Dialogue after reading this book:Teenage Me: OMG I loved it!Reviewer Me: What? WHY?Teenage Me: Uh, why not?Reviewer Me: Oh, so you want the list? Firstly, the plot...TM: Was so good! It was relatable, musical, cute...RM: Sure, it was cute and easy, but it kept going off on weird plot twists.TM: Well, hello? Real life doesn't just stick with the story line and Allie's story felt very real. I think that that was one of Yvonne Prinz's best parts of the book - how she kept the right amount of different things going on without feeling OTT.RM: Even Kit's boob thing?TM: Yes. That, for me, was about the kind of friends that Allie and Kit were - they weren't unbelievably, only-in-books close but they were always there for each other and they always helped each other. It was also a big point for Kit.RM: And don't get me started on Joel. Like, seriously? He practically stalks her but she still goes out with him and then is so surprised when he turns out to be a criminal... and it still takes her ages to turn him in!TM: Me, I thought that that was so romantic and I know that this sounds stupid but I seriously had no idea it was him until Allie saw him. I was literally squealing on their date, and when it turns out that he was a criminal I wanted to sit on the step and cry with Allie. I was like that through the whole book really - whatever Allie felt, I felt.RM: *shakes head despairingly* Ok then, what about all the music trivia? Did we really need to know that?TM: Sure, there was a lot of it, but after all it was from Allie's POV and she thought about music all the time. RM: But did we need all the songs on the mix CD?TM: Yes. That was when Allie falls in love with Zach and that is perfect. Because of RM, I couldn't give this book 5/5, but I loved it. There are two types of people in the world, those who understand the world that the vinyl princess is moving through, and those that don't. Prinz not only brings the world of Telegraph Ave to life, and the intricacies and oddities of life in Northern Cali with it, but infuses into the pages of Vinyl Princess the sort of energy and thrill that geeks of all persuasions get when they touch what means the most to them. For those who have never haunted the shelves of a used bookstore, dug through piles of vintage threads, or discussed the merits of Emmy Lou Harris at the counter of the (now rare) local music store...this is either not the book for you, or may turn you on to a world that exists right around you, that you've never noticed. At the end of the day, don't let the cover turn you off (it must be one of the most ill fitting images for a novel I've ever seen). This is poignant and sweet, full of all of the passion and love that we all want to touch as we leave youth and enter adulthood. Coming of age isn't hard to do, but it is hard to do well. VP not only does it well, but lifts a corner for the average person to peek into the world of the audiophile. If you decide to pick this up, read it with a pen nearby to jot down artists, album titles, and songs that you can wrap around you later when you reach the end and have to put this perfect little tale back on the bookshelf. (currently listening to Johnny Cash, Walk With Me)
What do You think about Vinyyliprinsessa (2011)?
This book is full of good music. Prinz knows her music by heart.
—Stella
