The Spinster Diaries

by Gina Fattore

Our heroine, a moderately successful TV writer in L.A., wants her life to be as sunny and perfect as a Hollywood rom-com: a cool job, a wacky best friend, and lots of age-appropriate hot guys just dying to date her. Instead, she’s a self-described spinster who is swimming in anxiety and just might have a tiny little brain tumor. So she turns to an unlikely source for inspiration: the eighteenth-century novelist and diarist Frances Burney, who pretty much invented the chick-lit novel.

A semi-autobiographical unromantic comedy, The Spinster Diaries is a laugh-out-loud satire of both the TV business and the well-worn conventions of chick lit―as well as the true tale of the forgotten writer who inspired Jane Austen to greatness. It's an endearing and refreshingly honest testament to how one person’s life can reach out across the centuries to touch another’s.

Genres: Fiction, Adult Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Audiobook, Chick Lit

216 pages, Paperback

First published April 14, 2020

About the author

Gina Fattore is a television writer whose credits include Dare Me, Better Things, UnREAL, Masters of Sex, Parenthood, Californication, Gilmore Girls, and Dawson’s Creek. Her TEDx talk — “Become What You Believe” — has more than 16,000 views, and her essays, reviews, and comedy pieces have appeared in the Chicago Reader, Salon, Lit Hub, Entertainment Weekly, and McSweeney’s Internet Tendency.

Reviews

[Dana · Rating 1 out of 5]

When I saw the author had written for amazing shows like Parenthood, Gilmore Girls and Dawson's Creek I was 100% IN! Unfortunately ... this book just didn't do it for me, at all :(

The main character was so so negative ... I couldn't stand her, I tried .... really. I didn't laugh out loud, not once. I have a pretty incredible sense of humor, I enjoy the use of a word that rhymes with duck ... but it's just thrown around in this book almost as though it's for shock factor? Didn't do it for me. This book left me feeling blah, dragged down ...

The concept is good - the book, not so much.

Thanks to Publishers Group Canada for my review copy!

[Dianne · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't think that this was a cute book, nor did I find it humorous (actually, it was very depressing most of the time).

Written in the first person (diary form), this was supposed to be a semi-autobiographical book. If this is true, then I really feel sorry for this author.

If you like books that drone on about author Miss Francis Burney (Google--->"Frances Burney, also known as Fanny Burney and later as Madame d'Arblay, was an English satirical novelist, diarist and (sic)playwright.") and her unending history (actually most of this book was about her). Also, the fact that this supposed "spinster" rambles on about her health, especially her brain tumor, and has no end -no conclusion whatsoever...then this book will be to your liking.

ARC supplied by the publisher.

[Julie Douglas · Rating 5 out of 5]

My friend Gina from high school wrote this book... and it is like curling up to have a long chat with her. It is just as funny and smart as she is! Bravo, Gina!❤️

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was pretty excited to read this book, expecting a light hearted and fun story about a perpetually single modern woman (much like myself). Instead I found the book to be dry and droll and generally uninteresting. It started strong with the immediate introduction of the brain tumor but quickly devolved into a mundane self dialogue, often repeating things multiple times or going off on (mild not wild) tangents of little interest to me. I did find the parts about Fanny mostly interesting but overall this book just didn't do it for me.

Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.

[Lian Dolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wanna be a TV writer? Novelist is Gina Fattore has written for some of your favorite shows like Parenthood and Gilmore Girls, so she has the credentials to take you indie the side of a middle-aged, mildly neurotic TV writer with a serious health issue and obsession with an 18th century British novelist. Sound Good? It did to me. I love the inside TV stuff and the historical piece of this novel. A thoughtful, funny look at two women writers.

[Rachel Desmond · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was awful. No clear ending, no clear plot, even. I had to skim through the last hundred pages or so because I was so close to being done I might as well have finished, but the ending brought me no joy. Would not recommend and will sneer if I ever see it in a store.

[Edna Axelrod · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a book that will divert you from the travails of the present day, dive into this entertaining romp through late 18th century England and early 21st century Hollywood. Two talented writers - British Frances Burney and her modern LA. fan - deal with the remarkably similar issues that confront intelligent working women of different eras. A fast-paced 213 pages, it could be devoured in a day, but you’ll probably want to stretch out the fun.

