Forever Fikry

Ah, The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry.  A book for book lovers and lovers of love.  Gabrielle Zevin knew what she was doing when she penned this modern classic.  Because no one who builds his life around books could ever be truly hopeless.  If you have no idea what I'm talking about, then you can hop on over to the book review I wrote nearly five years ago.  Or, you can hang here and go with the flow of my musings.  No wrong answers!

When I heard that The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry was coming out as a movie, I was beyond excited.  But also a little wary.  Because the thing about watching screen adaptations of beloved books is that they sometimes come up short.  It's a gamble, agreeing to let yourself see someone else's interpretation of something that struck such a cord with you.  Then again, I have very little self control.  So you know I was streaming in seconds.  

Fikry is played by Kunal Nayyar, and his love interest, Amelia, is played by Lucy Hale.  Now, I'm going to pause here.  Because anyone who knows this book knows that Zevin describes Fikry's and Amelia's physical appearances as nothing to write home about.  Their plainness is, in fact, in stark contrast with the stunning beauty of Fikry's late wife.  So having two lookers play these lead roles rings just a little untrue.  Not that I minded much, because I love Nayyar and Hale, and both are wonderful in the movie.  

That said, everything else about the movie is just like the book.  The quaint island town, Fikry's initially self-destructive life, the mystery (for yes, there is one), the love letter to books, and the bittersweet charm of tragedy and hope and then tragedy again shaping the lives of these ordinary yet extraordinary people.  It's even funny.  I could go on and on, but you've (probably) read enough of my book and movie reviews to know that poignance is what makes my heart beat.  Which means, of course, lots of tears at the end, but the kind that made me happy I saw it.

Because even though I said tragedy, hope, then tragedy again, I forgot to add that last and all-important hope.  As The Washington Post says on the cover, The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry is "marvelously optimistic."  Not in saying that things will always go well or even stay well.  But in saying that they can be good, even beautiful, for awhile, showing us life's preciousness.

And that's why in both book and movie form, I'm now and forever team Fikry.

Katy Keene, Valentine Queen

Skirt: Delia's, Dolls Kill

Shoes: Jessica Simpson Collection, DSW

To the Swoon and Back Necklace

Bag: Katy Perry Collection

Sweater: BCX, Macy's

Shoes: Betsey Johnson, DSW

Regal Romance Necklace 

Just when you thought Valentine's Day was over, Cupid drops off Katy Keene.  I found this one-season-wonder of a cancelled Riverdale spinoff on HBO Max and was hooked.  Having started life as an Archie Comic, Katy Keene's got the goods on dark glamour.  The intrigue!  The romance!  The fashion!  It's a drama that hits upon all the best and worst parts of being young and fabulous and broke in New York City, where someone just may be out to get you.  Title character Katy Keene (Lucy Hale) works as a personal shopper for the imperious Gloria Grandbilt (Katherine LaNasa) at Lacy's, a kind of spoof on Macy's, only much more high end.  But by night, she's a fashion designer, creating incredible one-of-a-kind costumes for her bestie Jorge (Jonny Beauchamp) to wear in his drag show.  It girl extraordinaire Pepper (Julia Chan) and new roommate Josie (Ashleigh Murray) -- yes, of Josie and the Pussycats fame -- round out Katy's coterie.  And then there's her hunky boyfriend KO (Zane Holtz), who's been by her side since high school.  Despite being a boxer with his own big dreams, his top priority is always his girl.  Yet for Katy, settling down with KO starts to seem less like a fairy tale ending and more like a middle working class rut.  What's more, despite Katy's pluck and determination, trying to break into fashion is fraught with struggle and heartbreak.  But perhaps her most daunting obstacle of all is finding out her dead mother's secret.  

Okay, so that's all very riveting.  But why is Katy Keene the Valentine queen?  Because she wears her heart on her sleeve -- and on her skirt and shoulder.  The girl hearts hearts, just like her mother before her, a flair affair reflected in her over-the-top outfits.  Peter Pan-collared tops, capes, and other feminine garb in red and pink fill Katy's closet.  Her look is very iconic, very bold, very glam noir comic book, befitting a dazzling denizen of the Archie universe. Yet more importantly, like all the best fashion, it tells the world who she is.

That's why it's so, er, disheartening when Katy falls in with (and to be a bit of a spoiler, under) misogynistic designer Guy LaMontagne (Luke Cook).  Successful but insecure, he preys on his young female apprentices, stealing their sketches and telling them what to wear.  In Katy's case, this means no hearts because they remind him of his nemesis, Gucci.  Not wanting to risk her career, Katy complies, pivoting to striking but soulless black.  Although she still looks fab, we know that her light's gone out.   

The series ends with a hopeful yet classic cliffhanger.  But I wanted more.  I don't know why the CW canned such a great show, but it's not like I haven't been there before (Good Girls, Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist, At Home with Amy Sedaris, that other Lucy Hale show Life Sentence . . .).  TV isn't always built to last, much like a honeymoon or every Bath and Body Works scent you ever loved.  So that's why we need to appreciate it while it's around.  My sister likes to think of a single-season show as a really long movie.  And when it ends ambiguously -- as it always does -- she leans into the ending she wanted.  Which is a lovely way to watch TV.   

And to live.

So, Katy Keene, Valentine queen, I say that you and KO rode off into the sunset after you became a  fashion designer bigger and better than Guy and Gucci combined.

And also that Guy got herpes.