Twisted Sisters

This was a painful read. There is not an original thought or character in this book. Every character is some exaggerated stereotype or modeled directly from today's celebs (Oprah, LiLo, Amanda Bynes); the gangsta rapper who turns into Thurston Howell when out of the public eye. The reference to "Mayor Tiny Dancer" which is taken directly from the local radio here in Chicago and not a creative moniker created by Ms Lancaster. The blue collar south side family [though if you're Mayor Daley's right hand (wo)man, you'd be living in something bigger than a bungalow, no?]SPOILERSAnd the end? Wow, everything was tied neatly with a bow in the last 10% of the book. We're supposed to just accept the surfer exboyfriend, whom the main character had only one "real time" conversation with in the book, as her prince charming sweeping her off her feet? And as for how that came to be? ooohh, can't say but its all part of the "hocus pocus" theme of the book. Speaking of hocus pocus, we're just supposed to buy that everyone, including her boss, is copacetic with body switching? Everyone's on board and believes this s*** happens? There's suspension of disbelief and there's this drivel.This is not so much "chick-lit" as its YA. I felt as though I was reading a Sweet Valley High book with Reagan as Elizabeth and Geri as Jessica.Maybe she should spend less time decorating the home that Bitter bought, and focus more on putting out books that fans actually want to read. I'd say "stick to the memoirs", but even those have become stale lately. She did say in an interview that her memoirs were based on some sort of conflict, and now the conflict doesn't exist which I think is why she moved to fiction. However, Ms Lancaster cannot make up conflict well at all.

This book made me sad, and not because it was a sad topic. Jen Lancaster launched herself into my heart and my must read list with the release of Bitter Is The New Black. That book was epic. With each new memoir, I was first in line to get a copy, and devoured it. None really reached the heights of Bitter, but the first few were great and would leave me laughing to loud I had to be careful not to read them in public. I have practically forced friends to read her books, especially Bitter. But, with each new memoir, I felt a little less connected, and laughed a little less. Until the most recent “Martha” memoir, where I was like – who IS this person?Then there were the novels. The first (If You Were Here) was ok – I felt like the fiction writer in her as not as fantastic as the memoir writer, but I am a sucker for all things John Hughes so I forgave a lot. The characters also did not seem to be a far departure from her and her IRL husband. The second novel left me confused – was this really the same person who wrote the very brilliant “Bitter”? Now, this latest novel. Honestly – I doubt it would have ever been published had the author not already had a following, who were willing to buy anything she wrote, hoping to find that old spark, I was one of them. At least a dozen times, I was ready to stop reading “Twisted” – it was just that bad. Characters were flat and wholly unlikeable at the same time. The plot was unbelievable and not at all entertaining. The laugh out loud moments I have always enjoyed from her writing? Not one. The only reason this book as “one star” is because there were no options for less.Not sure if I would say she should give up novels and stick to memoirs…..or if I think her best writing days are behind her (as the “Martha” book might indicate). I am sad. I used to LOVE reading anything and everything she wrote. Not sure what has happened….but it is bad.

Like many other reviewers, I have been a Jen Lancaster fan for years, devouring her books, pre-ordering new titles, following her on Facebook and Twitter, and generally thinking she's the bomb-diggity.However, like many other reviewers, I am rethinking that stance, and this book is a prime example of why. Ms. Lancaster often posts on her social media pages how she's supposed to be finishing a book but is doing something else instead (usually Ambien-related or shaming companies/people that don't live up to her standards (more than usual recently -- but this is a product review, not a review of an author's moral compass)). This book must have suffered many of these moments because the first 3/4 of it is drivel. Stilted dialogue, one dimensional characters that are impossible to relate to, a plot line that quickly becomes repetitive and boring. BORING. From the women who made bankruptcy a hoot. Ms. Lancaster has lost her touch. I don't think I smiled once while reading this book, let alone laugh.The remaining 25% of the story sees characters come to life and an actual story emerge. However, by that point, I disliked the main character (whose name I cannot remember) so much that I didn't care that good things were happening to her or that she's somehow changed her shallow, snobby, cruel ways. I was rooting for the other two sisters from page one.Get this from the library so that you don't feel compelled to get your money's worth and suffer through reading it.