Andi Brown's new novel Animal Cracker has many of the elements that have made chick lit such a successful genre: it is told with a light touch from the point of view of a smart, funny female protagonist navigating the twin minefields of a career and romance. The protagonist, Diane Salvi, has found a job doing what she loves (writing) for an organization that she cares about (a pet rescue non-profit), but her boss is a nightmare. He's self-centered, vulgar, and unwilling to exert himself unless there's something in it for him. Unsurprisingly, Diane's idealism quickly comes into conflict with her boss's selfishness. To make things worse, she's become romantically involved with her boss's son, despite the fact that he has many of the same annoying personality traits. Add to this mix a mystery that involves both her boss and her romantic interest, and this novel has many of the elements of a great beach read--or, maybe, Thanksgiving busiest-travel-day-of-the-year read.
At the same time, despite being a pretty fun read, this novel doesn't quite come together the way that it should. Transitions between sections are sometimes abrupt, leaving me to wonder if I had skipped a page by accident. Likewise, the direction that the narrative is taking doesn't come into focus as early as it might: it's not really clear until about the last third of the novel what the narrative's main thread is. It's clear from the beginning that there are problems at the pet rescue organization; it's clear that the boss is a problem; and it's also clear that the romantic entanglement will need working out. However, what's less clear until well into the novel is which of these elements is driving the narrative. When the focus of the plot becomes clear, though, it is an absorbing read. However, despite Animal Cracker's strengths, I'm not sure all readers will have the patience to get there.
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