Comments on: Review: Strange Bedpersons, by Jennifer Crusie

By: Kate

Kate — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 05:08:52 +0000

Oh, bummer. I really like this one, although frankly, I do agree with everything you said in the review. I don’t know if I gave it a blanket pass since it’s early Crusie and also an early Crusie category, but nonetheless I have a soft spot in my heart for it. Why? Oh, who knows. Maybe it was the very Marx Brothers-esque dinner scene at the end. In a billion years nothing like that would happen in real life, but it made me giggle anyway.

By: Jessica

Jessica — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 01:40:45 +0000

Angela wrote: Speaking of that situation, one of the things I actually can’t remember seeing well done in a romance novel (my memory can be iffy at times, though so bear with me) is an across the tracks romance with a realistic dinner/party/what-have-you scene that underscores cultural and class differences. Most of the time you get a scene like something between a cross of a Gary Marshall movie and a Marx Brother’s comedy. Stereotypes abound, but I can’t say I’ve ever read a story that gets right the exquisite awkwardness of being in that situation. I agree with you. I am glad @ FD has provided a fascinating sounding exception, but it's all too rare.

By: FD

FD — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 22:22:20 +0000

I seem to recall a historical or two with that sort of situation – an Anne Perry novel, Weighed In The Balance, has a scene with the common born private investigations agent William Monk attends a weekend away at Lord Wellborough’s country house. He is ostensibly there as a ‘gentleman’ and a friend of one of the guests, but finds that despite being well spoken and well dressed, the yawning gulf between the social standing, experiences and expectations of himself and the other guests is greatly hindering his ability to investigate.
There’s a dinner party scene which is exquisitely frustrating and uncomfortable for him. Which is in no small part due to the relatively benign attitudes of the other guests to this ‘interloper’ in their midst.

As to the Cruise, it’s my least favourite. Couldn’t work out what exactly she was going for, and Tess lost all sympathy when when she castigated the hero for not wanting to have sex in a parking lot.

By: Angela

Angela — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:52:52 +0000

On the other hand, having once been, like Gina, the Italian girfriend from the wrong side of the tracks, outright insults to invited guests would not occur. There’s no need.

Speaking of that situation, one of the things I actually can’t remember seeing well done in a romance novel (my memory can be iffy at times, though so bear with me) is an across the tracks romance with a realistic dinner/party/what-have-you scene that underscores cultural and class differences. Most of the time you get a scene like something between a cross of a Gary Marshall movie and a Marx Brother’s comedy. Stereotypes abound, but I can’t say I’ve ever read a story that gets right the exquisite awkwardness of being in that situation.

By: Marg

Marg — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 02:31:01 +0000

This is my least favourite Crusie book, and I think I only have a couple left to read. I really couldn’t warm to the main couple, although I didn’t mind the secondary romance.

By: ReacherFan

ReacherFan — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 02:07:39 +0000

I read this years ago and I’m usually a Crusie fan, but didn’t much like this one. I am looking forward to her new one with Bob Mayer – but then I would. LOL

By: Kaetrin

Kaetrin — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 23:03:29 +0000

I remember reading this one and liking it okay but it certainly isn’t Crusie’s best work. I’m still thinking Bet Me for that, with Manhunting, Welcome to Temptation, Faking It (oh, the list goes on…) to follow but not necessarily in that order.

What I do remember about this book and which I liked was the banter between the characters which is signature Crusie. It was early early Crusie and perhaps it helped that I picked this one up in a second hand book store with the original (and very ugly) category cover – it really dated the book and I suppose that helped me get over some of the more obvious issues.

By: heidenkind

heidenkind — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:29:18 +0000

The hero always has to be rich in romance novels; have you noticed that?

I’m not a huge fan of Crusie, so I think I’ll skip this one.

By: Jessica

Jessica — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:23:29 +0000

Kat wrote:

Is this the one with the Cinderella story? If so, I remember reading it as a category romance. I used to inhale categories, so to remember any particular story means it must have made an impact on me at the time. Still, I’ve reread it as a standalone, and I enjoyed it as a bit of farce, but it was disappointing to discover I didn’t enjoy it as much as I must have the first time.

Yes, I neglected to mention that. The feminist/lefty revisioning of the Cinderella story was the basis of the plagiarism allegation.

RfP wrote:

Erm, I’d have said the opposite. Perhaps the interpretation depends on whether one projects Theromancegenre or Recentcrusie onto it.

It’s funny you picked up on that. I hesitated a long time on that claim. I (think I) know Crusie’s usual politics, but I believe that in this book, the message was that wealth should and does win. This may not reflect the author’s personal beliefs and and may even be different from what the author intended to convey.

JenB wrote:

This is the one Crusie book so far to leave me cold. Totally unsympathetic leads, a soggy storyline, and exaggerated stereotypes. It was just so…blah. Have you read Getting Rid of Bradley yet? That one may be my favorite.

Glad I am not the only one. GROB was next on my list. Glad I have something to look forward to!

By: JenB

JenB — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:30:34 +0000

This is the one Crusie book so far to leave me cold. Totally unsympathetic leads, a soggy storyline, and exaggerated stereotypes. It was just so…blah. Have you read Getting Rid of Bradley yet? That one may be my favorite.