“I admit, Gerry's sentimental letters made me reach for the Kleenex box more than a few times. But otherwise, my tears were tears of laughter, laughter at how poorly written "P.S. I Love You" was.
The style is plain, akin to an elementary student's writing. The story – choppy. The characters – undeveloped and unsympathetic. It's painfully obvious that the book was written by someone who hasn't had many life experiences. (In fact, author Cecilia Ahern was only 21-years-old when "P.S. I Love You" was published.) And that's too bad, because "P.S. I Love You" boasts an interesting concept: Each month, Holly, a young Irish widow, receives a letter from beyond the grave from her playful husband Gerry, who died prematurely of a brain tumor. In these letters, Gerry assigns Holly tasks which help her overcome her grief and encourage her to become an individual.
Yes, judging from the synopsis, "P.S. I Love You" sounds great. But don't be fooled; "P.S. I Love You" is not a heartwarming tale of one woman's self-discovery. Rather, it's a snore-worthy story of an unlikeable "Mary-Sue" – Holly – who toddles after her one-dimensional friends around as they shop, drink, and sing karaoke. Maybe if Cecilia Ahern had sat on this story for a few years as she matured as a human being, "P.S. I Love You" could have been something more than a childish woman's petty romp.”