[Terry94705 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t read many comic novels but this was fabulous. The protagonist slaves over her 6 part miniseries about Fanny Burney while struggling with her compounding health issues. Laugh out loud funny in some parts; tiptoeing towards the tragic in others. But I most enjoyed her depiction of the world of television writers. We all have ideas about how novelists work, but I had no clue as to the organization of the collective effort that results in television. Her take on it was very smart and funny.

I’m not sure I’ve seen any of the shows she’s written, and I don’t know how autobiographical this is, but I totally appreciated the humor, irony and values in her book.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best thing about this semiautographical novel is ....Franny Burney, an author I'll bet most have missed (I know I have). That's not fair to the narrator (or Fattore) but honestly, this book was a discovery of two writers. I suspect many will grow weary of the narrator's fretting and neurosis but she's got a brain tumor. Benign or not, that's gonna set your world on it's side. I liked the details of her work on the tv show. It can be sort of annoying at times but it's also entertaining. Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC. I'm off to find some of Burney's work.

[Sigrid A · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a thoroughly enjoyable novel, written in the form of a diary (or Journaling for Anxiety- TM). It sort of draws on Bridget Jones, but the character is much more self-aware and perceptive. She spends a lot of the time worrying about whether or not to have a brain tumor removed and obsessing over Fanny Burney, but it's awritten in such a wry, observant way, that it all seems both funny and moving.

I received an ARC of this novel from Edelweiss in return for an honest review.

[Vivian · Rating 1 out of 5]

Like many others that have read this, I was so looking forward to reading it but... All I can say is this was a "hot mess!" Is it non-fiction masquerading as fiction or fiction masquerading as a pseudo-memoir? By the time I had read 30% of the book (digital review copy folks), I was tired of the repetitive phrases and descriptions and ready to scream enough already. Sadly, it didn't get any better or at least it didn't get any better in this reader's opinion.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

So funny, so eccentric, so comfortable in its own neurotic skin... just a delightful journey into the mind of a TV writer who has a teeny little brain tumor, an obsession with the mother of chick-lit, Frances Burney, and no problem with life as a self-described spinster.

[Michelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was all over the place.

[Cathleen · Rating 1 out of 5]

A disappointment. Acerbic works when sharp, nimble, and focused. Acerbic and rambly? Not so much.

[Tiffany Michele · Rating 1 out of 5]

I would not recommend this book to anyone. It started out funny enough but sadly went down hill from there.
The plot is basically nonexistent and the only character we ever really know is the main one whose name I don’t even recall. Isn’t that sad?
For a diary entry based book I actually didn’t get emotionally involved with the MC at all. I didn’t care about her and certainly was frustrated with her constant whining by chapter 3.
By page 100 I was 50% through the novel and 100% done with reading it.
Looked up the ending and started skimming. It was a terrible experience and the MCs Frances Burney obsession seems to have factual holes in it from my brief research.
Also had several F bombs and other crude language and brief themes I didn’t care for.

[ReadingGirlReviews (Gina) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was phenomenal. Hands down one of my new favorites. I’m not sure why so many low star ratings but I disagree.
If you like Jen Lancaster then you will love Gina Fattore. The book reads like a diary and is highly relatable to anyone who is not a teeny bopper and is still looking for love.
The only problem I had with it is that there isn’t a sequel.
People who didn’t care for this book clearly just don’t get it. I suspect it’s an age gap issue.
Also, the Fanny Burney stuff was extremely interesting.
I loved it.

[Ari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved how real she is and how much I can relate to her, spinsters unite!

[Kay Magnetti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Witty and intelligent, unique and thought provoking!
Gina Fattore is an amazing writer… and person!

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Usually my sister’s recommendations are spot on but this was not the book for me. I didn’t like the main character and the book abruptly ended.

[Marina Kahn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Picked up this book because I thought it would be easy reading, fun, and entertaining about the adventures of a modern day spinster. Wrong, this turned out to be a diary for sure, but it rambled, it was a depressing conversation about brain tumors and uterine cysts and one woman's indecisiveness about what medical procedures to opt for. It went on and on repeating about the tumor and the cyst. The only interesting thing was her discussion about the life of Frances Burney a not well known English novelist but then we find out she wasn't really a spinster since she got married at age 40 so what gives. This took me forever to read, I really should have stopped and just read the ending, which by the way was rather abrupt. Sorry, I can't recommend it.

