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Summary: Vivi Walker is a clone of my MOTHER!!!!
Review: It's been a long time since I've visited my childhood--is it really possible that Vivi Walker could be so much like my own mother? Or does Rebecca Wells' writing just convince me it is so? There should be a global ya-ya sisterhood; may be there is, we just don't all know each other yet! Rebecca Wells has introduced us to each other.
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Summary: A rush to tie up all the loose ends
Review: Some parts of the story were moving and amusing, but there were too many inconsistencies. At one point Sidda mentions that she has grown apart from her siblings and wonders about them. Her father too, hardly gets a mention apart from his role as husband to Vivi, but in the final chapters they call each other pet names and there is a closness not mentioned earlier. Looking back over the history of the Ya-Yas is the best part of the book. I recommended this to a friend before I had time to digest it all thoroughly and now think the praises I sang were too high. Good inflight reading material. Could have been MUCH more satisfying.
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Summary: "Southern Joy Luck Club"
Review: I thought this was a beautifully written novel, written in the manner of the Divine Secrets themselves. This book was not written to be "deep." It was written to just skim the surface of these women's lives, and for the reader to come up with their own interpretations. I found this novel to be one of the best books I have ever read, and am recommending it to all my friends. A "Southern JOY LUCK CLUB!"
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Summary: The Ya-Ya's are a scream but Sidda's own story is weak.
Review: I am much more interested in the dynamics and pasts of the Ya-Ya's than in Siddalee's story. I find her lack of ability to love Conor fully and completely kind of boring. The conflict with the mother isn't that gripping, either. Don't expect an emotional rush, and you won't be disappointed. It's a decent beach book.
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Summary: Great if you read Divine Secrets first
Review: I thought Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood was one of the best books I've read in a long time. It was easy to read, and I couldn't put it down. The story line was well connected, with good use of memories/past events. Now I am reading Little Altars Everywhere, and I'm glad I read them in this order. Altars is a series of vinnettes, filling in past details of the characters in Divine Secrets. If I didn't know who each person was to was "talking" in each chapter from reading Divine Secrets, I think I would not enjoy Little Altars as much. Altars is like a collection of short stories, and Divine Secrets tells a tale, weaving the memories into the tale. Divine Secrets talks about relationships at different levels and among friends and mothers and daughters.It also talks about love, life, risk, and events and people that shape a life. I've been recommending Divine Secrects to all of my friends.
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Summary: Ok beach book. Lacked depth. Typical "women's book".
Review: Is anyone else tired of these "women's books"? I'd like to see better balance between male and female characters. Sidalee's fiance was the typical knight in shining armor. I'm sure he too had some "boogymen" for her to worry about. Why didn't Sidalee care just a little bit about her father's alcoholism, abuse and neglect? Reunification with her mother was a fine goal (although if I'd had a mother like that I'd run for the hills and never return), but what about dear old dad, who helped make this bizarre lifestyle possible? I found my real sympathy and thoughts returning to the poor black families on which these weak, dysfunctional ya-ya families completely depended. Sidalee (and the reader) would have learned more about the stength necessary for life if she had spent her time analyzing these people -- the people who saved her life. But I realize that this is fiction, and I'm looking for too much out of the book. (At least the author did make me think enough to have a reaction.) All in all, it was a good beach book -- easy to read, created nostalgic feelings for a carefree youth. But it lacked depth, so I found that it was not truly satisfying.
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Summary: Finally -- insight into my mother's girlhood
Review: My mom and her gang could be the Ya-Ya's -- minus most of the booze! I used to see them all as "Mother's Friends." After reading this book, and getting an appreciation for what it must have been like to grow up in the 30's and 40's in the South, I wish I could have been one of their gang.
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Summary: What a great (fast/easy) read!
Review: Not quite as touching (or deep) as Little Altars Everywhere but still a wonderful story filled with introspection of life-time friendships and the impact of one's successess, challenges and regrets.I loved it!
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Summary: Disappointing and weird
Review: I loved Little Altars Everywhere and looked forward to Divine Secrets, but found Ya-Ya's disappointing and annoying. The characters, which were quite funny and touching in Little Altars, were suddenly boring, especially Siddalee. The flashbacks about Vivi as a child were good, but what happened to the fact that she had molested her children in Little Altars? What happened to Siddalee's brothers and their not-so-endearing relationship with their predatory mother?
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Summary: This book has been far overrated.
Review: While this novel has its moments of wisdom about life and living it, it is also full of moments made for Hollywood. The conversations are at times heartwarming, at times trite. There is truely one character in the book, the others are almost superfluous.
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