I knew that I'd previously reviewed Pamie's first novel, Why Girls Are Weird, at this blog, and after about half an hour digging through posts from 2006, I found it, buried in this post about jogging (you guys, remember when I took up jogging? And how short-lived that was? I know you do because I can hear you laughing your hinder off from clear over here). Although it's not so much a book review as it is pseudo-stalkerish gushing. Anyway...Speaking of Going in Circles
, I had kind of a weird circular moment while reading this, the third novel by renowned blogger, TV writer and former Young Americans recapper Pamela Ribon. As I sat reading this while camped out in my patio chair, where I usually sit and pine for a beach somewhere in Mexico, I came to a scene that was set on a beach somewhere in Mexico, and remembered how I read Pamie's first novel while camped out in a deck chair on a cruise ship bound for Mexico, and, you guys, I just really want to go back to Mexico. But that's not really the point of this post, which is actually this: I really enjoyed this book, the tears of frustration it induced over the fact that I was NOT on a beach in Mexico notwithstanding.
Going In Circles appears at first glance to be a book about roller derby, but that really just serves as the back-drop for a story about human relationships and learning to cope when life lobs hardballs at you. It captures the complexity of those relationships really well -- not just romantic relationships, but adult child/parent, friendships, pseudo-friendships and co-worker relationships, too. Pamie has an easy-going writing style that makes humor look effortless, but she also captures well some really poignant moments and difficult emotions.
I read this book in a weekend, which for me is pretty fast, and I ended up neglecting a day of scheduled housecleaning in favor of hanging out with this book. Part of the reason I couldn't put it down was that she crafted well-rounded characters who are mostly the kind of people I would enjoy hanging out with in real life, and that was a real pleasure to read. I've read all three novels by Pamela Ribon, and enjoyed them all, but I think this is her best work to date.
If you'd like to order it, I'd appreciate it if you helped out this blog by using the affiliate link up there in the post; but for the Amazon- & affiliate-link-phobes among you, and so you don't think I'm just talking up this book to get my tiny commission, here are some non-Amazon, non-affiliate links to purchase Going In Circles:
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