book review: the wrong knickers by bryony gordon

I spent most of 2014 reading fiction books and it's always a nice change to read something non-fiction and a bit light-hearted. That's where The Wrong Knickers by Bryony Gordon comes in. Likened to a real life Bridget Jones, Bryony Gordon's book essentially reminisces and reflects on life in her twenties and what it's really like to be young, single and financially stretched (I added that last adjective myself) in London.

Being in my twenties, young and single in London (and quite happily so, might I add), I thought this book would appeal to me. In just over 300 pages, Bryony covers what it's like to rent in London and losing all self-esteem (and dignity) with the aid of non-illicit and illicit substances. 

The book is billed as one that is 'hilarious' and at times, it did get a laugh out of me. I don't think I'm an uptight person - I do have a very dodgy sense of humour (I may laugh at things I shouldn't and I do enjoy jokes that toe the line) and I'm not easily offended but on the whole, I found the book more sad than funny.

Sad, because the more I read, the more it made me realise that we never realise just what we're like until years later. We look back and realise the things we would've done differently but at the time, we see no other way. The book also made me sad in the sense that there is some truth in her words too - the dingy flat that costs an extortionate amount to rent each month even though it's above a kebab shop and doesn't even have a proper bathroom or kitchen; the fact that we'd rather spend money on an expensive handbag than food (at least, this was true for me a few years ago!) and the reality that the idea of a house party is always better than the actual thing.

However, the book is well-written and it really is a 'warts-and-all' kind of book so you really do need to approach it with an open mind. I did enjoy reading it and I finished it in just under a week so that's always a good sign. It's a good book if you want something that is non-fiction and a lot different to anything else you might read for a while! I rated this book at 7/10.