ISBN: 0-14-029629-8 Page count: 204
Synopsis:
The catholic daughter of a police officer, teenager Beverly Donofrio finds herself pregnant and married to a loser - not the life she dreamed for herself. This book follows the life of Bev as she tries to make the best of a bad situation. Teenage pregnancy, divorce, drugs, college, and family all play a huge part in the woman Bev becomes and the son she never wanted.
Review:
The critics quote on the front of this book is this: "A classic. Unless you hate to laugh, read it now."
I have to completely disagree with this quote. I did not find this book funny - in fact, I don't think I laughed or even cracked a smile once while reading it. Does that mean it's a bad book? Definitely not! Quite, the contrary actually - I really enjoyed this book. I'm just letting you know that it is definitely not a comedy. I found this book to be extremely sad, and at some points, down right depressing.
Beverly Donofrio writes with a blunt honesty rarely seen in books. She was not afraid to write exactly what she was thinking and feeling, even though sometimes it did not exactly paint her in a great light. For example, she is very open about her bitterness towards her pregnancy and the fact that although she loves her son, he definitely was not wanted. In one part, she actually talks about wishing her husband would die before she was 35 because by then her son would be 18 and she could start her life over again. Not exactly the words of a perfect mother or wife. Not really something too many women would be willing to admit out loud, let alone put in print.
Overall, a brutally honest novel filled with the dashed hopes and dreams of a woman who found herself in a situation she never imagined.
Movie tie-in:
As a general rule, I prefer to read a book before I see a movie based on a book. In my experience, the movies usually don't compare to the book and sometimes if you haven't read the book, the movie is hard to follow and just doesn't make sense (I'm talking about you Twilight!)
This is one of those situations where I happened to see the movie first. Let me be honest, I loved the movie. I thought it was hilarious. Now, having read the book, I am a little confused as to how both the book and the movie could have been based on the same woman's life. Minor characters in the book become major characters in the movie, and major characters in the book are not in the movie at all. Also, major events in the book either did not happen in the movie, or were completely different - taking place in a different order or in different contexts.
Taken separately, the book is great and the movie is great. Compare them and some major continuity issues come up. So is the book the real story or is the movie how it all happened? I don't know. I almost hope the movie is the truth, just because the book is so sad and depressing, however, I think that probably the book is more accurate and the movie changed things to make it more interesting for audiences.
In this particular instance, it really doesn't matter whether you see the movie first or read the book first because they are so vastly different that they are almost unrecognizable as being based on the same woman. Strange!
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Monday, December 14, 2009
Secrets of a Former Fat Girl by Lisa Delaney
ISBN: 978-0-452028924-6 Page count: 243
Synopsis:
As a "former fat girl", Lisa Delaney takes you through the tips and tricks that helped her become a size 2. Tackling everything from exercise and diet to the mind games we play with ourselves this motivational book attempts to teach you how to drop the pounds for good.
Review:
I admit, this is not normally the type of book that I would buy, or even READ for that matter. However, as someone currently trying to lose weight, when I found this book at a used book store for only $2 I thought it might be worth a read.
Good Points:
There is actually some really good information in this book. For example, there are tips on activities you can do no matter how athletic you are, help with figuring out portion control, and lists of websites for further information. As a fat girl myself, there were actually several parts of the book that I could really relate to, and some of the stories she tells about herself and her life as a fat girl do sound familiar.
Bad Points:
With the above points in mind, there are also some absolutely STUPID suggestions in this book. For example, it suggests lying to your friends and family about your attempt at losing weight so that you don't feel "pressured" by them. While this may seem logical, for those of us with an eating problem, we need all the support we can get. And hiding behind lies isn't going to help us. We need to learn to deal with life as it comes.
Final Thoughts:
If you are the type of person who really gets a lot from self-help books then I'm sure you will really enjoy this book. Having said that, even if you are not really into self-help (like me) it is not a bad read - just take the advice with a grain of salt. Should you listen to everything this book tells you to do? NO! If you can read it and apply the parts that make sense in your life then it is worth the read. Take it or leave it really - I wasn't overly impressed with this book, but at the same time I wasn't overly disappointed either. Had I paid full price for this book, I may think a little differently, but I think I got my 2 bucks worth out of it.
