Book Review: English as Second Language

Title: English as a Second Language

Author: Megan Crane

Genre: Chick Lit

Publication: 2004

Rating: 2/5

Smart, sarcastic Alexandra Brennan is bored with her dead-end job in New York City and uncertain about where her life is headed. But when her smug ex tells her she could never get into graduate school in the United Kingdom, that's precisely what she does. Armed with American cigarettes and extra-strength coffee, Alex leaves home and crosses the Atlantic. She's ready to face all that Great Britain has to offer, including beer, blokes, and more books than she can possibly read in a year. What she discovers, however, is that instead of running away from home, she may have actually found it.

I had read so many great reviews of this book and decided that I should try to read this book too. After reading it, I wasn’t sure what I felt about this book. I’m not sure if I like it or not.

This book is about Alex’s life in graduate school. The story starts off with Alex who moved to the UK to show her ex that she could get into graduate school. She met up with a few friends—Cristina, Melanie, Toby and a few others. Then there were a lot of drinking, partying and smoking going on and I was lost. I wasn't quite sure what this book was about.

I thought that this book was poorly written. The same arguments with Alex and her friends keep on repeating over and over again towards the end—and arguments that seems to lead them nowhere. And all of the sudden, the book ended with the characters completed their year in graduate school. Really??

I was quite disappointed because I’ve seen lots of good reviews and high rating for this book. I don’t think that I wanted to read Megan Crane’s other book (although I heard that her later work is much better). I wasn't convinced. Perhaps this isn’t my cup of tea...