[Angela · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was actually pretty excited to pick up this title as it sounded like it would be pretty humorous even though the MC was dealing with a pretty heavy topic (brain tumor). Unfortunately, this book missed the mark for me. I found the writing in the first half of the book pretty manic. The second half of the book went too far in to the details of a show she was writing. At that point I found myself not caring how the story even ended.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well I finished this book. I think that’s the kindest thing I can say about it.

Woof.

I wanted to like this book so badly, BUT this was not a great book. I’ve said before that I have a hard time reviewing auto-biographies, but this was a “semi-auto-biography” and I had a few issues with this book. I will say, the book itself was not poorly written, but given the author's writing credits I was expecting a lot more.

I thought the premise sounded interesting and since I have a few friends who are in the entertainment industry, I thought this would be a fun relatable book. Maybe something they would also enjoy reading? The premise of a modern spinster who loves Jane Austen as much as I do was very interesting, and I dove in.

I’ll admit there were a couple of funny moments, I smirked every time she was Journaling with Anxiety TM. I was also interested in learning more about Frances Burney who I had never heard of until now.

But it was just a lackluster book with a lot of redundancy, aimless plot, and it felt like I every page I kept thinking, no really what is the point of this book? We are dropped in the midst of the protagonist finding out she has a benign brain tumor and that’s as much action as we see in the whole book. I still am not really sure why this book was written?

Otherwise she just goes on tangents, mostly about how she is not like other girls. I wish I was kidding.

Honestly, my main gripe is that the author (or main character—unclear) shames women who enjoy mainstream culture, staying in shape, or having fulfilling relationships and villainizes them at one point calling them out for “spending their days perfecting blow jobs or staying in shape via pole dancing.” That honestly immediately turned me off this book. She also tries to make fun of a woman at the gym calling her an “Anorexic Unabomber,” again gross and not funny.

I am not interested in a “pick me” person of any age, especially one who intones that they are a feminist only to deride women for enjoying traditionally feminine things or mock them in a way that you think a man would find funny. Truthfully, I found that and her love for Woody Allen movies distasteful (because of how Woody Allen groomed his underage daughter and married her and SAed his other daughter—therefore I refuse to watch any movies made by him)—and just made the rest of the book very difficult to read. Especially since her appreciation of Woody Allen movies was a theme throughout the book.

[Pamela Skjolsvik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whenever I think of a spinster, the scene from It's a Wonderful Life where Clarence warns George that "Mary is closing up the library...she never married," like that is a fate worse than death for a woman. A spinster in 2020 is simply a woman who rejected the notion that women can "have it all." It's ironic that Gina Fattore works in an industry that greatly influences how we think of ourselves or what we're supposed to look like to be worthy of love, a cool job or at least a really expensive pair of shoes.
This book is basically a diary entry from an anxiety filled, but ridiculously talented writer who is obsessed with another ridiculously talented female writer from the 1700's who invented chick-lit. This searching for ourselves in others is why we read or watch tv or sit in darkened movie theaters. We all want to see ourselves or at least some part of our lives reflected to validate that we are okay. She also has a brain tumor that she obsesses about, but who wouldn't?
Although I'm married and have two kids, I could relate to the universal theme of not fitting in. I loved the voice and look forward to other books from Ms. Fattore.

[Bella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spinster is such a dirty word, isn't it? It brings visions of 18th women in dowdy frocks and even worse hair, glaring over their needlepoint to stare at you with their beady eyes through round, wire-frame glasses. It's time that the definition has changed and I'm glad that Gina Fattore has made a start on it. I identified with the descriptions in this book so much that I just about cried. There's a lot of different parts of me that aren't represented in modern media, but the spinster part is the most under-served of all; mainly because no one really wants to talk about it. I am glad that someone finally has.

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delightfully unique book, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It seems to be part novel, part memoir, and part biography. There isn’t much dialogue and I don’t think you ever learn the main characters name. Many “diary” books I’ve read in the past are just first person narratives that are supposedly written in a diary, but this book really had the feel of someone writing things down. It felt like things that I would write in a journal. And wow, was it relatable to me. Even though the main character is a lot older than I am, I found her so relatable and resonated with so many of her struggles.

