Cupidity by Caroline Goode

Title: Cupidity
Author: Caroline Goode
Pages: 288
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: December 28, 2004

Dating in high school is like reality TV. It can get pretty surreal.

Between the strict social ladder (geeks' lockers left, jocks' to the right), and silly, pointless rules (no hand-holding, no kissing, no breathing!), high school is the single worst place to fin a boyfriend. And Laura Sweeney is no exception. She hasn't had a date since...well, ever.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. So Laura is calling in the big guns. She needs guidance. A proven "get the guy" strategy. Luckily she knows exactly the expert to call. He's a matchmaking mastermind who actually has the bow and arrow to prove it. Let's just call him...Cupid.

Laura Sweeney is the typical trying-to-be-valedictorian senior. She's smart, but not so popular. She buries herself in books, trying to beat out her competition with her 4.0 GPA. At the start of the year, she swears to herself that she will have a boyfriend. She makes a wish to the god, Jupiter for his help and he sends him Cupid...or Cupidity. Laura's life becomes upside down and topsy-turvy; jocks going out with goths, brainiacs dating cheerleaders, everything changes as her life spins out of control. When will she get her wish?

Confusing, random, and only slightly entertaining, Cupidity will not impress readers. Only people with the general knowlege of mythology will be able to understand the gods and the creatures in this novel. Judging by the cover, you would think that it probably has something to do with a dating service, but it's really about the Cupid. Goode's writing was entertaining, but cheesy and choppy.

The cast of characters in this book were extremely generic and stereotypical. They weren't individualized at all! They were the 'so-called-normal' jocks, skater dudes, goths, cheerleaders and it fails to impress readers. Without a good plot, and without good characters, Goode was just not able to accomplish a good RoCom.

One thing the reader will recognize though, is the originality of the plot. The connection between high school and Greek mythology was interesting and fresh. Otherwise, that's it. It would be a good read for those readers who like cheesy romance, a little touch of mythology, and a bucket full of stereotypes.

The Bottom Line: I really, really didn't like this book. Everything was just way too random and way too complicated! High schools don't really have stereotypical cliques and a 'social ladder'. In some books, this was the case...but for Cupidity, this is all that Goode focused on! I was frustrated and annoyed with Laura and the other characters. Also, does anybody know who that guy in the cover is? I don't think he was even mentioned in the book! I'm confused. You might like Cupidity...but I don't. B-

---Report Card---

Originality: 8/10
Ending: 6.5/10
Characters: 5/10
Plot: 9/10
My reaction/enjoyment: 7.5/10
Theme: 8/10
Imagery: 8/10
Setting: 4/5
Voice: 3/5
Style: 3/5
Tone: 3/5
Cover: 7/10
Total Score: 72/100 (B-)