Synopsis:
As a "former fat girl", Lisa Delaney takes you through the tips and tricks that helped her become a size 2. Tackling everything from exercise and diet to the mind games we play with ourselves this motivational book attempts to teach you how to drop the pounds for good.
Review:
I admit, this is not normally the type of book that I would buy, or even READ for that matter. However, as someone currently trying to lose weight, when I found this book at a used book store for only $2 I thought it might be worth a read.
Good Points:
There is actually some really good information in this book. For example, there are tips on activities you can do no matter how athletic you are, help with figuring out portion control, and lists of websites for further information. As a fat girl myself, there were actually several parts of the book that I could really relate to, and some of the stories she tells about herself and her life as a fat girl do sound familiar.
Bad Points:
With the above points in mind, there are also some absolutely STUPID suggestions in this book. For example, it suggests lying to your friends and family about your attempt at losing weight so that you don't feel "pressured" by them. While this may seem logical, for those of us with an eating problem, we need all the support we can get. And hiding behind lies isn't going to help us. We need to learn to deal with life as it comes.
Final Thoughts:
If you are the type of person who really gets a lot from self-help books then I'm sure you will really enjoy this book. Having said that, even if you are not really into self-help (like me) it is not a bad read - just take the advice with a grain of salt. Should you listen to everything this book tells you to do? NO! If you can read it and apply the parts that make sense in your life then it is worth the read. Take it or leave it really - I wasn't overly impressed with this book, but at the same time I wasn't overly disappointed either. Had I paid full price for this book, I may think a little differently, but I think I got my 2 bucks worth out of it.
Perfect Match by Jodi Picoult
ISBN: 0-7434-1873-5 Page count: 353
Synopsis:
Nina Frost is an assistant DA who sees hundreds of cases of child abuse every day. But what happens when the abused child turns out to be her own? She knows the legal system inside and out, but what she does with this knowledge will shock you.
Review:
This isn't the first book of Jodi Picoult's that I have read and I will tell you right now, I really like her work. Therefore, this review might be a tad biased. There are definitely some books of hers I enjoy more than others and this happens to be one of them. There are several traits that all her books seem to have in common: 1) A main character with some sort of relationship to the legal system, 2) at least one major plot twist you don't see coming. Perfect Match is no exception to these rules. This is a very well written book that drags you inside the drama and keeps you up at night wanting to find out what happens next. I pride myself on being one of those people who can figure out the end of the book by the 4th chapter, but this one has several surprises that I just did not expect. It keeps you guessing until the very end.
Synopsis:
Nina Frost is an assistant DA who sees hundreds of cases of child abuse every day. But what happens when the abused child turns out to be her own? She knows the legal system inside and out, but what she does with this knowledge will shock you.
Review:
This isn't the first book of Jodi Picoult's that I have read and I will tell you right now, I really like her work. Therefore, this review might be a tad biased. There are definitely some books of hers I enjoy more than others and this happens to be one of them. There are several traits that all her books seem to have in common: 1) A main character with some sort of relationship to the legal system, 2) at least one major plot twist you don't see coming. Perfect Match is no exception to these rules. This is a very well written book that drags you inside the drama and keeps you up at night wanting to find out what happens next. I pride myself on being one of those people who can figure out the end of the book by the 4th chapter, but this one has several surprises that I just did not expect. It keeps you guessing until the very end.
Playing House by Patricia Pearson
ISBN: 0-679-31266-8 Page count: 280
Synopsis:
Frannie Mackenzie is a Canadian living in New York City when she sleeps with a guy she hasn't known for very long. When he leaves the country for work, she travels home to Toronto to spend time with her family when she discovers she is pregnant. When a mishap with customs at the airport strand Frannie in Canada she tries to figure out her life, and how this new baby (and it's father) fit into it.
Review:
While there are some definite laugh out loud moments in this book - overall I found it to be extremely unrealistic and at times, ridiculous. Although the author is Canadian, her writing at times sounds almost like she is trying to make her characters seem British. As a Canadian myself I can tell you that there are several phrases in the book that I have never spoken, or heard said by ANY Canadian I have EVER met.
