Book Review: Anatomy Of A Single Girl by Daria Snadowsky

Title: Anatomy Of A Single Girl
Author(s): Daria Snadowsky
Genre(s): Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Publisher/Date:Delacorte Books for Young Readers / January 8, 2013
Series: Anatomy (Book #2)

Disclosure: I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

"One of the pitfalls of having an ex-boyfriend is that people still pair you together in their memories, and sooner or later someone's bound to mention him. And now that it has happened... I can't say I feel nothing...This whole recovery process has been two steps forward, one step back, but I feel okay. I've been feeling okay."

Warning: This review may contain spoilers concerning Anatomy Of A Boyfriend.

 

 Case Study

After everything that happened—my first boyfriend, my first time, my first breakup—jumping back into the dating game seemed like the least healthy thing I could do. It’s not that I didn’t want to fall in love again, since that’s about the best feeling ever. But as a busy college premed still raw from heartbreak, which is the worst feeling ever, I figured I’d lie low for a while. Of course, as soon as I stopped looking for someone, an impossibly amazing—and devastatingly cute—guy came along, and I learned that having a new boyfriend is the quickest way to recover from losing your old one.

The moment we got together, all my preconceptions about romance and sex were turned upside down. I discovered physical and emotional firsts I never knew existed. I learned to let go of my past by living in the present. It was thrilling. It was hot. It was just what the doctor ordered.

 But I couldn’t avoid my future forever.

 In Daria Snadowsky’s daring follow-up to Anatomy of a Boyfriend, eighteen-year-old Dominique explores the relationship between love and lust, and the friendships that see us through. (synopsis from Goodreads)

The Game's Afoot

Anatomy Of A Single Girl is the fun follow up to Snadowsky's authentic coming of age story, Anatomy Of A Boyfriend. We meet Dom after completing several of her firsts---year of college, relationship and sexual experience---and I have to say, it's nice to see Dom a little more grown up. In Anatomy Of A Single Girl, she's finally come into her own. Where she's hesitant and immature and inexperienced in the first book, she's much more sure of who she is and what she wants. Ultimately, this book is the journey of a girl becoming a woman, a girl who's learning to find herself.

At this point, Dom and Wes' relationship is over and she's finally learned to be okay with that. What I really appreciated was that Dom didn't just shack up with any guy (namely her friend, Calvin) in an effort to get over her ex. It would've been easy to go down that route, however, it would've felt forced. Dom's got an awareness of what she wants and what she doesn't want and she sticks to her guns through to the end. Instead, she meets a new guy (Guy) and goes into exploratory mode with a purely casual, summer romance for a change. Snadowsky didn't hold back on the steamy details and she amps up the swoon factor into high gear here.

I guess my main problem with this book was that Dom had a tendency to revert back to being totally needy in her relationship with Guy. I was really hoping that she'd outgrown all that and learned from her past experience, but instead she teaches us that, yes, sometimes old habits do die hard. But it definitely got annoying, especially when she grew so childish about her parents' decision to move out of her childhood home. But, yeah, this book definitely keeps with the authentic vibe that the first one had. Even when it comes to the sex stuff, Dom is experimenting with new moves and is learning how to fully explore her body. The tone isn't solely kinky as you'd expect it might be, it's still awkward and imperfect. Snadowsky is a pro at capturing the adolescent experience in a completely authentic way!

Another really awesome thing is that we get to know Dom's parents and her BFF, Amy, in a more personal way. I. LOVED. DOM'S. DAD. He's cheesy and loveable and 100% awesome. And Amy. We've all had that friend, the one who was boisterous and loud and fun like her. Snadowsky shows us that even behind those seemingly perfect façades, there lies a real person who can feel hurt and lost and alone too. But Amy isn't the only one who goes through the ringer. Just when Dom least expects it, an unexpected encounter with Wes threatens to break her once again.

"I knew it all along that coming home this summer would mean risking a run-in with my ex. But no amount of anticipation prepares you for the first time it happens."

There is an echo of realism behind Dom's first post-breakup run-in with Wes. Her reaction to it was completely believable. It shows that old wounds aren't easily healed but it is possible to pick yourself up and move on. And that's essentially the theme to the whole book. Dom's learned to do just that and though there are a few set-backs along the way, it's not altogether impossible.

Summary Prognosis 

Anatomy Of A Single Girl was a great follow-up to Anatomy Of A Boyfriend. Though I found Dom's experiences to be a little less relatable (personally) and her to be a bit more annoying, that's not to say it wasn't wholly authentic. It totally was. The book is a journey into the beginnings of adulthood as you learn who you are and what kind of person you want to be. It's an exploratory journey, one that is utterly satisfying and a great read for college kids.

Rating:★★★½


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