The novel Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan is an entertaining, fun-filled read from start to finish, but nothing more. In a genre as oversaturated as “teenage love stories”, the book manages to do a good job of keeping the reader engaged with a certain atmosphere it creates. From the very first page, it is hard not to be interested in the narrative and character relationships between Nick and Norah. This, combined with the classic “night time in New York City” backdrop, makes for a very immersive read. The story is also told from the perspective of both the male and female, delivering a very insightful look into the mind of the opposite sex, as Norah’s part was written by Ms. Cohn and Nick’s by Mr. Levithan. This refreshing twist makes the potentially shallow book actually quite enjoyable.

While the dual perspective storytelling is clever, the book lacks any other real artistic value. The book is often written in an almost-stream-of-thought manner with the narrating character simply going on and rambling about what he or she is thinking and feeling about the other character. It definitely serves its purpose in the story, as it helps the reader to be inside the narrator’s mind, but at the same time it is an arguably lazy style of writing. A lot of the book also consists of quick back and forth dialogue that sometimes seems almost awkward or forced and doesn’t seem to accomplish much. The dialogue also gives off the impression that the characters are in a back and forth like/dislike relationship with each other, while their thoughts make it clear that they both really like each other. This can leave the reader frustrated and feeling as though the dialogue does not help progress the story and is therefore a poor representation of the story’s plot progression. It is also important to realize that the book is nothing more than mindless entertainment. This will not be a classic story remembered for generations, nor will it be known as a book that caused change or made a difference in the world. If one is looking for powerful, socially conscious literature, do not even bother with Nick and Norah. The closest thing that the book has to a message is the tolerance and acceptance it promotes with its young liberal characters, some of which are openly homosexual. Nevertheless, it is important to remember that this is the type of book to read for quick and mindless fun.

Overall, this book is not for everybody. It definitely caters more to the feminine audience, as well as the younger, more liberal audience. The book would not satisfy the interest of a much older reader, nor is it appropriate for audiences younger than high school. There are references to sex as well as some accounts of sexual activities, and underage young adults participate in, and refer to, drinking and drug use. For the right audience (most likely teenage girls) Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist is fun, easy to read, and worth picking up.