Sean Thomas comes across as one of those guys who, ten minutes after meeting him, would have you glancing at your watch and searching for escape routes: a 37-year-old man with an early-teens sense of humour who wonders why girls can’t have ‘big neon signs on their foreheads saying, “It’s okay, you can kiss me now.” ’
Commissioned by Men’s Health to write a feature on internet dating and (improbably) allowed a year to research it, Thomas takes us on a chronological tour of his dates. Considering they occur over such a long period and that, by his own admission, he has four-and-a-half million girls to choose from, these seem few and far between.
Thomas seems to think his writing is funnier if his sentences are short. Very short. All the time. The other weapon in his limited comic arsenal is digression, and plenty of it. When asked by a young lady to bugger her, he spends 14 pages discussing dolphin sex and his mate’s column in Maxim before telling us how he responded.
I wasn’t the only reader counting down the pages, though, judging by how poorly proof-read the book is. At one point, while describing a date with a Mexican, he refers to an earlier girl totally out of context. Similarly, he mentions at one point that he’s been internet-dating for six months, but 30 ‘chronological’ pages earlier he claimed to have been doing it for a year.
Ultimately, it’s a book written for women which promises insights into the male psyche. But Thomas is a sorry excuse for a man, and female readers will tire of his apologies for his (less than outrageous) actions well before the end. As for his future wife, whom he met on assignment – good luck, you’re welcome to him.
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3 comments
I agree with the reviewer in that Sean Thomas comes across as an immature, self centred prat. But.....it is actually a fairly amusing book which, while not very well written, manages to be quite compelling strangely. It is also a good honest reflection of how a lot of guys approach dating and women I think. Worth a read if you've got a long flight coming up.
There is only one possible explanation for your poor review. Jealousy. This book is by turns hilarious, psychologically deep and insightful, thought provoking, deeply honest and authentic. And absolutely un-put-downable.You have obviously never had the need to try internet dating. Well bully for you, but as for for who I'd rather spend an evening down the pub with between Sean and you - I know who I would choose for company. If you could write like Sean you wouldn't be a critic. You'd be writing for real. Your jealously shines through in every word.
But, er, this book has sold across the world and they're making it into a film, I heard.. And I thought it was very, very funny.
Ah well, maybe it's me.