Audrey, Wait! is like a good pop song: Short but sweet, not to mention utterly addictive. Which is no surprise, considering that the book is all about music; the way it inspires us, helps us through the hard times, and even epitomizes moments.
The gist of the book is that Audrey breaks up with her too-emo-for-his-own-good boyfriend Evan, only to have him write a song about her dumping him. The song becomes an overnight hit, Evan becomes a bona fide rockstar, and Audrey's stuck in the middle of it all. Girls want to know what it was like to be with Evan, wannabe rockers want to find out if she's some sort of song-inspiring muse, and the paparrazi just want one good shot of her. But this book has more going for it than your average issue of US Weekly.
First of all, despite her aw-shucks-why-am-I-so-popular demeanor, Audrey is actually a really likeable character. I understood why Evan--and, later, just about everyone else--was so entranced by her; she's smart, she's cool, she's witty, but honest enough as a character that it was hard to hate her. A lot of times authors write dialogue for their teen characters that has no relation to the way teens actually speak, but author Robin Benway did a great job of nailing it. Like Audrey, when she's talking about a guy finally understanding her: "Everyone says that babies are miracles, and don't get me wrong, I love cute little pudgy babies, but if you think about it, me having a baby right now would not be a miracle. At all. But finding someone that gets me? That's the real work. That's where the miracles are."
Of course, the plot details of Audrey, Wait! are a bit questionable; I mean, are we really to believe that a girl who inspired a song is going to become as hounded by the paparrazi as, say, Mischa Barton or one of the Olsen twins? There are a billion songs inspired by old lovers, so why would Audrey be any different? But if you overlook this plot gap (or suspend disbelief), the story unfolds at a great pace.
Best of all, I loved how important a role music plays in the book. When I was in high school, I felt like music changed my life--I was like Jenny in the Velvet Underground song "Rock and Roll", whose life was saved by rock 'n' roll. So to read about someone else who lives for the music like I did was really exhilirating. I loved the scene where Audrey was in the VIP section, then backstage, at a major show. Also loved how every chapter starts with a lyric from a song (Radiohead, the Strokes, Franz Ferdinand, and Taking Back Sunday, are all cited). Or even the scenes where Audrey is discussing music, like this one when she's called into the principal's office to speak with him and her parents: "I vowed to keep it together until I was safe at home with my stereo, Bendomolena [her cat], and the saddest, most dramatic mix CD I could come up with. The Smiths were already going to figure in heavily, I could tell. Sixteen, clumsy, and shy, that's the story of my life. Word, Morrissey. Total word."
I'll admit that I was a bit bummed when I finished Audrey, Wait! In fact, I may have re-read the first chapter, just because. The book is catchy, it's cute, but it's got some depth to it. It may not be Austen, but I get the feeling that Morrissey would approve.—Rebecca
Let us know what you thought about Audrey, Wait! in the comments section, and enter for a chance to win all of the ELLEgirl book club picks for April and May. Last, but not least, don’t forget to start reading these upcoming ELLEgirl Book Club picks:
April 23: All Souls by Christine Schutt
April 30: Confession of a Triple Shot Betty by Jody Gehrman
May 7: The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson
Comments