Book Review: Trouble Is a Friend of Mine

Lately, I’ve been a woman obsessed. I started reading the Harry Potter series and I can’t seem to rest until I reach the end. But a review on one of my most favorite purchases from the recent Manila International Book Fair (MIBF) is a little overdue, but here it is.

            Trouble Is a Friend of Mine is about a girl named Zoe Webster who recently moved to a new place following her parents’ divorce. She meets Philip Digby, a guy constantly wearing a tux who scarily knows a lot of dirt about people. He, whose own sister went missing years ago, is investigating a missing person case, pretty much roping Zoe in his sleuthing.

          By the way, as a person who likes to read spoilers (yes, I’m a rare specie) and the last few pages of a book before actually starting the book, it would be a no-brainer that this review won’t be spoiler-free.

        Anyhow, I’m also going to say something that would shock most people so do prepare yourselves—I love this book more than I love the Harry Potter series. Gasps.

            Yeah, yeah, I know. My screws must be loose and all that.

           I like the Harry Potter series. A lot, actually. The good points for J. K. Rowling’s famous books trample this book’s completely. It’s just that my basis is mostly rooted on feeling rather than reason; but I digress.

         Now on to the review: this book feels like a movie. If you like a more concrete, factual detective story grounded on hardcore analysis, then this one isn’t for you. I know from the get-go that the plot might be a little too convenient for the characters so I basically started the book just expecting and hoping for a fun read.

            And it was so, so fun.

            I remember how people commented that The Improbable Theory of Ana and Zak by Brian Katcher got a bit too unbelievable near the end, but the thing is, I don’t care. I like that it read like a movie where the characters sometimes get into crazy wild shenanigans and mysteriously out of trouble when need be. The same goes for this book where the clues are almost laid before them.

            A very significant part of this story is Digby himself. Zoe might be the main character but he literally drives the novel. It’s funny how some people find him to be an impossible character since he seems to know so much more than probable and can basically get away with anything. There can’t possibly be a person in real life that age who’s that kick-ass smart. But like I said, I don’t really care. If you’re more into realistic novels, this really isn’t for you. 

You see, when I think of Digby, I think the likes of Artemis Fowl, Elliot Allagash, and Archie Costello. Brilliant guys who know how people work and can easily manipulate a situation to suit their interest. Do they perchance exist in real life? Hell no. But are they interesting to the bones? To me, why yes they are.

As for the impossibility of Digby’s character and how he can eerily get out of sticky situations, I don’t think so. Because if I rank him with all the other devious characters I’ve mentioned, he’s basically an infant. He’s not an ultimate pro at reading people; oftentimes, he makes mistakes and just happens to be a really good guesser.  He sometimes gets out of trouble because he can act like he knows his salt even when he doesn’t have a clue. He’s both similar and dissimilar to Archie in that sense.

Archie is a master manipulator who mentally bullies and psychologically torments people. If he were in the shoes of Joffrey, I’d fear for Westeros. 1He’s so bloody confident and knows people so well, you’d think he’s a mind-reader. Yes, like Digby, he acts like he knows dirt even when he doesn’t got any. But unlike Digby who’s sympathetic and ultimately a good guy, Archie is apathetic and practically devoid of emotions. Archie is a villain in every sense of the word.

Digby may seem like an impossible character, but he’s not the most impossible character. He hasn’t reached Allagash and Costello status, which is why I like him. He’s got the brains of Archie but still has a heart.

Some say Zoe seems like a bland cookie-cutter character that doesn’t seem to have any motivation, but again, I beg to differ. She goes along Digby’s plan because she’s rebelling in her own way and likes the sleuthing part deep down inside.  Like Archie, Digby is a very alluring character and it doesn’t seem that hard to imagine why Zoe wants to be strung along in some of his schemes.  She’s a good girl who finds herself tempted by trouble, and doesn’t appear to have a lot to lose (well, except her chances of getting to her school of choice). As mentioned, maybe it’s just me. I usually relate to characters not a lot of people relate to. I find that the way you like a book is really a matter of perception and preference.

But damn, I reiterate, this book was fun. I laughed out loud so much; my sister was convinced I’ve gone nuts.

The tiny speckle of romance wasn’t so bad either, considering I shipped them from the beginning. Digby also reminds me of Death the Kid, and shipping Digby with Zoe feels like some kind of wish fulfillment.

            There are negative points, though, like the casual sexist remarks and the girl hate going on between two of the characters. The good news is that it’s been pointed out the sequel’s going to mend this issue of mine. The bad news is that the sequel hasn’t been released yet and I don’t think I can handle the wait.