She's Come Undone

Rating:
Summary: Don't Waste Your Time
Review: I was really looking forward to reading this book after all the hype, so much that I saved it to read on the plane to Kauai. What a mistake. The book was described by the New York Times as "...hilarious..."; I never found that part. One critic said, "Don't read the ending in public if you don't have two tissues handy..." Being a sucker for a good cry, I kept waiting, but that part never came either. Did I finish the book? Yes, because I kept waiting for that moment of insight, of inspiration. Alas, it never came. What I found instead was a self-pitying, overweight, cynical, cruel girl/woman who used her weight as a way to block out the rest of the world. No, I wouldn't have wanted to be Dolores's friend either, but her weight would have had nothing to do with it. Some will say I just can't relate: I'm not overweight nor have I ever been, my parents are not divorced, I was never raped, and I never spent time in a mental institute. But I am a teacher and have seen just about everything one could imagine. And I have seen students who have overcome much greater odds and were able to stay strong, positive, and kind. Dolores, I just have no sympathy... (If you want a real heroine, read Push by Sapphire. Precious Jones has it all over Dolores Price.

Rating:
Summary: Totally Depressing
Review: This book started out well, I was beginning to like it until the story became too depressing as its unravel, the character's not likeable at all

Rating:
Summary: One of the best books I have ever read
Review: This book was so good that I read it non-stop, and made all ofmy friends read it. I laughed, and I cried, and so did everyone elsethat read it. Never before have I read a book and felt a connection to the main character as much as I did when I read this book. Especially when she got teased for being overweight. I know the feeling. Finally, an author writes a book where the main character isn't skinny and perfect. This book is definitely one of my favorites.

Rating:
Summary: Thought-provoking
Review: There aren't many books that keep me reading until 2 a.m. Thosewho argue that the book was filled with ludicrous scenes haven't seenalot of life. The real guts of the "message" for me was when Delores is in community college and she suggests to her classmates that the key is accepting the shape of your life as it is. Haven't all of us at one time or another let external events dictate our attitude and decisions? For me, the story was much more than getting a second chance in life. It was about creating a second chance.

Rating:
Summary: A deeply moving novel!
Review: Maybe Oprah picked this book because at some point in it, thenarrator notes that Oprah is one of the most respected women of the80's. Maybe not. Either way, I found myself reading it in my car at red lights, in my cubicle at my temp job this summer, and everywhere in between. I'm a middle school English teacher in the inner-city and I don't find this book to be about "self-pity" or "psychosis," as other privileged readers have argued. They are quite obviously far removed from the tragedy and abuse that so frequently ravages young lives, now, as ever. Nor is "She's Come Undone" dealing with certain "agendas" when it honestly presents rape, gender, size, sexual orientation, mental illness, handicap, divorce, age, race, domestic violence, abortion, death, and adolescent depression. Rather, it is dealing with the hard truths of life. In addition, people seem surprised that a man can write so well in a woman's voice, but most good writers are able to assume varied and complex voices in the creation of fiction, as good actors are able play roles far from their true selves. This novel chronicles pain and suffering and does not offer a quick fix happy ending. I love that. It proves that finding contentment and joy is a lifetime struggle. Dolores is not supposed to stand for all women, all people who struggle with their weight, or any other large population. She is supposed to stand for herself, and if we as readers can connect with her or feel for her on some level (and I would say most can)as we travel with her, then Lamb has done his job. Thank you, Wally, for a book that brought me peace while I read it.

Rating:
Summary: Recommended this to all my friends & family!
Review: I was skeptical about reading this book, but my friends alltold me it was great! I have to agree. I cried for Dolores. There'ssomething in here for every woman!

Rating:
Summary: A book I couldn't put down...and wouldn't pick up again!
Review: Once you start reading this book, you really can't put it downuntil the end. But does that make it a good book? Entertaining?Enriching? I'm not sure. The reader quickly bonds with the main character, Dolores, and feels driven to stick with her through every increasingly tragic event of her painful life. But by the middle of the story, I felt a little like the proverbial frog dropped in a pot of cold water and brought slowly to boil--if I'd have known the scalding heat of the sadness Dolores was going to experience, I'd probably never have jumped in for a swim. Lamb is a skilled writer for being able to suck us into his story, but his ambitious tackling of (seemingly) every "hot" subject--from rape to abortion to lesbianism to AIDS to mental illness to obesity--begins to feel like an agenda separate from the characters he creates. The "hope" Dolores does eventually find--and actually, I would not call her rather calm resignation to just go on as "hope"--is not a satisfying enough resolution to compensate the reader for going through such an emotional ringer. This is a book I couldn't put down, and a book I wouldn't pick up again.

Rating:
Summary: Laughed and mourned at a true mirror of women's lives.
Review: Absolutely couldn't put it down and recommended it to anyonepassing my way at the pool. Lamb's got a grip on the everydaystruggles of any female, fat or thin, rich or poor, respected or abused. It kind of makes you wonder how many times women are treated like dirt but don't know how to react or just don't have anyone to confide in and trust. It's a bit of a self-help book, because we can recognize some dysfunction in our own lives that parallel Dolores' experiences.

Rating:
Summary: Heartwarming
Review: The story of Dolores Price and her struggles from childhood toadulthood touches even the smallest part of our being! From a feistyteenager to a loving wife, friend and granddaughter- Dolores has shown that life is not easy but it can have its rewards if we have hope and love in ourselves. In adulthood, she has tried so hard to redeem herself and in her own way, thank the people who have helped her stand up through all her trials. Sometimes, the people who we think do not have our own well-being in mind are really the ones who do. And the most important part of all is that we should not be afraid to love in return. Like Dolores, there's always another chance.

Rating:
Summary: check this one out at the library
Review: Readers seem to love or hate "She's Come Undone." The story is compelling and the references to old tv shows are fun for those of us who remember getting our first color tv. But the writing is poor and the character development sorely lacking. Dolores is supposed to be bright and lovable, but we never once see any evidence of that, she merely seems to hang on through every conceivable nasty experience. I finished reading this, but I'm sure not waiting for another book by the same author