And the Song Remains the Same: Stranger on the Shore by Josh Lanyon

cover45866-mediumStranger on the Shore by Josh Lanyon

Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy.

This book is for anybody who ever stared wistfully out a window and just knew in their heart of hearts that their real mommy was a princess and their real daddy was a prince and that one day they would show up and take them away from all this awful middle class brooding they were doing.

I am honest to goodness actively jealous of people who can’t figure out most of the plot in the first 2-3 chapters. What must the world seem like to these curious, gentle hominids? I bet the New Year’s Eve ball drop is a magical journey for them year after year. Which direction will it go, why’s everybody counting, and where even am I? Such a simpler life.

The main character is basically a stand-in for every reader in our generation who’s nearing 30 without ever getting their happily ever after. Having gorged ourselves from birth on the corporate Disney teat, all we want is a prince and a castle before the crows feet set in. We wished real hard, and we followed our dreams, and we thought that was all it took, that a man (or lady) and would just fall to the ground at our feet, the symbol of a life well-lived. But they didn’t. 18, 21, 25 have all passed us by. 30 looms, failure threatens.

Maybe if we could just be 24 again, we’d do 25 right. We wouldn’t waste it on late nights at the office, or strange dicks in our mouths and asses. We’d find love. Or make money, or whatever it is we feel now, nearing 30, that we failed to do those short five years ago.

It’s a sweet dream, and if you have to dream it, Josh Lanyon isn’t a bad guy to do the legwork. His writing is technically good. I’ve never had any complaints on that front. The book itself is a fine piece. Just because we’ve all seen this one before doesn’t mean it can’t be enjoyable. You’re looking at the blog of a girl who liked the new Spiderman. Loved it, in fact.

The book goes fast. Despite the core being very predictable, there is a certain measure of intrigue surrounding the supporting cast that keeps the interest. And everybody loves a happy ending.

I’m giving Stranger on the Shore three stars because there is totally nothing that I can complain about here.

3 out of 5 stars.