Review: My Legendary Girlfriend

Gayle's My Legendary Girlfriend is my first foray into lad lit courtesy of my local book group. It's well, even compellingly, written. Given when it's set, the main character is a just a few years older than myself meaning that the cultural references are somewhat recognisable. That created a few pangs of nostalgia - and not just for the time, but that period in my life.

The key problem is that the lead character, Will, a 20 something school teacher living in a bedsit in London, while initially sympathetic and occasionally humorous remains irritatingly self-indulgent and from about 100 pages in it became a chore to stay the course as a result.  From the character's perspective, they change a lot in a few hours - but it's near real time for the reader.  It's hard to spend that much time with such an unlikeable character.

The ending when it finally comes is too pat and contrived.

Verdict: Glad I read this, but was happier still when I'd finished.