also a strong sense of character. These also slightly foreshadow the disastrous date, however, despite these nicknames, I was never able to predict the events that were to follow.
Then, she states four things; her age, location, where they met and how the date asked her out. I really liked this detail as it meant Mortimer’s timeline was easy to follow. The author then uses the first few paragraphs to introduce the next date in a unique way. Mortimer gives plenty of context to each event so that the reader can feel fully immersed, describing things such as her job status, her friendships, and her intermediate relationships. After narrating each date with a healthy dose of humour, Mortimer finishes each chapter with a section named “Lessons I learned from this date”. I found these paragraphs to be the most enjoyable part of the book. The author reflects on her preferences and standards, which changed after every date. This conveys a sense of growth and forgiveness; Mortimer does not dwell on the disastrous experiences she had, but instead chooses to take each one as a lesson and learn from it. An inspiring approach.
The reader gets a strong sense of who Poppy Mortimer is and whom she grows to become over time. It is apparent that although she is a strong believer in true love, every person she dates is there to add to her happiness, not to define it. I found this book taught me a lot about self-respect and love, which Mortimer concludes to be more important than finding love with another person.
Mortimer’s writing style is brilliant. She describes each person and setting with enough detail that makes you feel as if you’re on a date with her. Her friendly tone and charisma ensure that the reader is never bored, and at times it feels as if you are chatting with a good friend. She utilises enough tension and momentum to keep the reader engaged but takes the time to vividly describe details such as what she wore on the dates.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and cannot think of any negative points!
The book does contain adult content, so I would recommend it to readers above the age of 18. However, Mortimer does a fantastic job of giving trigger warnings at the beginning of each chapter. Another aspect that I enjoyed whilst reading this book was the censoring of swear words. The author uses the word “bleep” in place of curse words which left more to my imagination, an exciting and unique touch. I would strongly recommend this book for any female with a dating history, whether you’re in a relationship or not. Although it is geared towards a female audience, I would also recommend this book for any man wishing to understand why women complain about dating!
******
28 Disastrous Dates: A (Mostly True) Humourous Memoir
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Killing Abel by Michael Tieman
