'Beginner's Greek' Proves Cinematically Wonderful

Author's Note:Because I feel rather like all the books I write about are slightly stodgy nonfiction books, I give you a review I wrote for my school paper last year on a much more people-friendly book called Beginner's Greek.

One of the many complimentary things I can say about Beginner's Greek by James Collins is that it is undoubtedly the most cinematic book I have ever read. Never before have I been struck within the first few pages so forcefully that the book I was holding in my hands should undoubtedly be a movie. It was like love at first sight, appropriately enough, except it was movie at first sight.

Beginner's Greek is, at its gushy heart, a romance novel. Before utterly turning you off with that statement, let me say it is a romance novel in the same way that Pride and Prejudice is a romance novel. Beginner's Greek is the story of a man, Peter, who has been idealistically waiting all his life to fall in love at first sight. He decides that this will happen most easily on a long airplane flight since there is plenty of time for the first spark, a friendly conversation, some flirting and the creation of a genuine bond between two people. The book begins when his adorable, though unrealistic, view of falling in love actually occurs. Peter falls in love with Holly and then, in a cruel twist of fate - one of many scattered painfully throughout the novel - he inexplicably loses her number. The rest of the book takes us on an almost painful journey as Peter and Holly try to recover their lost love through a series of increasingly unbelievable and unfortunate events.

It sounds sappy, but it really is quite good. It is a quick, light read that I thoroughly enjoyed over spring break. The only downfall of an otherwise happy book is that author James Collins goes a little too far. There are just one too many unfortunate events to keep our lovers apart. The whole book is comprised of various events that keep them apart, open up opportunities for them to be together and then create something else to keep them apart. It's all very frustrating since almost none of the events are the characters' fault. At least in any good Austen novel you can hope for some personal growth that will allow the characters to finally be together. Collins' novel is not that kind of book.

Beginner's Greek is a book about Fate, and the reader, like the characters themselves, must keep believing in Fate and that it ultimately will do good in the end. Repeating to myself, "My gosh, there simply must be a happy ending to this," was really what got me through it at the end of the day, especially towards the end, when Collins apparently couldn't keep himself from throwing in that one last "keep them apart" event. A reader's incredulity and frustration can only be suppressed so long, Mr. Collins.

Presumably, Beginner's Greek will soon be coming to a cinema near you - for how could it not with such writing and positive belief in Fate? - but I recommend reading the book first. It's optimistic and touching; it lets you get into the heads of the characters and really feel for them as movies cannot do, no matter how many voice-overs the filmmaker helpfully provides. And if there are things every Smithie needs at this time of the semester, if not always, they are friendly happy endings and a good dose of optimism.