Review - The Boyfriend List - E.Lockhart

The Boyfriend ListTitle: The Boyfriend List
Author: E. Lockhart
Genre: Young adult, Contemporary
Publication: March 22nd 2005
Pages: 229 pages, Paperback
Source: Library book
15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs and Me, Ruby Oliver.
Ruby Oliver is 15 and has a shrink. She knows it's unusual, but give her a break—she's had a rough 10 days. In the past 10 days she:
* lost her boyfriend (#13 on the list)* lost her best friend (Kim)* lost all her other friends (Nora, Cricket)* did something suspicious with a boy (#10)* did something advanced with a boy (#15)* had an argument with a boy (#14)* drank her first beer (someone handed it to her)* got caught by her mom (ag!)* had a panic attack (scary)* lost a lacrosse game (she's the goalie)* failed a math test (she'll make it up)* hurt Meghan's feelings (even though they aren't really friends)* became a social outcast (no one to sit with at lunch)* and had graffiti written about her in the girls' bathroom (who knows what was in the boys'!?!).
But don't worry—Ruby lives to tell the tale. And make more lists.
"Before anyone reading this thinks to call me a slut or even just imagines I'm incredibly popular - let me point out that this list includes absolutely every single boy I have ever had the slightest little any-kind-of-anything with." 

When a book has that as a first sentence, you know you're in for a good read.

The Boyfriend List is a hilarious, yet honest novel, about growing up and the consequences that comes with it.  It is a fantastic young adult contemporary that shouldn't be missed. When I first started reading The Boyfriend List I was expecting a shallow contemporary novel with no depth, but I was pleasantly surprised. Lockhart writes a novel that teenage girls can relate to and they will find the situations Ruby goes through similar to situations they have experienced.

The Boyfriend List is about Ruby Oliver, a fifteen year old girl who resides in Seattle, Washington. In the past 10 days she has lost her boyfriend, her friends and become the famous slut of the school. And then she has her first panic attack. Told in Ruby's voice and through conversations with her therapist, Dr Z, Ruby tells about how she has gone from being semi-popular to a complete and utter social outcast. As you read about Ruby's downward spiral to being unpopular, you will cringe, laugh and cry with her through it all.


You know what made me pick up this book? Is that Ruby has panic attacks. I am a sufferer of anxiety and panic attacks, and there aren't many books on the Young Adult market where the character suffers from anxiety. So reading her experience and her developing this anxiety, it made me relate to her and I love that about a book! When you can empathize with a character.


I found Ruby a very likeable character. She is hilarious practically throughout the entire book and I love how she has a unique voice that shines through. Even when she was going through a pretty tough time, she dealt with the situation in a humorous way. Ruby also definitely matured throughout the book. In the beginning she did some pretty stupid things but she learnt lessons from those embarrassing situations that helped her in the future to become a more mature person. 

Ruby's parents...those two.They frustrated me, as they were so over-protective and were constantly meddling in her life, and panicking, when Ruby first had a panic attack in front of them they started firing questions at her as if they were a verbal machine gun. I was just reading it and shaking my head, thanking the heavens that my parents weren't so clingy. However, I did get quite a laugh out of some of their sayings.

" 'Don't mind Roo,' mom was saying. 'Her boyfriend dropped her and she's been mopey ever since its happened. Full on anxiety.' 

'It's not about you,' my dad added. 'She's working through a lot of pain and forgiveness issues.'

'And expressing a little adolescent rage,' my mom said. 'Kevin, I think we should actually be pleased to see Ruby expressing her anger openly. Don't you think that shows progress? She turns everything in on herself, John. She doesn't talk freely about her emotions. But she's seeing a therapist and we're hoping that will help.'

'Uh huh,' Hutch (John) mumbled.
'Maybe that's normal for people your age,' my mom went on. 'What do you think?'

At that point, I went  into the bathroom, took a long hot shower and tried to pretend none of them existed." - page 116

Ruby's friends were such stuck-up, back-stabbing, little..toads! Especially Kim. There's a part in the book where Jackson breaks up with Ruby because him and Ruby's best friend, Kim, have feelings for each other that they can't ignore or put aside and they claim they each others' soul mates. So Kim, Ruby's supposed best friend, starts going out with Jackson as soon as he breaks up with Ruby, and then they are caught doing something unmentionable! And if they were real I would've given them a piece of my mind, as its just wrong.

I love the way E.Lockhart writes, she writes in such an easy-going, comfortable manner and her writing is hilarious and addictive!

The Boyfriend List is a humorous contemporary novel that deals with situations in a light manner. With laugh-out-loud moments, addictive writing and a witty, comical main character that matures through the story, The Boyfriend List is a book that will have you laughing, cringing and crying at every moment. If you're a contemporary lover, The Boyfriend List would be perfect for you!

I give it: 4/5 CUPCAKES!