Review: Virgin by Radhika Sanghani

My Thoughts

A clever, quirky, funny story about one girl’s quest to lose her virginity.

• Related Posts: Romantic Comedies

Synopsis

Okay, I admit it…I didn’t do it.

Yet.

This is normal, right?  I mean, just because everyone I know has talked like they’ve already done it doesn’t mean that they’re telling the truth…right?

It’s not like I’m asking for that much. I don’t need the perfect guy. I don’t need candlelight or roses. Honestly, I don’t even need a real bed.

The guys I know complain that girls are always looking for Mr. Right—do I have to wear a sign that says I’m only looking for Mr. Right Now?

Sooooo…anyone out there want sex? Anyone? Hello? Just for fun?

I am not going to die a virgin. One way or another I am going to make this happen.

Hey, what have I got to lose? Besides the obvious.

My Review

“VIRGIN. I hated the word. I hated it just as much as I hated the fact that I was one. It wasn’t fair–why  did I have to be the only non-deformed, non-religious girl who got stuck with an untouched inner lotus at the age of twenty-one?”

I am a huge fan of romantic comedies and this book definitely took me back to my Bridget Jones and Sophie Kinsella days. The novel was less romance and more of a contemporary comedy, but the story was quirky, funny, irreverant and very real. We meet Ellie, a 21-year-old virgin who is painfully self-conscious as she ungracefully navigates her college years. She’s not a virgin by choice. Not by religious predisposition. She just can’t seem to lose her V card no matter how much she tries. And she’s tried. Ellie is intent on losing it once and for all, so that she can get it over with and feel like she truly fits in with her peers.

“This was my last opportunity to lose my virginity and I had to grab it now. I had to ditch my V-plates by the time I graduated in the summer–which meant I had four months to finally understand what an orgasm was and to learn how to give blow jobs.”

The book chronicles her journey as she figures out how to get the right Brazilian, give a good blow job and of course, lose her virginity. But truly, it’s a story about self acceptance, confidence and being comfortable in your own skin. There were many laugh-out-loud moments as our protagonist gets herself in some horribly embarrassing situations. You wanted to cringe, laugh and look away at the same time! There were just a couple things I found less than perfect. First, there were times where the pacing lost some momentum for me and I found myself skimming. And secondly, I missed having a true romantic male protagonist in the story, an element that I think would have added some warmth to the funny. Nonetheless, it was a book I enjoyed with its smart, direct dialogue and the topics it took on. In fact, one of the other great things this book highlighted is how awful and nerve-racking the dating world can be. It’s not hearts and flowers, easy grace and romantic rendezvous. It’s more often than not, awkward and heartbreaking as Ellie undoubtedly discovers.

If you’re looking for a funny, lightheaded summer read, this is a great one to try!

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