The characters in the book are easy to like, but sometimes it is frustrating reading about their lives because some of the things they say and do make no sense or are opposite to what they are trying to achieve. Their story does have a vague resemblance to a couple who have found themselves in such a situation, however they act like teenagers might and you are left with little sympathy for them because any logical person would not behave the way they do.
If you are looking for a quick and easy read, and don't care about things like continuity or character development then you might enjoy this book. Like I said, there are definitely funny parts in it, and it wasn't so horrible that I felt I couldn't finish it. But once I did finish it, I was more than a little disappointed. However, this is just my opinion - take it or leave it.
Synopsis:
Frannie Mackenzie is a Canadian living in New York City when she sleeps with a guy she hasn't known for very long. When he leaves the country for work, she travels home to Toronto to spend time with her family when she discovers she is pregnant. When a mishap with customs at the airport strand Frannie in Canada she tries to figure out her life, and how this new baby (and it's father) fit into it.
Review:
While there are some definite laugh out loud moments in this book - overall I found it to be extremely unrealistic and at times, ridiculous. Although the author is Canadian, her writing at times sounds almost like she is trying to make her characters seem British. As a Canadian myself I can tell you that there are several phrases in the book that I have never spoken, or heard said by ANY Canadian I have EVER met.
The characters in the book are easy to like, but sometimes it is frustrating reading about their lives because some of the things they say and do make no sense or are opposite to what they are trying to achieve. Their story does have a vague resemblance to a couple who have found themselves in such a situation, however they act like teenagers might and you are left with little sympathy for them because any logical person would not behave the way they do.
If you are looking for a quick and easy read, and don't care about things like continuity or character development then you might enjoy this book. Like I said, there are definitely funny parts in it, and it wasn't so horrible that I felt I couldn't finish it. But once I did finish it, I was more than a little disappointed. However, this is just my opinion - take it or leave it.
Midwives by Chris Bohjalian
ISBN: 0-375-70677-1 Page count: 372
Synopsis:
It's a cold winter night when Sibyl arrives at the home of the Bedford's to deliver their second child. A midwife for years, she is used to difficult deliveries. But trapped in the house due to a snow storm that has knocked out the phones, Charlotte Bedford's difficult birth turns to tragedy when she dies. With only minutes left, Sibyl decides to perform a c-section to save the baby. Days later, questions arise about whether or not Charlotte was dead when the c-section was performed. Did she die in child birth? Or was she killed by the midwife performing a c-section she was not trained to do?
Review:
This story is told from the perspective of Sibyl's daughter who is reflecting back on the time in her childhood when her mother was on trial for the death of a patient. She talks about the ways in which her mother's trial affects her family and the town they live in. Because of the high quality of the writing, it is easy to get into the book and picture yourself living with Sibyl and her family, feeling everything she is feeling, going through what she is going through. At times, the book is quite graphic with depictions of childbirth - which may cause some people to be uncomfortable. Heartfelt and emotion-filled this book is definitely a page turner. It was a selection from Oprah's book club, which believe me, had nothing to do with my decision to read it. However, I have to agree with her that it is definitely worth the read.
Synopsis:
It's a cold winter night when Sibyl arrives at the home of the Bedford's to deliver their second child. A midwife for years, she is used to difficult deliveries. But trapped in the house due to a snow storm that has knocked out the phones, Charlotte Bedford's difficult birth turns to tragedy when she dies. With only minutes left, Sibyl decides to perform a c-section to save the baby. Days later, questions arise about whether or not Charlotte was dead when the c-section was performed. Did she die in child birth? Or was she killed by the midwife performing a c-section she was not trained to do?
Review:
This story is told from the perspective of Sibyl's daughter who is reflecting back on the time in her childhood when her mother was on trial for the death of a patient. She talks about the ways in which her mother's trial affects her family and the town they live in. Because of the high quality of the writing, it is easy to get into the book and picture yourself living with Sibyl and her family, feeling everything she is feeling, going through what she is going through. At times, the book is quite graphic with depictions of childbirth - which may cause some people to be uncomfortable. Heartfelt and emotion-filled this book is definitely a page turner. It was a selection from Oprah's book club, which believe me, had nothing to do with my decision to read it. However, I have to agree with her that it is definitely worth the read.
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