Cannonball favorite Lucy Knisley just came out with a new book so of course I had to get my hands on it. Her books are always a high point in my reading life. Getting married was never something Knisley had planned for or looked forward to, so she felt like a fish out of water during much of the planning process. Something New is the story of how she and her now husband tackled their momentous wedding day and the years leading up to it.
First things first, this book is visually stunning. She and her publisher are killing it. With 300 glossy pages filled with beautifully drawn artwork, I couldn’t help feeling excited holding the thing in my hands. I loved Relish’s artwork so much, but Something New is just above and beyond anything she’s put out before. If this is the level Knisley is working at now, I can’t wait to see what she’s publishing 10 years from now.
As for content, it was a very enjoyable way to spend a few hours. Lucy talks about the history of her relationship with John and their unique, nonlinear courtship. It gets mushy at times, but I couldn’t help but be moved by their love for each other.
They got engaged very suddenly after a long quasi break-up due to differences in wanting children. This sudden switch from being single to engaged really threw Lucy for a loop.
She talks a little about how hard it is to plan a wedding with family and societal expectations.
I kind of wished she had gone into more detail here. She talks about her mother to some extent, but her father is hardly mentioned and I wished she had spent a little more time talking about her bisexual identity. I mean, obviously a wedding memoir isn’t going to be all drama and gloom, but these are real issues a lot of people would relate to. My main nitpick with Something New is that it seemed to skim over the hard stuff. It would have been more interesting if she had gone emotionally deeper in some parts.
Still, totally a book worth reading, even with it’s flaws. I can’t wait to read the memoir she’s currently writing about becoming a mother!
Artwork – 5 stars
Story – 3 stars
I’m so excited to read this!
I just finished Relish, and in my review said I didn’t know if I’d be picking up another one soon, even if they sounded interesting, but being a bridesmaid in my sister’s and my roommate’s weddings simultaneously and watching them deal with all this makes this one seem all the more interesting. I’ll ponder.