Book Review: "Anna and the French Kiss" by Stephanie Perkins

Title:  "Anna and the French Kiss"

Series:  N/A

Author:  Stephanie Perkins

Publisher:  Speak

Publication Date:  12/02/2012

Pages:  384

Buy From Amazon:  HERE

Book Description (PBS):

A contemporary romance set in the City of Light, guaranteed to make toes tingle and hearts melt. — Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris — until she meets Étienne St. Clair: perfect, Parisian (and English and American), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.

As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near-misses end with the French kiss Anna — and readers — have long awaited?


My Overall Feeling of the Book:

This is tough because I loved the book but I had issues with it as well.  For now I'll stick with what I liked.

I loved the writing, the setting and description of Paris, the characters and the storyline for the most part.  Basically I really loved reading this book and actually stayed up half the night to finish it.

However, I don't think this is a book that YOUNG TEENS should be reading.  I'll get more into that in a bit.
My Favorite Character:

Just like Anna, I fell a little bit in love with Etienne.  Ooh-la-la.  If I were 15 years younger!  lol

My Favorite Scene:

My very favorite part of the book is over the Thanksgiving holiday when Anna and Etienne are basically the only students still at the school.  They explored the city and would have liked to have been right there with them!

My Favorite Sentence/Paragraph:

He shakes his head, a little dazed.  The first thing I notice is his hair--it's the first thing I notice about everyone.  It's dark brown and messy and somehow both long and short at the same time.  I think of the Beatles, since I've just seen them in Meredith's room.  It's artists hair.  Musician hair.  I-pretend-I-don't-care-but-I-really-do hair.

Beautiful hair.

Page 15 (when Anna first sees Etienne)

It Would Have Been Better If:

Now I'm going to explain why I can't give this book a 5/5 even though I loved it.

Call me a Mom.  Call me old-fasioned.  I'm both.  And I'm fine with that.  BUT, I really DON'T think the setting of this book should have been a high-school.  College, maybe.  That would have been a little more appropriate, maybe...

It really bothered me that 16 and 17 year-olds were living basically with no supervision.  They were drinking, smoking pot, sleeping around and the language was horrendous.  I mean, the one adult who was there to guide them was passing out condoms!

I'm not naive to think this doesn't go on with kids this age.  I ust don't think it should be set out there as an example for kids in high school, and even younger, who are reading this book to think this is the norm or even OK.

It was a sweet, sweet story but I don't think it is for younger readers at all.


I Would Recommend This Book To:

Those 18 and older, anyone who has or wants to explore Paris, former exchange students, parents whose children want to read this book, those who have moved to a new or foreign city, movie lovers, those who can over-look the language.

Rating

4/5

On to the next book,