Aisha Ford's Flippin' the Script

This seems to be what everyone's doing; so here's my second fiction review. Your comments are appreciated. Thanks.

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Sabrina Bradley is the Assistant to the Assistant Producer of The Daily Dose, a Midwest daytime talk show. The show host, Darci Oliver, has a knack for interrupting Sabrina’s schedule with personal errands requiring her to deal with various housekeeping, dry-cleaning, and catering services. Sabrina is repeatedly faced with conflict and adversity as she manages to still handle her daily responsibilities. She is thorough and innovative. In one scene, she attaches paper plates, with faces drawn on them, to pillows and props them up in chairs to prepare for an upcoming television interview!

Avery Benjamin is Darci’s boss, unofficial ex-fiance, and the show’s producer. He and Sabrina are members of the same church. Avery is impressed with Sabrina’s work ethic and the clear thought process with which she carries out her responsibilities. Himself a man of faith, he becomes captivated, taking into account her unshakable faith and dedication to the LORD. He begins to watch out for her at the office and to also include her in previously-closed production meetings. He pursues Sabrina with wreckless abandon trying to become involved in every aspect of her life.

Darci takes note, disapproves, and sets out to undermine and discredit Sabrina at any cost. When Sabrina’s private list of New Year’s resolutions literally falls into Darci’s lap, it’s showtime. For those who have watched even one episode of Ugly Betty, I have two words to describe Darci: Wilhelmina Slater. She pulls out all the stops, considering nothing sacred, to achieve her goals.

Will Sabrina’s faith prevail? Is Avery her Boaz? Are Darci’s schemes a match for Avery’s favor toward Sabrina?

If you’ve ever worked for a television production company, been a witness to or victim of office politics, had an office romance or known someone who did, watched a daytime talk show, written New Year’s resolutions, or even sneaked a peak at a tabloid, you will enjoy reading this novel. (2004, 324 pages, $23.95)

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My next fiction review will be Krik? Krak! by Edwidge Danticat.

And what about non-fiction reviews? Is this a good place for them as well? Thanks again.

It started off fairly well, but you lost me in the last couple paragraphs. The loss started with the reference to Ugly Betty, and while I could infer the meaning there, the last 2 paragraphs didn't really mean anything to me. But then after the first paragraph I knew this was not a book I was going to read so it might not really matter what I think.

It's a good summary, but I'd like to know more about whether you liked the book and why.

"wreckless abandon" - I think you mean "reckless".

See? I knew I needed to be here!

readafew, I started not to use that "Ugly Betty" reference. My thinking was why would I want to compare a book character to an unrelated TV character? And how many readers would understand the comparison? Your comments prove I was on the right track leaving it
out.

lilithcat, I think I may have cut the wrong paragraphs from the full version of this review. I got wrapped up in making the summary flow. So in addition to my thoughts about the book, should I include just snippets from the plot -- not a complete summary? Oh, and thanks for catching "wreckless."

> 4

I like to give an idea of the plot, but I don't think it's necessary to go into tremendous detail. I also read your review of Sula and I liked it better. It was more personal, gave more of an idea of your opinion of the book, more analysis of it, than just a summary.

"Is Avery her Boaz?" I'm not sure what you're getting at here. How is her relationship with Avery analogous to Ruth and Boaz, who were divided by race as well as by her poverty and his riches?

Nitpicking: "sneaked a peek at a tabloid", not "peak".

ETA: We have looked at non-fiction reviews. You might as well throw yours at us, it costs you little to try it.

I don't watch Ugly Betty either, but the reviewer does explain her reference (She pulls out all the stops, considering nothing sacred, to achieve her goals.) enough for me to get the gist of it.

I would have liked more personal thoughts on the book. What were the strengths/weaknesses of the writing? Would you read other books by the author?

"Is Avery her Boaz?" simply refers to the fact that Sabrina captured Avery's attention; and he looked out for her wellbeing just like Boaz did in the book of Ruth. My intent wasn't any deeper than that.

Thanks for peak. That's not nitpicking. It was an outright misuse. Thanks for catching it. But guess what? When I was editing it, "sneaked" jumped out at me for some strange reason. After doing some checking, I changed it to "snuck." Both forms are acceptable; but I do say, "snuck" when I talk.

"Snuck" is interesting (unless I'm wrong and it isn't). Like "dove" (past of "dive"), it's a case of a regular verb going irregular ("strong"), against the thousand year trend of irregular verbs turning regular.

(Edit: fixed minor mistake.)

jr, you're sending me back to school, man! Here's where I got the "sneaked" or "snuck" explanation to begin with. It seems to fit within your thousand-year theory.