When I read Anna and the French Kiss, I adored it. The novel tackles a lot—independence, cultural experiences, and friendship, to name a few—but at its heart, Stephanie Perkins’s debut novel is a swoony contemporary romance.
Whenever a book sticks with me, it inevitably connects to song lyrics somewhere in my brain. Check out my Anna and the French Kiss song selections here:
“I’VE JUST SEEN A FACE” by Jim Sturgess (originally by the Beatles)
“I’ve just seen a face/I can’t forget the time or place where we’ve just met/She’s just the girl for me/And I want all the world to see we’ve met”
I don’t know if I’d classify Anna and St. Clair’s relationship as love at first sight, but there are definitely some strong feelings between them from the get-go.
“BOYS AND GIRLS IN SCHOOL” by Neon Trees
“Questions for questions/I’ve got a question/Would you ever dance with me like that?/Fuck all the rest and forget the rules/Like all the girls and boys at my school”
Anna’s and St. Clair’s infatuation with one another is obvious to everyone around them—even when their attention is otherwise (supposedly) occupied.
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“BANG THE DOLDRUMS” by Fall Out Boy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0lr6ZZ0iWU
“Best friends/Ex-friends til the end/Better off as lovers/And not the other way around”
There’s a certain level of angst involved in Anna and the French Kiss, and who better to express that than circa-2007 Fall Out Boy? When Anna and St. Clair let jealousy get to them, tension and bickering ensue.
“I SHOULD HAVE BEEN AFTER YOU” by Rooney.
“I’m starting to realize lately/I should have been after you/But after last night we’re through/Run along with your new boy/Don’t be a sex toy/I could’ve been after you”
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This one speaks for itself when it comes to St. Clair, doesn’t it?
“WHERE I BELONG” by Motion City Soundtrack
“What’s going on, is this where I belong tonight/What’s going on/Can’t stand/Can’t stand the though of losing/Sentences and every island of words/Can’t stand/Can’t stand the thought of losing/Everything I ever thought that I knew”
While at first furious over being sent to France, Anna realizes that home is more about the people you surround yourself with rather than a physical place.
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Need more Anna and the French Kiss? Check out these deleted scenes on Stephanie’s blog: http://www.stephanieperkins.com/annadeletedchapter.html
Anxiously awaiting Stephanie Perkins’s Isla and the Happily Ever After? Pre-order from these independent bookstores and you get a signed copy AND cool buttons/stickers/maybe a tote bag!
Haven’t read Anna yet? HOW? No matter—with the help of this sampler, you can start reading immediately: http://bit.ly/ANNAsampler
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