ARC Review: Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt

Title: Going Vintage 

Author: Lindsey Leavitt

Rating: 3 Stars

Release Date: March 26th, 2013

If you're looking for a book that is cute, fun, and a complete time-pass, Going Vintage is the book for you. If, however, you're hoping to get a little more depth from this novel, a little more insight into the life of a teenage girl, I'd suggest Melina Marchetta's Looking for Alibrandi instead. You see, Going Vintageisn't a bad book - not at all - but it's kind of silly. It seems like that from the cover and synopsis too, but I guess I was just expecting something a little more, especially with all the praise for this author. In other words, this was interesting and engaging, but ultimately, just kind of forgettable.

Going Vintage starts out with Mallory, the protagonist of our tale, discovering that her boyfriend, Jeremy, has an online girlfriend he's been cheating on her with. Upset over this obvious betrayal, Mallory decides to swear off of technology, which seems to be the bane of her existence at the present, and live life like her grandmother did in high school - vintage. Ever since finding her grandmother's high school yearbook - where her grandmother looked more than just a little happy - and a list of goals, Mallory decides to follow in her grandmother's footsteps and find happiness again. What she doesn't quite count on is the interest of Oliver, Jeremy's hipster (but VERY hot) cousin, family secrets, or even that a research paper could be so hard without the internet.

Within the first quarter of this novel, I considered dropping it on probably...three or four occasions. Really. Going Vintage gets off to a slow start, telling us of Mallory's messy break-up and then just...continuing on with it. We see Mallory's family, all which are important to the tale, but the real story doesn't really begin until we meet Oliver. Mallory and Oliver have known each other for awhile, but when Oliver helps Mallory form a pep club in their school and then finds out his cousin dumped her, he begins to hang out with her more and, surprisingly to her, Oliver actually gets Mallory. Unlike Jeremy, he understands her witty jokes and the two of them become close friends...until something even more begins to brew between them. What I love about the budding relationship between Mallory and Oliver is that it is solely based on conversation. We can see how compatible these two are from their discussions and understanding of one another and best of all, Oliver knows how to treat a girl right. Mallory, just through with a messy break-up, needs space, which Oliver truly respects. Without a doubt, this romance is very easily the best aspect of the novel.

Unfortunately, that's the only part of Going Vintage that is truly great. You see, family plays a big role in this book, which I appreciated, but it was a little...underplayed, I guess. Mallory, first of all, is a rather endearing protagonist, despite her silly habits. I found her relationship with her younger sister, Ginnie, to be charming, full of realistic squabbles and affection. Leavitt obviously attempts to build a bond between the women of this novel, establishing their solidarity; this is a more successful plan in the mind rather than on paper. Ginnie and Mallory have a complex relationship with their mother, who has a complex relationship with her husband, who in turn has a complex relationship with his mother. Ginnie and Mallory also have an ever-changing relationship with their grandmother and these threads were all set-up to come together perfectly - which they did - but without the desired effect.

...how to explain this? Looking for Alibrandi, Melina Marchetta's debut novel, is a perfect example of contemporary done brilliantly. Why? Well, it explores the life threads between three generations of women in a deep and heartfelt manner, truly touching the reader. Going Vintage attempts to do something similar with the family situation in this novel and while a valiant effort for sure, it doesn't even begin to compare to Marchetta. Nevertheless, what it does manage to do is establish the fact that although life may have seemed easier without technology in the past, it was still full of heartbreak and confusion. I love that Leavitt made this such a modern story as it really does appeal to today's teens and connect to issues that we all have with technology from time-to-time.

Ultimately though, I have to say that if you're used to reading deep, heartfelt contemporary, you might want to skip this. If you generally pick up a contemporary read for the romance, then you definitely don't want to miss the love story in this book - it's perfect. Yet, it wasn't enough to make up for the lack of connection and depth I felt with other aspects of this novel. It was a very cute story and sweet read, one that I don't regret spending time with, but I doubt I'll remember it for very long after.