22. The Other Side of the Story by Marian Keyes

What a welcome respite from the heaviness I’ve seemed to be reading lately. This is a not-quite-chic-lit book, and the characters, what characters they are! This is my first experience with Marian Keyes, and I have to read more. This particular novel takes place in Ireland and London (as I suppose most of her work does), and I loved reading all the English and Irish slang. She created some wonderful characters, male and female, all ages. My favorite character in this book was the 2-year old Ema, who reminds me so much of my own 3-year old, always coming through with something hilarious to bring joy back into joyless situations. Here’s an example: (To set the scene, Ema’s mother Lily is speaking - she is in the throes of writing a charming new book about the joys of life, and she tries it out on her own mother and Ema.)

That first night I read what I had written to Mum and Ema.
“Darling, it’s adorable,” Mum said.
“Dirty,” Ema agreed. “Filthy.”

Another passage:

Daily, I continued to write, the words pouring from me, and every night, when we put Ema to bed, I read that day’s work and Mum raved about it. Ema, too, offered comments. (“Jiggy.” “Seedy.” “Farty.”)

Funny stuff! I also loved the Russian neighbor Irina who works at the make-up counter. I felt like I could go on reading about these characters for much longer than the 500+ pages Keyes delivered.

I’m not offering much in the way of plot lines here, but the book really gets into the publishing industry, which I found fascinating. It illustrates the relationships between authors (hopeful and already signed), their agents, the publishers, and the readers who love or hate them.

Will definitely pick up more Keyes to read. Next up is Alice Hoffman’s Practical Magic. I didn’t see the movie (with Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman), so I’m going in fresh. My only other experience with Hoffman is Here on Earth, which was written in the very strangest present tense, and was dark and a little creepy, but I enjoyed it.

Friday Weekly Weigh-in

Lost this week: 4.8 pounds.
Total lost this goal period: 4.8 pounds
To goal: 25.2 pounds

Finally! The scale grudgingly gives a little. As close as I can approximate, I've lost about 18.5 inches total. It's so grand. But still such a long road ahead.

21. The Pact by Jodi Picoult

I finished this book, The Pact by Jodi Picoult, a couple of weeks ago, actually, but forgot to post anything about it. Maybe I'm trying to forget it entirely. It wasn't a bad story; in fact, it was a rather compelling story. But from the first chapter to the very last word of the book, it was the heaviest, most sad story I've read in a long time, maybe ever.

The story revolves around two families, who are best friends, whose lives are so intertwined, they are like one big family. The women are best friends, the children are practically siblings. Then the two oldest children get older and fall in love - just the way their parents wanted it.

A phone call is received in the middle of the night, and both sets of parents find out that their children were found together, shot, in an apparent double-suicide attempt - she dies, he lives. It takes a while for the police to wade through the evidence - was it a botched double-suicide, or did he kill her?

There is no way to find happiness in the story. I wonder if Picoult wrote it this way on purpose? If you've read this one, I'm very curious to hear your views.

Next up, some chic lit from Marian Keyes. A much-needed break.

Friday Crappy Weigh-in

Friday weigh-in: +.8 pounds. ACK! Total lost: 0. To goal: 30 pounds.

I think I'm starting to figure this thing out. On the weeks where I squeeze in some sort of exercise (even if it's mowing the lawn or just walking around the mall) I lose more. Go figure, exercise = losing more weight.

BOO.

20. Little Children by Tom Perrotta

I finished book number 20 last night (a third of the way to my goal of 60 books this year!). This was my first experience with Tom Perrotta, but I have heard of him before. He wrote the book Election, which was turned into the movie starring Reese Witherspoon (I haven't seen it). The reviews for this book said it was very funny.

The story centers around two stay-at-home parents: Sarah, mother to 3-year old Lucy, and Todd, father to 3-year old Aaron. Sarah is young, very educated, but bored (and feels wasted) staying at home with Lucy. She is a strong feminist and never saw herself in the wife/mother role. Todd is a law school graduate who can't seem to pass the bar, and instead stays home with Aaron while his gorgeous wife makes documentary films. These are only the two most central characters; there are at least three other very strong characters that make their mark on the story (including a fresh-out-of-jail pedophile whose very presence sends the neighborhood into uproar). Sarah and Todd end up in an affair, both trying to recapture their youth before having children, looking for something they aren't finding in their "stay-at-home" lives. They, more so than Aaron and Lucy, are the little children referenced in the title.

I like the book because it ends well. I'll leave it at that to keep the storyline under wraps. I hated that it took an affair for certain lessons to be learned, but in the end, it works. Very good.

Next up, another Jodi Picoult novel, The Pact.