Review: Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

Warning: SPOILERS

Oh, Rainbow Rowell, you've done it again. One again, you've written a book that is successfully able to make me laugh out loud one minute and struggle to swallow my tears the next. I started Attachments yesterday, and finished it...wait for it...YESTERDAY! I was literally unable to put it down. Rainbow Rowell is basically the John Green of awkward, complicated romances. Attachments is completely perfect in every way--every chapter, every line of print captivated me and compelled me to keep reading until I reached the back cover.

First, I'll give you a quick outline of Attachment's plot:

Lincoln O'Neill believes that his job is one of the strangest in hisory. Lincoln works at The Courier, an old-fashioned newsaper that switched from typewriters to computers because they couldn't order the ribbon anymore. Lincoln's job, however, is not to write articles. His job is to read his co-workers' email to check for offenses. When Lincoln applied for this job--"Internet Security Officer," the ad had said--he pictured himself buildng firewalls and protecting the company against hackers, not writing a report every time a copy editor forwarded a dirty joke.

Beth Fremont and Jennifer Scribner-Snyder know that someone is monitering their email. It's company policy, after all. Everyone knew. They can't bring themselves to take it seriously, though. They continue to send each other personal emails, discussing their lives with every click of the word "send."

Lincoln knows that he should write up Beth and Jennifer, but he just can't do it. Their emails are too harmless--what good would reporting them do?

When Lincoln realizes he's falling for Beth, he knows that it's way to late to introduce himself. What would he say?

"Hi, I'm the guy who reads your email, and also, I love you..."

Next, I'm going to list the many reasons why Attachments is perfect:

1. Smart Language

Rainbow Rowell 's writing style is extremely intelligent. The words she uses are sophistocated and interesting--no "the movie was good" or "she was nice" in her writing! I especially love how she uses this language in every aspect of the book, not just in the parts that are profound. Take this excerpt from the book, for example. It's smart yet endlessly hilarious and relateable. (By the way, all of Beth and Jennifer's exchanges in the book happen through email, so that's why the <<>> are there).

<<Beth to Jennifer>> ...Hey, remember when we used to leave our desks to have conversations like this?

<<Jennifer to Beth>> I don't think we ever did used to have conversations like this. I know I never ventured into reporter land unless I had incredibly good gossip or unless I really, really needed to talk.

<<Beth to Jennifer>> Or unless somebody brought cookies. Remember that lady who sat in the corner, who used to always bring cookies? What happened to her?

<<Jennifer to Beth>> The city hall reporter? I heard they fired her when they found out she carried a loaded gun in her purse.

<<Beth to Jennifer>> That doesn't seem fair. As long as she kept it in her purse.

<<Jennifer to Beth>> Wow. It wouldn't be 30 pieces of silver with you, would it? It would be cookies.

<<Beth to Jennifer>> No. (Yes. Snickerdoodles.)

2. Movie/TV Show References

Okay, I'm a total sucker for good references to movies and TV shows. And Attachments has tons of them! Here's a list of some of the best:

--You've Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle

"How would Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks make this situation less strange?"

"You mean, like in Sleepless in Seattle?" he asked.

"Right," she said, "or You've Got Mail."

--Colin Firth in Period Dramas

"<<Beth to Jennifer>> Oh...Colin Firth. He should only do period dramas. And period dramas should only star Colin Firth."

-When Harry Met Sally/Cute-meets

<<Jennifer to Beth>> What's a cute-meet?

<<Beth to Jennifer>> It's the moment in a movie when the romantic leads meet. They never just meet normally. It's never like, 'Harry, meet Sally. Sally, this is Harry.' They always meet in a cute way, like, 'Hey you just got chocolate in my peanut butter!' / 'What are you talking about? You just got peanut butter in my chocolate!'"

3. Lincoln Falling in Love With Beth's Smarts

Lincoln falls for Beth even before he knows what she looks like, which is just So. Freaking. Awesome. Women in entertainment nowadays are seen as object of conquest for the male lead, not as human beings with a purpose. Rainbow Rowell's choice to construct a romance novel where the two romantic leads fall in love without seeing each other is inspiring and (to use a less sophistocated word) kick-butt. Linclon and Beth do eventually meet, and have this exchange of words:

"Do you believe in love at first sight?"

He made himself look at her face, at her wide-open eyes and earnest forehead. And her unbearably sweet mouth.

"I don't know," he said. "Do you believe in love before that?"

Attachments puts a spin on the traditional romance and is ridiculously hilarious. (Think The Office, only better). It's sixteen shades of awesome, so I HIGHLY suggest reading it. Maybe in one day, like I did!

#attachments #rainbowrowell