[Maggie Mags · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book isn’t for everyone I’m sure. She’s sarcastic, neurotic and hilarious. It’s a story of two spinsters living centuries apart. Our modern day spinster loves Fanny Burney and Austen and writes for several famous tv shows. I’m fairly certain this is her Gilmore Girl period. I keep wondering if Lauren Graham asked her to leave the set. It’s seems so unlike Lauren Graham who wrote her own chick lit novel that I enjoyed. Any who... i really enjoyed this book. It’s a real good quarantine read especially.

[Lise · Rating 1 out of 5]

Rather strange book. Thought the style a bit manic at first but eventually settled into it. But then nothing happened. None of the story lines were resolved. None. Not one.

I wonder if this was the author's diary entries, and she just published them as a book. But I thought it was a novel?

All in all, very strange. If you read this review before reading the book, don't bother reading the book. Unless you don't like endings, then this is the perfect book for you.

[Kathryn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This should have been a easy read in one sitting; it’s only 200 pages and looked engaging enough. Except it wasn’t. It was mind-bogglingly repetitive and redundant. I had to keep putting it down because she kept saying the same things over and over. I was mystified why someone who could obviously write would keep rehashing the same (5 or so) themes so often. Not a few times in the book to remind you and not every couple of chapters. But every page. EVERY PAGE. Good grief, had all the repetition been removed this would have been a very short story, maybe an article.

It bugged me enough I thought about it for several days. Then I realized maybe what happened. The author writes scripts for tv shows. I think she might have “heard” this in her head as spoken rather than written/reading it since it’s a book, not a script. It reminded me of stand-up comedians, who tell a story and then have a punchline that makes everyone laugh. They tell a couple more stories and the third one will have the same punchline as the first – it generates a bigger laugh because they brought it back and tied it in to the first story. They tell more stories, and they use the same same punchline somewhere in there, and people laugh again, because now it’s familiar and the comedian again brings it back to punctuate the point. Then they tell their final story of the evening. The punchline? Yes, the exact same one and they get uproarious laughter and a standing ovation because everyone loves how everything is tied together throughout.

Worked for the comedian. Does not work for this book.

Also there is no ending. I went back and read it again thinking, what did I miss? There was one vague sentence in there where you had to read between the lines to pick up the “ending.” It rather felt like the author decided, “Well, I’m up to date in my life, I’m done.” She put her pen down and walked away.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well-written and somewhat funny at times, but the some elements got boring really quick. In nearly every chapter, we get:
*comments about Shoe Girls, the younger women who work with the main character and who care about their appearance more than she does
*"I am a spinster, isn't spinsterhood great, this really awesome British writer from the 1700s was a spinster too and I'm going to model my life on hers!"
*complaining about the TV industry and about trying to sell a script or a series idea (about the author from the 1700s)
*fretting about whether or not to get brain surgery to remove a benign tumor that might cause further health complications; an entire year's worth of fretting; about a TUMOR in her BRAIN; and not knowing whether or not to have SURGERY... Like... Why not get it removed ASAP?!

Despite these repetitions and minor annoyances I had with the main character, I still quite enjoyed this. It's written like a diary, and there are plenty of cultural references to keep you entertained. The parts about the British writer from the 1700s (Fanny Burney) were interesting, but I could have done without the Woody Allen-ness of it all.

(I received a copy from the publisher via Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review.)

[LillyBooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has one great idea, but, alas!, almost no structure and no ending whatsoever. Apparently it's semi-autobiographical, and perhaps that explains the lack of story arc as our lives do not proceed with raising action and climaxes and resolutions. But if I were fictionalizing my life, I'd certainly give it those things. All of that means the book . . . just ends. It feels, with its breezy chic-lit-type prose, that we're getting set up for a love story. But we don't. Here's the thing: I wouldn't mind if Fattore said,"Ha! I'm going to write a chic-lit novel but make it not about romantic love! Turn the genre on its head!" Go girl! But she doesn't even do that. Instead, she spends the whole book having her protagonist talk about love, pine for love, and protest-too-much against love for it not be about love. And the protagonist never gets a moment to cry out, "I love my career! I love myself! I'm good enough on my own!" or something equally meaningful. Again, it . . . just ends.

Now the one great thing: the protagonist spends part of this book writing a screenplay about the eighteenth-century novelist Frances Burney. It sounds amazing! I'd watch the heck out of that multi-part BBC/Masterpiece production. That story is everything I wanted out of this novel and never received.