Les Aventures De Léna Léna

'It was okay' seems to cover it perfectly, so that means two stars.

What was the point of this book? It's sweet, but there is pretty much no conflict and what there is (disapproving family, "cheating") doesn't get much airtime. Mostly because Al doesn't spend much time thinking about it. And that brings me right to the part that bugged me.

According to this author, when someone is slow or intellectually challenged or whatever you want to call it, that makes them incapable of correctly assessing social situations. Meaning they don't know what is and what is not socially acceptable to say, not interpreting snide comments as such, not reading people's discomfort etc. Are social skills really a form of intellect? I personally don't think so. I think people with lower intelligence are just as good, if not better, at assessing social situations. To create a character like Al, he'd have to have 3 strikes against him: lower intellect, lower class and some mild form of autism, like Aspergers. Not to mention low self esteem. Even then, I don't think the character is written consistently. As oblivious as he is with the student in the hospital, or at the table with his in-laws, he immediately senses Larry's distress whenever that's needed. As a character he just doesn't add up to me.

And does every interaction between Larry and Al end in sex? It's not written porny enough to make all that sex interesting, really.