Take a story's temperature by studying its tone. Is it hopeful? Cynical? Snarky? Playful?
Friendly and Conversational
Part of what makes this book such an easy read is that it feels like we're being told a story by one of our friends. The tone is consistently casual, sometimes funny, and often sarcastic.
The tone of the book changes a bit with each character, though. Take Carmen, for instance—she is indignant and totally ticked off at the world, and the tone she takes reflects this. But when we're hanging out with Bridget, the tone becomes more adventurous, just like Bridget is. Lena is filled with anxiety, and Tibby brings a hefty dose of cynicism, but always we're told what's up in a conversational, talking-to-your-girlfriend kind of tone. Here's one of our favorite examples:
Tibby frowned sourly. Brianna got to snap her gum at an empty register because she had uncommonly huge hair and gigantic boobs that even the darts on her smock couldn't accommodate. (3.32)
Yup—this makes us feel like we're gabbing with our besties over milkshakes. Which makes the book go down just as easily as our favorite ice cold drinks.