- Hardcover
- Publisher: San Val (May 2004)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 141772398X
- ISBN-13: 978-1417723980
- Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
A Certain Chemistry
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More About the Author
Product Description
Review
Why do book reviewers fawn over Mil Millington while they sneer at the abundance of 'lad/chick lit' books being published? At first glance it's hard to fathom. Millington's tale doesn't stray from plots about the literary journo's pet hates, reading like a glorified letter to a problem page. Tom's a ghost writer, gets a plush commission to write the 'autobiography' of a top soap star, ends up sleeping with her, frets about his infidelity to his long-term girlfriend... and away we go. What puts him at the higher end of his peers, though, is the quality of the writing. Millington manages to go beyond lazy observations and avoids reading like a bad stand-up comedy routine in print by virtue of an engaging and entertaining writing style.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Metro on A Certain Chemistry
'The argument it posits is chilling enough to give the romantics among you nightmares!'
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is seriously funny novel, with rather more depth and thoughtfulness than his previous novel 'Things My Girlfriend and I Have Argued About'. On the surface it's a simple, almost predictable story about love and infidelity. But the characters are brilliantly drawn, there are some amazingly funny scenes, and God turns up at intervals to make a few points.
This is a book with a lot to say about love and chemistry. I laughed often, but I also cried. Well worth reading.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
llington's debut, Things My Girlfriend and I Argue About, is one of the funniest books I've ever read, so it was with some trepidation that I picked up his followup. I'm pleased to report that although it's not quite as genius as his debut, it is still exceedingly funny, and has a bit more depth to it. Tom is a slacker in his late 20s, living in Edinburgh with his long time girlfriend, and working as a freelance writer and sometime ghostwriter. When he is given the opportunity to handle the autobiography of a hugely famous soap opera star, his world is turned head over heels as he falls deeply into the cliche of the writer falling for the star.
We've all read book and seen films about a nobody and a superstar engaging in a furtive affair, what's amazing is that Millington manages to keep it fresh and lively. Tom is appropriately insufferable as he cheats on the woman he loves to indulge in fantastic, room-destroying sex with the appropriately charismatic and alluring star. All of which raises the uncomfortable question of how any person might react if a charming, interesting, and beautiful star made a pass at them? Of course Millington's got a trick up his sleeve, and that trick is a running commentary between chapters by God. Yes, God with a capital G. And the news God has to deliver has to do with the chemistry of the title. These often-hilarious narrative monologues by God are where Millington explains how chemistry works in relation to love and sex. This is fascinating stuff, and the one weakness is that it's delivered in such a hilarious way that the serious implications can be overlooked. Indeed, I'm going to go back and read just those sections in order to understand them better, because they clearly have major implications on how one views relationships, fidelity, love and passion.
Almost lost amidst all the hilarity is a rather good satire of the publishing industry, as agents, publishers, and publicity heads are all skewered mercilessly as the ghostwritten celeb book is nursed to completion and launched. Some of the supporting cast are perhaps a little over the top (the hypochondriac editor, the ice queen publicity superstar, the boozy agent), but it is a comic novel, so some licence must be given. Of course, not lost in all this, is the fact that Tom is trying to have his cake and eat it to. And there's little doubt that he will get his just dessertsófor his excellent girlfriend is no fool, and he's too much of an idiot to sustain any kind of elaborate deception. The template for these types of comic stories are that after much trial and tribulation, a chagrinned sinner will eventually win back the hand of his true love. I won't reveal what happens here, but I will say that it is exceedingly satisfying and strikes just the right note. A wonderful second novel that definitely demonstrates that Millington is no one-hit wonder.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Having loved Mil's thingsmygirlfriendandihavearguedabout.com website and the book (look, I'm not going to type it out again - it's up there okay?), I was eagerly anticipating buying this. And I wasn't disappointed. It's clear that Mil has concentrated on building a fully-developed storyline and characters (which some may have said was the only problem with TMGAIHAA) and it's all the better for it. Charming, funny, sweet - could this be legitimate chick-lit for blokes?
(Incidentally Mil, I read this book whilst sitting opposite Anthony Stewart Head on the train. I even let out an audible guffaw, so hopefully he got the idea and bought the book. If not, I just looked like an idiot, but I did it on behalf of you).
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Fairly entertaining
This is the story of an average writer who is struggling to write his next novel. His girlfriend is sweet and they seem to be having a nice life together. Read more
Published on 4 Mar 2009 by French reader
Chemistry Experiment
(Contains plot details)
Tom tells us how he risked his relationship with Sara by falling for Georgina. So far, so straightforward. Read more
Tom tells us how he risked his relationship with Sara by falling for Georgina. So far, so straightforward. Read more
Published on 5 April 2008 by Four Violets
A Cracking Read!!
Even as I type this, I am having flashbacks and chuckling away. A bit slow to start with - but you will laugh out loud!!
Published on 23 Aug 2007 by Ms. K. Mangezi
Co-valent bonding
(Published on SpikeMagazine.com)
Mil Millington first surfaced on the web as author of the cult website ThingsMyGirlfriendAndIHaveArguedAbout. Read more
Published on 6 Feb 2006 by Ian Hocking
Another smart romp with Mil
Twenty-eight-year-old Tom Cartwright is a prolific if not a renowned writer, the author of numerous ghostwritten biographies as well as a host of pseudonymously published magazine... Read more
Published on 5 Aug 2005 by Debra Hamel
Laugh out Loud Funny
I chuckled through this whole book, enjoying not only the story but Mil's writing style. It's a lighthearted read, a fun, whimsical look at infidelity, so don't get too caught up... Read more
Published on 1 Sep 2004 by L. Crowder
Is this love or just oxytocin?
Tom Cartwright is a ghost writer, ever prepared to "become" the person his agent, the utterly bonkers and maddeningly frank, Amy, asks him to be. Read more
Published on 2 July 2004 by Mrs. Kerry King
Mil Mil Mil Mil!
After reading the first book, I knew I had to read the second.
Although it is very different from the first book 'Things My Girlfriend And I Have Argued About,' it still holds... Read more
Published on 26 May 2004 by "punktastic"
imperfect but entertaining
This entertaining novel is about an affair and its consequences, from the cheater's point of view. The subject is very interesting and the novel well-written and very funny, in... Read more
Published on 9 April 2004 by Susy Scardocchia
Would you risk it????
Should be read by any person in a relationship.
Although not as funny as the "Things my girlfriend and I have argued about" also by this Author. Read more
Published on 23 Mar 2004 by awd
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