She's Come Undone

Rating:
Summary: Lamb's Prose is Unparalleled
Review: While I haven't been a fan of every "Oprah Book Club" selection I continue to read many of the queen of talk show's recommendations for one reason: She led me to Wally Lamb. I have read at least three books (often more) a week since I was five and in my 20-odd years as a reader I have found just a handful of authors I love so much I'd read the back of a cereal box if they wrote it. Wally Lamb is one of those authors. I started "She's Come Undone" on a plane and was so engrossed that I couldn't stop reading even when I'd reached my destination. I literally walked through the airport reading this book and didn't stop until I got to the end (I was safely in my hotel room by that time). It's been several years now since I've read the book, but it still sticks with me. (With many titles, you could ask me next week and I wouldn't even remember the main character's name.) I think that only a really great author has the ability to make a reader care about a character that is, to say the least, less than perfect. Lamb so draws you into the life of overweight, dreadfully unhappy Dolores Price, you care completely about what happens to her, even if you frequently don't like her very much. I won't give anything about this completely unique story away, but suffice to say it's not just another "fat girl makes good" tale. The biggest shock for me when I sat down to read Lamb's follow-up book, "I Know This Much Is True," which was also magnificent by the way, was seeing the author's photo. After reading "She's Come Undone" I was POSITIVE that "Wally" was a woman, despite the obviously masculine name. I mean, how could any man so perfectly personify that uniquely feminine struggle with beauty, weight and acceptance? Lamb is a genius. No question about it.

Rating:
Summary: It Was OK
Review: I wanted to read this book when I first saw it on my library's bookshelf. That was before it got so popular. After hearing about all the reveiws I thought it would be even better then I expected it to be. Maybe I wasn't in the mood for reading this type of book, but it didn't really charm me as much as I had expected. I enjoyed it somewhat, but it was one of the best books I have ever read like I thought it was going to be. It was full of Dolores talking about her depressing life and all her trials and tribulations, but in the end she conquers all. The part that made me chuckle was when she was in Burger King with Dante and she finally told all of her secrets.

Rating:
Summary: Couldn't put it down
Review: She's Come Undone is without a doubt my favorite book, it portrays the struggles many teens face. Dolores underwent amazing hardships, and in the end, she found her true self and did what was necessary to make her happy. I'm amazed the author was a man because he identified so well with the emotions of a young girl coming of age despite her troubled past. I'd recommend this book highly to anyone, but give yourself ample time because I couldn't quit reading it.

Rating:
Summary: Thought-provoking
Review: It's been almost a year since I've read this book, but I loved it. It was an incredible story about a man going through life, plagued with unfortunate circumstances and often forced to play parent for his little brother.

This book has so many ins and outs. That's not to say good and bad parts, because there were very, very few bad parts to speak of in this book, but there were just so many twists and turns, and even when you reach the end of the book, your mind is left wondering if everything was as it seems. Don't read further if you don't want any clues as to anything in the book - By the end of the book, I was left wondering if his 'brother' was insane, or if his brother was a figment of his imagination and HE was the one that was crazy. A deep, wonderfully-written book with a great amount of depth, even though it has a bit of a fairytale-like ending.

I would recommend this book to only certain people, though, it has a lot of things written on it's pages that I'd be hard-pressed to trust certain people with.

Rating:
Summary: This book was therapy
Review: I was bored one evening and picked up a book my mom had recently bought which was sitting on the coffee table. I started in on it and spent the entire night on the sofa. I couldn't put it down. At first I found myself relating to Delores and her feelings. Feeling all alone and out of place at a Catholic school and not being able to get along with other kids in the neighborhood. Then I could relate to her weight problems and feeling out of place at high school. As I read the book I felt like I was reading about someone who could have been a dear friend of mine. The language that the book is written with is so beautiful. Even though Delores does have an incredibly tragic life it is writen about in a way that is very sensative and you still have hope for her even when one horrible event after another is taking place. I would highly recomend this book to everyone. If you can't relate to Delores and her struggles it will make you more aware and more sensative to what other people may be going through.

Rating:
Summary: Delve into this one and you'll be pleezed!
Review: This book can be a little depressing at times due to it's stark reality, but the reality of it is what makes it sooooo good! I was disgusted by the main character at times, but she is the most realistic and interesting fictional character I've ever read. And to think a man wrote this book about this female character! unbelievable!

Rating:
Summary: An Overweight Teenagers View
Review: I picked up the jacket of this book and it caught me right away. Being overweight as a teen and growing up in the 60's and 70's there was alot to Dolores that I related too. I read the book in less then a week because I could not put it down. It even came with me on vacation. This is a funny, and meaningful book which gave me memories that I have long fogetton. I highly recommend this read!!! And to think the writer is a man, you would never know it.

Rating:
Summary: when you deserve it even the mail can rape you.
Review: I loved this book. I have this fixation for things that are abnormal. I've read all those kind of books. Yet, this one was amazing one moment my breath was gone with so many tears it ruined at least half the book and at others i was filled with anger. All of the things she went through i went through too with her. Its an amazing read and like some man said dont expect happyness and sunshine. It's dark and brooding and not light in any way.

Rating:
Summary: Coming Undone
Review: I read this book not because of Oprah's name or it's bestseller status, but rather cause I read Lamb's later book, I Know This Much is True. I loved that book so much that I wanted to read everything Wally Lamb wrote, since this is his only other novel I didn't have much choice.

While reading, She's Come Undone, I kept changing my mind, one moment I would really like the book and the next I would want to throw it against the wall, it had that much power over me. The story of this "fat," often very upset, and sometimes annoying girl is a journey that you won't ever forget. At times she so depressed me I had to force myself to stop reading, and I'm not a girl nor am I fat, so I can only imagine the power she had over other readers.

As Lamb's other novel this book has so many powerful ideas in it, things that will make you think long after you have read the last line. Some of those issues are AIDS, religion, abortion, finding happiness, and finding yourself.

This book opened my eyes in many ways to a world that is very very judgemental about appearance. Of course I knew how important looks can be and how hateful people can be about them, I mean I did just graduate from High School,one of the most judgement and hateful worlds around, but the book made me see how much looks matters outside of those teen years. I guess I was under the impression adults would act differently, this book taught me differently. The world can be a horrible place and this book shows us that first hand.

So, I learned from this book and I laughed with this book, and I hated this book and I loved this book, so deciding on a rating for this book was hard. I gave it four stars because it is above so many books but not as good as Lamb's other novel, I Know This Much is True.

I can honestly say as a 18 year old male that this book made me come undone. I was exposed to a world I knew very very little about and I learned a lot. I just hope some day I find my whale as she did.

Rating:
Summary: I Can't Believe A Man Wrote This Book!
Review: I didn't notice the authors name until halfway thru this book and when I saw it was a man, I had to double check to make sure that Wally didn't stand for something more feminine! If you have ever been thru a struggle as a woman, ever been in a bad marriage, ever been overweight or felt ugly, this book is for you. I have to admit, I was a bit depressed on and off while reading it but I couldn't put it down and when it ended I wanted more. He writes about woman as if he really knew us, knew our feelings of desperation, our problems with men, our fears and insecurities. I told my best friend I felt like he had set up a tape recorder in my house to write chapters of this book, they were so relational! And don't only buy this if you're a woman. Men, this will tell you what most of us women are like and what we are looking for in life. I personally liked the wisdom of Mr. Pucci the best. A book you will never forget.