Why we broke up

It's a good premise: teen girl, Min, sends a box of things that represent her failed relationship to her ex-boyfriend, Ed, and the book is the super long note to him that explains what each means and why they broke up. The illustrations of the items in the box start each chapter, and they are well done, but not essential to the story.

The biggest problem is that 'super long' part. Min writes in long sentences, long paragraphs, long winded ideas that should've been half as long. Her incessant references to old movies (that don't exist in the non-book world) don't rate with audiences as well as author Daniel Handler thinks they do.

Also, I have no idea what Ed even looks like. He's a stereotypical basketball playing jock whose most interesting feature is he is actually good at math. Otherwise, he is as interesting as lined paper. Aside from him supposedly being really really ridiculously good looking, there is no real reason for her to fall in love with him. I never got the spark.

I really wanted to like this more than I did.