Once upon a time I read The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing by Melissa Bank, and I thought, "Meh." I liked it, but it did not blow my mind or change my world. As time passed, I forgot what I actually thought about it and instead, after reading several reviews that classified it as standard chick-lit, decided that's what it had been and forgot about it.
I decided to give Bank's second novel, The Wonder Spot, a go, mostly because I could get it for free in one of the book club sign-up things. Also, I like the title. I read it warily, afraid that it would end up being chick-lit at the end, with a wedding or a baby or a weight loss that would reaffirm the protagonist's place in the world and wrap everything up in a bow, and that I would despise myself for wasting my time with it.
Instead, I found myself liking the book quite a bit. Bank writes from a place she knows, and the conversations flow believably and Sophie, the main character, is definitely not a one-dimensional cut-out. There really isn't a particular plot; the novel is mostly the story of Sophie's life. Huge chunks of years are skipped, but Bank doesn't think the reader is stupid -- she gives enough clues that you can figure out what happened in the time you missed, but doesn't feel it's necessary to spell it out. Sophie is likeable and relatable and by the end, you feel like you've just read a long letter from a friend.
I'm going to have to dig out Girls' Guide and see what I think about it now.
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