Lola and the Boy Next Door - Stephanie Perkins

Lola and the Boy Next Door

Stephanie Perkins

2011

Well, that didn't take too long. I wrote about this book yesterday in my April Reads blog post, and since then have finished the novel. It was good.

Lola and the Boy Next Door is a sort of romance novel, but also just a fun novel. It's the kind of romance novel where a girl (Lola) is dating a guy (Max) and then a mysterious new guy (Cricket, who isn't so mysterious in this case) comes into the picture. Lola is just minding her own business with her (much) older guitar playing boyfriend when there's a moving truck at the house next door. She's worried that it could be someone, and sure enough ... well, I don't want to ruin the plot.

One of my absolute favourite parts of this novel is how she brought in two characters, and their associating plots, from her previous novel, Anna and the French Kiss. This just linked everything together in a very Emily Giffin kind of way. I also loved how Lola goes through so many different characters and costumes and personas. I also really enjoyed the character's names. Lola, who's real name is Delores, Cricket, Calliope. They're unique which is reflected in the character's attitudes and beliefs. 

This book is in no way an unpredictable novel. The book mostly follows the path you think it's going to take at the beginning of the story, but there are a few little things that happen here and there that are a surprise. I didn't mind the predictability aspect too much, because I wasn't expecting it to be some unpredictable-fantasy-and-wild-adventures novel like Harry Potter or the Hobbit.

I really enjoyed this book, however I think I may have been more of a fan of the author's first novel. I may give this one another read before I have to return it to the library at the end of the month though. So that opinion may change.

I give this book 3.4 stars out of 5. Interesting and unique characters, but a rather predictable plot line.

Have you read this book? What did you think?