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Fourth comings with misgivings

November 20th, 2007 Molly - Central

Megan McCafferty’s latest installment in the notable series featuring Jessica Darling faces some significant hurdles before the cover is opened and page one is read.  Fourth Comings: A Novel has moved into the land of adult fiction, where the previous three novels in the series were designated as young adult (the first two more firmly entrenched in young adult fiction, the third pushing the boundaries).  The themes are more adult, Jessica’s voice is more adult, and the audience may or may not be ready for that.

The second major hurdle is that this may be the final installment in the series.  I don’t know about other readers, but I expect a spectacular ending when a series ends.  The ending needs to be satisfying.  The ending needs to be worthy.  The ending needs to remind the reader why they have stuck around for so long.  In the case of Jessica Darling, I remember the days when I was invested in her character, when I recommended Sloppy Firsts and Second Helpings without reservation.  I read Charmed Thirds quickly and with great satisfaction.  Fourth Comings let me down.

The writing is still sharp and scathing.  When Jessica was in high school and college that was fine.  Now that she has graduated from college and her life is more serious, I find her constant scorn obnoxious.   There is a fine line between snarkily hilarious and just plain hateful.  In my opinion, the issues adult Jessica faces require a little more maturity and sincerity.  Legal guardianship of her niece, a parent with cancer, a marriage proposal from the love of her life - snappy comebacks for these situations feel inappropriate.

I was also disenchanted by the ending.  So goodbye to Jessica.  The character I will miss if this series comes to a close is Marcus Flutie, the boy who started out as a burned out “dreg” in Sloppy Firsts and now attends Princeton.  He’s grown into a mature, developed adult.   I am not at all satisfied with what happens to Marcus. 

Any other readers out there who love these books and feel disappointed by this fourth in the series?  I sincerely hope that a “fifth down” is in the works.

Entry Filed under: Recreational Fiction