Rating: 
Summary: Single-dimensional characters + lousy dialogue= 1 star
Review: I'm surprised that so many people love this book. Had the characters been multi-dimensional, I might have enjoyed it more. I quickly grew tired of reading about how completely evil Mr and Mrs X were and how perfect Nanny was. Every move the mother made was harsh and cruel, whereas Nanny's every touch was "gentle." Puh-leeze.
Rating: 
Summary: More to this than meet the eye
Review: As other reviewers have stated, this book skewers the over-the-top -- and sometimes border-line psychotic -- demands made by NYC's wealthy absentee parents and is the perfect revenge read for every child care provider who ever suffered at the hands of these presumably real people. The authors have decades of combined childcare experience behind them, so I have to believe these people exist -- hopefully not any one of them as horrible as the book's employer, Mrs. X. One one level it is a hilarious accounting of the unbelievable demands these wealthy, competitive, selfish, hands-off mothers make on their nannies, but on the other hand it's a very sad social commentary. The character of Grayer (aged 4) was so well drawn, I lost my heart to him early on despite his general ill temper and demanding nature. The lengths Nan goes to to protect him from his parent's complete self-absorption and neglect were heartbreaking, and when I finished the book I had a hard time setting aside my anger at these fictional (?) characters and relegating the whole thing to a ripping good read. It's a fairly quick book with some laugh-out-loud passages. Nan's evening as a Teletubby is particularly funny. Side stories of other nannys and their experiences flesh out the book, and Nan's budding romance with a Harvard student in the X's building adds another dimension (though a slim one) to the plot. A really enjoyable book.
Rating:
Summary: This was a big let down
Review: I was so looking forward to this book. I love satire. I only laughed maybe one time. The rest of the time I was shocked by the poor writing, structure and character development. It was also just depressing. I think the authors have a motive of trying to get parents (wealthy or not, it isn't just the rich who supposedly ignore their kids) to love and spend more time with their children. While I wholeheartedly agree with them, 300 pages of bad writing and one dimensional characters is too tedious. The ending is terrible. The "Nanny" is so spineless, there is no one to root for here except maybe little Grayor. It's just totally depressing. (didn't I say that already?) Don't waste your time or money, instead, go spend some significant, quality time with a child.
Rating: 
Summary: What's the big deal?
Review: With all the great books out on the market, I can't figure why this book is popular. I kept waiting for something interesting to happen, but it never happened.
Rating: 
Summary: It wasn't me.........
Review: It wasn't me she was writing about.......thank God. What a great book. Funny, satirical, insightful. I bought it at JFK airport for a flight home. I normally take a long time to read a good book because I don't want it to end. BUT, since I was a captive audience, I finished it before I landed. The man next to me asked, when we landed, what I was laughing about during the flight. After I told him about the book, he said "We have a nanny. I better buy the book." I hope that these new writers will have more stories to tell. GOOD JOB!!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Most entertaining and enjoyable
Review: If you just want to laugh and escape into the world of two gals with a twist of imagination, read this book! I didn't feel I was reading fiction. I bet a lot of the stories in this wonderful tome are based on facts. Too good to be true. Such a good read. Another perfect summer book that doesn't look like it is going away anytime soon.
Rating:
Summary: Poor Nanny!
Review: After all the excitement about this book, I had to buy it. It was a really quick read, easy to get into and a lot of fun. I really didn't think it was as funny as I had heard everyone else say, but I still really liked it. I mainly just wound up feeling sorry for the little boy and everyone involved. As a nanny myself, I would hate for anyone to have an experience similar to Nanny's.
Rating:
Summary: I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN!!!
Review: I bought this book last week..Started reading it before bed, and before I knew it, it was 5 in the morning and I was turning the last page...I really enjoyed it.
Rating:
Summary: Satirical Commentary
Review: Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus retell their personal experiences of being nannies for the wealthy in humorous yet touching detail. The story follows one main character, Nanny, but expands to involve mothers, fathers, children and fellow nannies. At times the novel is purely cynical while at other points the tale is very poignant. 'Nanny' is a student at New York University and decides to advertise at an elite nanny-locating center. The clientele includes New York's wealthiest (and busiest) people as well as those who want to pretend to be occupied. The latter describes the situation of Mrs. X, the mother of Grayer. Mrs. X is a Park Avenue socialite whose only duties seem to involve shopping and hiring help. In the beginning of the story, Mrs. X appears to be the ideal mother to work for; she is sensitive, understanding, and comfortable. Nanny promptly accepts the job and delves into a relationship with Grayer. Little did she know that by working for Grayer she was going to work for the entire family--parties, affairs, and all. The relationship between Nanny and Grayer is the most focused and dynamic one. Theirs goes from a love-hate attitude to a mother-son relationship. Nanny ultimately takes over the mothering job for Mrs. X as the family slowly breaks apart. That portion of the story is perhaps the most moving. McLaughlin and Kraus write the story with a deeply sarcastic tone that makes the novel seen very similar to a satire. That style is used very effectively in the beginning of the story but towards the end of the book, they change their tone towards one of introspection and melancholy. The end seems like an abrupt change from the humor used in the majority of the story and changed the way I looked back on each character. The story describes more than a purely dysfunctional family; it serves as a commentary for the shallow and self-involved American culture. The novel hits a powerful chord about the changing roles of each family member--is the family only together to provide a basic structure from which to stray or is there something truly important about such a relationship? This novel attempts to address those issues in an amusing yet forceful way.
Rating:
Summary: Fun-fun-fun!!
Review: Obviously, this is not the Great American Novel - but damn it, it's FUN! It's fun, it's frothy, and it's a pure and utter delight. This book captures a particular (and deliciously awful, yet mercifully small) segment of New York's population, albeit with a very sharp and exceptionally funny bite. (By the way: don't be misled by the spam suggesting that you read Birdseeds instead of The Nanny Diaries - the recommendation of the former is nothing more than a blatant attempt by the author (of the former) to cash in on the success of a far more successful and popular author.)
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