Everything is Going to Be Great
By Rachel Shukert
HarperCollins
July 2010
312pp

The Short of It:

This memoir will leave you laughing, but not before reading about a few cringe-worthy encounters involving sex, drugs and poor judgment.

The Rest of It:

Rachel, Rachel, Rachel… I’m not sure if I should love you, or hate you. Rachel Shukert’s account  of her time spent in Europe is both funny and sad at the same time. She’s a storyteller and can make any situation funny, but my problem with this particular memoir is that some things just aren’t funny. Like rape. Now, I love a good laugh. I’ve been known to laugh at little people in diapers, running down the street (ala the tv show Jackass) but rape? Not funny.

Basically, much of the book is spent with Shukert trying to find herself. She’s educated and has a supportive family but when things go south while trying to live on her own in Europe, she quickly resorts to juvenile, school-girl antics. These antics involve many sexual romps with various men, usually strangers and sometimes involving large amounts of drink and drug.

I stuck with the book because I wanted to see if Shukert matured by the book’s end but I think most readers will tire of the sexual escapades outlined in nearly every chapter. I will say this, if you go into it knowing that some things may be completely inappropriate, you might be able to push judgement aside and just enjoy the writing. Shukert’s writing is crisp and snappy and yes, very funny.

If you find yourself looking for a funny read and don’t mind sex, drugs or colorful language, then this would be a good choice for you. Plus, it’s a super-quick read. 

Source: This book was sent to me by the publisher.