For those of you who weren't aware, the movie Shopgirl is based upon the novella by the same name, written by Steve Martin. For such a short book I was surprised that it took me a while to get into the story, even though i already knew the basics of the plot.
The main character, Mirabelle, is a young, slightly damaged, sales girl working at the glove counter. She is a wallflower and an artist. From the instant she is introduced she is an underdog whom you want to root for. It is clear from the start that Mirabelle will be mistreated, and that things will probably end badly for her. Mirabelle hangs in there though, and in the end her story is one of personal growth.
What I enjoyed most about this book was the way it is written. The style is halfway between a normal narrative and a screenplay. It reads like a movie. If you have seen the film, you can easily imagine Steve Martin narrating the entire story. The language is pleasant and clever. Each scene is artfully laid out.
The book and the movie are very similar, but there are some differences and surprises that make it worth reading.
