The grief Liz feels for her mother and not having her presence at such an important time in her life is heartbreaking for both herself and the reader. Thus, she is unable to live her life vicariously and learns how to live through her love-hate relationship with Wes. Liz’s pressure to act in a way that will make her mother proud feeds into the romanticization of her life. These events give a chaotic feel to Liz’s life as she attempts to grapple with those around her while simultaneously coping with the loss of her mother. Liz is often accompanied by her stepmother Helene, whose comedic and maternal personality resembles that of Lorelai Gilmore from the television show “Gilmore Girls.” Liz’s best friend, Jocelyn, is planning their final year of high school with pivotal prom shopping and senior sunset, while a continued feud with her neighbor, Wesley Bennett, is burning more than ever. Used with permission from Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers Even her characteristic of romanticizing life plays into a larger motif, as her core memories involved watching romantic comedies with her mother.
There are additional details that make Liz more complex, such as her daily routine of running three miles to visit her mother’s grave. While it does coincide with her romantic feelings for her classmate Michael, it makes her unique instead of a cliché. I enjoyed how Painter maneuvered the potential platitudes of a rom-com heroine by giving Liz the hobby of creating music playlists for moments and people. She is a stereotypical teenage girl waiting for her knight in shining armor. The story takes place years later, with Liz starting Grade 12. It complicates themes of grief in a lighthearted yet realistic way.Įlizabeth, who is referred to as Liz, lost her mother in a car accident when she was young and grew up solely with her father. “Better than the Movies” by Lynn Painter is not just a typical romance novel.
Calling all romance book lovers: I have the utmost confidence that this book will soon become one of your favorites.
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