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Parody is a deceptively tough genre. Far too many authors (of novels and screenplays alike) seem to think that it's perfectly okay to just write a send-up of their target, without adding anything new or allowing their work to stand on its own (viz. the entire Scary Movie franchise and all of its associated works). And while such works are good for the occasional laugh, basically they boil down to an extended session of "Hey, remember this? Wasn't it silly?" without giving us any particular reason as to why it was silly. The best parodies are stories in themselves that include some kind of twist, creating a work that stands on its own while simultaneously reflecting some absurdity about the original work, or about everyday aspects of our culture.
It's a pleasant surprise, therefore, that Lois Lenz manages to stand on its own as a jolly-good-fun pulp mystery story, even if it occasionally wobbles under the load placed on it (there's just so much about 1950s culture to send up: Garden Clubs! Shocking Beat Poetry Meetings! Secret Communist Sympathies! The Exploitation of Young Career Girls in the Big City! The Dangers of Loose Women!). The author manages to use the earnestness of her main character to advantage; the dedication of the story to its sheer melodramatic silliness is impressive, and helps excuse the instances when she winks at the audience a little too broadly.
Not great literature, but certainly great fun. B+
It's a pleasant surprise, therefore, that Lois Lenz manages to stand on its own as a jolly-good-fun pulp mystery story, even if it occasionally wobbles under the load placed on it (there's just so much about 1950s culture to send up: Garden Clubs! Shocking Beat Poetry Meetings! Secret Communist Sympathies! The Exploitation of Young Career Girls in the Big City! The Dangers of Loose Women!). The author manages to use the earnestness of her main character to advantage; the dedication of the story to its sheer melodramatic silliness is impressive, and helps excuse the instances when she winks at the audience a little too broadly.
Not great literature, but certainly great fun. B+
