Vinegar Girl

“And the worst of it is,” Bunny said, as if Kate hadn't spoken, “the worst is, it won't be any different from the fix you're in here—living with a crazed science person who's got a system for every little move you make and spouts off his old-man health theories every chance he gets and measures the polyphenols or whatever in every meal.”

Though it's not exactly the next “Great American Novel”, Vinegar Girl is a quirky, lighthearted, and quick summer read. It plays out far more like a modern romantic comedy with just a dash of Shakespeare rather than an overt retelling of the Taming of the Shrew as I at first thought. The story centers around Kate Battista, a 29-year-old preschool aide who seems to be thoroughly disappointed by life. It's only when her absentminded scientist father comes up with a truly hair-brained scheme that Kate's life takes a pretty big turn. 


While some people seem to be objecting to some of the more controversial undertones to the novel, I found that they are no more than what is present in the original play itself. There were many laugh-out-loud moments for me and, overall, it was quite enjoyable. Exactly the thing to read on a 90 degree, bright summer day.