Review: Jeneration X

Jeneration X by Jen Lancaster

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 368
Published: May 1, 2012
Publisher: NAL (imprint of Penguin)
Genre: Humour, Non-Fiction, Memoir

My Rating: 3.5/5

Summary (from chapters.ca):

In "Such a Pretty Fat," Jen Lancaster learned how to come to terms with her body.

In "My Fair Lazy," she expanded her mind.

Now the "New York Times" bestselling author gives herself - and her generation - a kick in the X, by facing her greatest challenge to date: acting her age.

Jen is finally ready to put away childish things (except her Barbie Styling Head, of course) and embrace the investment-making, mortgage-carrying, life-insurance-having adult she's become. From getting a mammogram to volunteering at a halfway house, she tackles the grown-up activities she's resisted for years, and with each rite of passage she completes, she'll uncover a valuable - and probably humiliating - life lesson that will ease her path to full-fledged, if reluctant, adulthood.

Trailer:

Review:

Coming in at the tail end of the Generation X (those born in the early '60's through early '80's), I was able to 100% indentify with all of Jen Lancaster's views on the 'Boomers' and the 'Gen Y' crowd.  Her ability to tell the story of how a 40 plus year old woman becomes a grown-up was hilarious and well enjoyed.

As with all of Jen Lancaster's previous books, I dove into this with my eyes open and my mind empty... ready to fill it with all the 'Jenn-ish' things that normally accompany her stories.  However, I found that while funny, Jeneration X seemed to lack the usual laugh-out-loud moments that I am used to.  Don't get me wrong, there were many parts that I chuckled and would find myself comparing her animal stories to those of my own, but it didn't have that 'special' feel to it that I was expecting.  I also found a lot of the stories were familiar and in fact noted that some were blog entries on Jennsylvania (Jen's website).  Mental note... don't read blog entries as the book release date nears.

That being said, Jen Lancaster's ability to tell her story while making you feel like you are actually a part of it is amazing.  When I read about her and Stacey on their epic journey to the farmers market, I can acually picture this taking place.  Fletch's appearances in this book add to the comic timing and he is truly the perfect pair to Jen.  I would love to be a fly on the wall during one of their sarcastic debates because, really, I am all about being 'Team Jen'.

Overall, a funny, quick-witted Jen is back doing what she does best.  A worth-while read to all those who enjoy living vicariously through someone else and seeing that the grass isn't always greener!