The IHOP Papers

Ali Liebegott's The IHOP Papers presents a truly original character, Francesca, a streetsmart twenty-year-old who's got lots of plans for her writing and her future, and falls for the women around her, hard. She's in AA, and has moved to San Francisco to follow and lust after Irene, her philosophy teacher from her community college (she's also in love with Maria, her AA sponsor). She's a waitress at IHOP who learns to literally sock money away in a hole in her closet. She's full of the exuberance of passionate young love, and her series of romantic entanglements reveals as much about her own need to be loved as it does about her set of lovers. Liebegott manages to be both humorous and touch on something deeper. Her skewering of some of the excesses of lesbian political correctness, like environmental activism, openness, and processing (at one point, Francesca is instructed to wash dishes in already-dirty water so as not to waste any) is spot-on. The book is an easy read, but Francesca is more complex than she seems. "My heart started to turn that ugly brown when beautiful red meat first begins to cook in a pan," writes Liebegott of looking at photos of the older woman she's obsessed with, her mentor and former teacher Irene, with her lover Gustavo. This is the kind of book where you have no idea what will happen next or how it will end, and you don't necessarily want to. Even though Francesca seems to find her groove in San Francisco, you can also see her one day chucking everything and setting off for somewhere new and uncharted, and you almost hope she does, just to see how she conquers a new home. There's a sense that even in her darkest hours, she will come through the other side, even if she finds herself caught up in another tragic love affair soon after. The class dynamics at play and the realistic San Francisco setting are also important aspects of the book. The humiliation and annoyances Francesca goes through to work at IHOP are the backdrop against which she nurses her crushes. Some of the twists her relationships take are unexpected and at times over-the-top, but never too out of keeping with Francesca's unusual life. Liebegott's real skill is in making Francesca so vividly honest; perhaps because of her age, she is not afraid to reveal the vulnerability beneath her tough talk. She goes from virgin to being practically the poster child for dyke drama, yet she is not a drama queen, but simply the kind of woman who follows her heart and marches to the beat of her own drummer. The cover copy calls her "half-suicidal, half-euphoric," and it's true. She has mood swings that take her everywhere from the real depths of being broke and in the throes of unrequited love to being on top of the world, and both are equally entertaining.

Sometimes I come across a book that is unexpectedly different from my usual fare. This is one of those books. With her first book, Liebegott has delivered a truly unique story about a young woman who comes into her own. The protagonist - Frannie - is truly a tragic character. She's a recovering alcoholic who smokes like a chimney and is in love with her former philosophy teacher, Irene. Of course, Irene is busy with her two lovers - Gustavo and Jenny - and hasn't given Frannie any solid indication of romantic interest. Frannie is technically a virgin - having her sights set on Irene and only Irene might be a problem. Top this off with the fact that Frannie moved to San Francisco to be with Irene and ends up getting a job wearing a goofy dress and white nurse shoes at IHOP... then you've got something worth reading. There are many characters in this book. Some are useful and have a purpose, others are merely fluff. There are many settings in this book - again, some are useful and others aren't. The most unique characteristic of this story is in its telling. This book is written in the style of classic literature and reminded me of something I would have read in English Comp 101. This is a rare flavor in the genre - one I've only really seen in `Cat Rising' by Cynn Chadwick. Another similarly-written (although not quite as distinctly different) book is `Punk Like Me' by J. D. Glass. What a great read and a moving experience! I'm not sure what Liebegott will offer next, but if it's anything like `IHOP' it's sure to be a winner.

As a former IHOP waitress I was drawn to this book because of the title and once I started reading I couldn't put it down. Liebegott's writing is painfully honest, and refreshingly original. It's not all about the IHOP but her descriptions of it are vivid and accurate, bringing back a lot of memories for me. Francesca is young, poor, gay,struggling with alcoholism, low self-esteem and suicidal thoughts, and to top it off her job requires her to wear a humiliating Heidi dress and clunky white nurse shoes. You can't help feeling for her. I was delighted and amazed as I read this quirky character's story. I finished the book this morning-- read it in one day--and haven't been able to stop thinking about it ever since. Don't miss out on this great novel!

This is one of the few books that is laugh-out-loud funny. Ali has an extraordinary ability to take the absurdity of life and convey it in a way everyone can relate to. Goaty dreams of being a graceful waitress. She imagines gliding across the restaurant with plates stacked up her arms with such splendor that everyone is forced to stop eating and stare in awe. At the IHOP. (??!!) This is a story of unrequited love, of growing up, and of receiving that love back. Uh-oh. You remember the adage of careful what you wish for? ;) One thing that I would like say is I disagree with is how most reviews tend to point out and/or emphasize that Goaty is a lesbian. While this is true, I would hate for someone to not read the book thinking it is all about gay issues or politics or trying to force an issue on you. This book could not be further from that. Anyone who struggled at all through adolescence or through the early adult years will smile fondly at the awkwardness, the day-dreams, and the struggle to survive in world on your own. I could, and I grew up straight, male, and in Ohio! This book is a great read! As a side note, this is the only book review I have ever submitted, and only the second review overall, so I do feel strongly about it. Buy the book, be happy, and smile knowing you've supported an independent author!

"That means my goat in French." As the narrator outright admits, The IHOP Papers has surprisingly little to do with IHOP and much more to do with being in love and in pain and not necessarily in that order. This book is also about being gay, being afraid of being gay, San Franciso, and goats, yes, goats most of all. Ali Liebegott has a true gift for creating witty, realistic, likeably imperfect characters. She is also an author who can find the absurd humor in even the most tragic of situations and make you laugh out loud even when you feel deep down like you should be crying. Reading this novel was an experience in the best of senses and the world will be a better place when Ali writes another. P.S. If you liked The IHOP Papers you owe it to yourself to read Ali Liebegott's The Beautifully Worthless, which is equally satisfying.