The Dropout: A Lesfic Comedy

By: Natasha West

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

After dropping out of her first year of university because of a disastrous romance, Effie Brooks is ready to accept failure and go home. Only home isn't an option anymore. Her parents have decided to take the hard line, unwilling to let their daughter become a slacker. That means sending the aggrieved teenager to live with her grandmother Helen, who’s just as resentful about the arrangement as Effie. It doesn’t make the for the most harmonious of living situations. Effie’s at rock bottom. But when Gretchen Vaughn, an enigmatic rebel from Effie’s past, makes a reappearance Effie can’t believe her luck. Could she finally get a shot at the girl of her dreams? And if so… How do you romance a girl like Gretchen when you’re a dropout who lives with her cantankerous grandmother? Another hilarious romantic comedy from the internationally bestselling author of ‘By Any Other Name’ and ‘The Plus One’.

Comedy?

The first 80 percent of the book was the slog through a few months in the life of a tiresome, self absorbed, self sabotaging girl at the end of her teen years. In the final 50 or so minutes she grows up and becomes a human being. The real headscratcher for me was the comedy. Perhaps an actual narrator might have been able able to squeeze out some humor but computerized audio was unable to produce the smallest tinge of laughter. Not a bad listen, but to brand it a comedy, seems a gross misrepresentation.