Publication Date: January 10, 2012
Image and summary from goodreads.com:
The orphaned daughter of missionaries, Addy is quite content to stay in the shadows and never draw attention to herself. But when she's selected for a reality TV show to try to become the President son's prom date-a show she didn't audition for-she's suddenly in America's spotlight.
The lights, the make-up, the competitions, and the blogs discussing every move she makes all make Addy incredibly uncomfortable. But through her time at The Mansion, Addy comes to realize that first impressions aren't always right, that hiding out may not be what God had planned for her life, and that her faith should affect everything she does. It may just be that her selection wasn't random at all and that she's on this show "for such a time as this."
Generally speaking, I am not one to be drawn by Christian fiction. However, I have found at both schools at which I've taught that this is not necessarily the case for my students. There seems to be a growing interest in Christian fiction, especially books that are written about high-interest topics. In the interest of broadening my horizons, I decided to give First Date a try. Though probably not a book I would have otherwise selected, I am glad that I did.
The protagonist, Addy, is someone to whom many teen girls can relate. Amidst the large crowd of sparkling, vivacious girls, Addy feels like a typical "Plain Jane." What I liked about her, though, was that she doesn't let this ruin her experience on the TV show. Instead, we get to see Addy grow and become more comfortable with who she is, instead of wishing she was someone else. Also, and perhaps this is just me, but when I read that this book was Christian fiction, I was afraid that Addy would seem "untouchable." However, I was pleased to see that instead of her being someone who always knows right from wrong, the reader gets to watch her grapple with serious and timely issues - confidence, love, and the omnipresent "mean girls." When she is continually insulted, Addy is tempted to fire back, rather than always just taking the moral high road. This made her seem particularly realistic. Moreover, it was nice to see a character have a source of strength to help her through the various conflicts she encounters.
In researching the book before I read it, I learned that this novel is a re-imagining of the story of Esther from the Old Testament. For those unfamiliar (as I was), Esther is a Jewish orphan who is one of many women presented to a king who is searching for a new wife. Chosen for her beauty, Esther hides the fact that she is Jewish. When her cousin Mordechai, with whom Esther was living after the death of her parents, saves the king's life, he is also appointed into the king's favor. However, Mordechai becomes a target for the new prime minister Haman, who plans to not only kill him but the entire Jewish race. Esther finally chooses to reveal her faith to the king, thus allowing the Jewish people to fight and save themselves. (source here. Yes, as an English teacher I used Wikipedia. One of my students wrote a fabulous essay about the reliability of the website. But I digress...).
So, anyhow, taking what seems to be an archaic plot into the twenty-first century seemed to be a daunting task. However, McGee managed to deliver a book that was funny, exciting, and very relevant to our current day. Who hasn't seem some sort of elimination reality show, after all? Though it seemed a bit obvious what was going to happen throughout most of the plot, Addy's voice managed to keep me interested. My favorite parts were probably the "behind the scenes" glimpses McGee gives the reader into the world of reality television. It was amusing to see how characters were influenced by the presence of cameras - after all, I am always curious about how "realistic" reality TV is. The translation of an evil prime minister to an overly ambitious producer was creative too. Addy's interactions with Hank, said producer, ended up leading the story to a satisfying conclusion.
As I said before, Addy's voice is truly what makes this story captivating. Her continued prayers for strength, confidence, and the ability to do what's right are something that so many of us could probably use daily. Her faith is a driving force behind many of her actions, but rather than feeling "catechized," I empathized with her. After all, the debate over revealing who we really are is something we all grapple with daily.
Overall, I would recommend this book to any girl who is looking for Christian fiction, or even just a light-hearted romance. If a student is open to the idea of Christian fiction, but not necessarily seeking it out, this might even be a good foray into the genre. It was charming, refreshing, and a quick read - perfect for a few nights of relaxation.
Any other good suggestions for Christian fiction? I am open to all ideas!
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