Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood: A Novel

Rating:
Summary: A touching trip into the souls of women
Review: I finished reading this book five days ago and I still can't get those women out of my mind. I've read all the reviews and it seems people either hate this book or love it. I think those who hated it may not know what it is like to love people like the Ya-ya's loved each other. They also may not know what it is like to love a parent who hurt so badly inside, that they hurt you too. I do. Perhaps Sidda, her boyfriend, and her dog were too perfect. That happends. Some people hide behind perfection when they are afraid of being real. This story was real, and touching, and uncomfortable, and exactly right. Thank You Ms. Wells.

Rating:
Summary: I couldn't wait to read more!
Review: Viva la Vive!! The first chapter was a little slow and suddenly it came alive! I laughed so hard during the Shirley Temple look alike contest. I am so lucky to be a Ya-Ya, even though we dont have a name. This book is a tribute to women and friendship everywhere. This has encouraged me to start a scrapbook of divine secrets. For all readers which have a special friendship, this is a MUST! For the readers who dont like the book, obviously they arent blessed to have a Ya-Ya relationship of their own. One of the best books I have read! Signed, Kim AKA Ethel

Rating:
Summary: The Ultimate Friendship Story!
Review: This book is absolutely great! I loved the way the Ya-Yas have this 'glow' about them and their sense of life is so strong. Definitely a must for those who are searching for a delightfully funny yet touching account of a special friendship...

Rating:
Summary: Extremely tedious
Review: This was my first Oprah selection, and I was so disappointed, I haven't tried another. Extremely slow moving, I kept waiting for it to get better, and found myself at the end completely dis-satisified. A co-worker mentioned she was struggling through, and I told her not to bother! I don't know what all the fuss is about the Ya-Yas.

Rating:
Summary: MUST READ for every woman
Review: Found the negative reviews annoying. You high brows should stick to James Joyce. For the real world, it's a text book on daughters reactions to outrageous mothers and the baggage we carry throughout our lives. For those of you who found the characters unbelievable, there's only one thing to say; You're still hiding from your past. Sidda's 40 year-old-return to childhood is dead-on in painting a daughers' response to a mothers' rejection. Sidda didn't find answers from Vivi because they are both human. One human never finds answers from another human; they must come from within and Sidda learned that in the end. Great book.

Rating:
Summary: I cannot finish this book!
Review: Thank you, thank you and thank you to all who chimed in with your words that confirm my suspicions: trite, sentimental drivel, packed with vain, heavy handed attempts to portray cute perfection on tooooo many levels. ugh. These women, these men, even this dog (what a ridiculous name for a dog!) are all perfect. that would have been fine for the first twenty pages, but will we never see cracks and wrinkles? Siddalee is exactly the type of person i left the theatre to get away from. i wanted desperately to enjoy this book, being born in New Orleans myself. i wanted to see my aunts, my uncles, and grandparents, and identify with the characters. i could not, i did not. Even as perfect as my mother has tried to make her life look, she is no relation to these image-driven-above-all-else-Ya-Yas. I wanted to hear a mature voice in ms. wells' character Sidda. Someone who had put her mother daughter issues behind her and wanted to illustrate how this occured for her. the differing points of view were terrible. scattered and sketchy. the racist comments that were supposed to be ironic in its outrageousness lack outrageousness and thereby are only that: racist comments. I found that the parallels to WWII were heavy handed. the author pushes the image of the belt on the children's backs so many times i want to scream. by the time she gets around to EXPLAINING what that *MIGHT* be in reference to, i DONT CARE ANYMORE. and one more thing: yall is supposed to be you-all, making it y'all and enough with the "Chere" and the rest of the supposed cajun flavor. it only added another layer of ridiculosity. in not so-short, i hated this book and cant wait to get its flavor out of my mouth.

Rating:
Summary: imperative for mothers & daughters
Review: You don't have to know anything about the South, you don't have to have daughters [but that's a plus], you don't have to have friends even, but every woman who has a Mother should read this book!

Rating:
Summary: Delightful; makes you forget what else you should be doing!
Review: As a Southern born and raised woman, I can identify with the characters and the book evoked memories and Southern traditions I had forgotten!! The author really "hits the nail on the head at times".. it is comforting to know other Southern women were raised as I was!

Rating:
Summary: Perhaps you've missed the point.
Review: True, the YaYas are self-absorbed, hard-drinking, seemingly ditzy characterizations of Southern Belle-ism, but...isn't that the point that Ms. Wells is trying to make? I'm not from the South, but I live in Mississippi Delta country now, and I found this book a resource in understanding the overly-made-up, big-haired, hip-swinging, self-centered women that I encounter every day of the week...at the Piggly Wiggly, the Winn Dixie, and the local beauty parlor. Darlins, the women down here don't WANT to be liberated...they want to be adored, made over, and cosseted as they have been since cotton was king. I found the book amusing, though somewhat contrived. It was definitely worth the evening it took me to read it.

Rating:
Summary: Shallow women play-acting at life
Review: I really wanted to like this book. All my friends loved it and I was told I'd laugh and cry through the whole thing. I never laughed and only wanted to cry over the time I wasted on it. The characters lack depth and are content to remain shadows of real women. The minority of reviewers who disliked this book echo my sentiments exactly.