She's Come Undone

Rating:
Summary: Soap opera and nothing more
Review: This book proved disappointing to me. It reeks more of primetime soap opera than any serious, searching literary effort. The props are all there - the father who ups and leaves, the mother who cracks up, the childhood rape by a neighbour, being a social outcast, an unhappy first marriage etc. There is no believable turning point in the novel, only a requisite happy ending tacked on four-fifths of the way through.

Dolores as a character was difficult to sympathise with; she didn't become real for me. Her reasons for eating so much never became clear; how she lost that *amazing* amount of weight eventually didn't either.

Ultimately, I think the reason why this falls short is because it's all melodrama and no insight. It brings nothing to light for the reader; I learnt nothing, discovered no new truth, did not stop to wonder at any turn of phrase or beautiful description.

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining and very moving
Review: This book was great. It moved me in a way that not many other fictional books can. Wally touches on the feelings that many young women have while growing up - feeling like an outsider, feeling bad about yourself, etc. Delores goes through so much, and he makes you just want to give her a hug and be there for her. A very down to earth and easy read.

Rating:
Summary: Couldn't Take The Language!
Review: I was intrigued by the book's premise... it seemed like it was going to be a provocative story! However, I just couldn't slug through the foul language. I'm no prude but it was just over and over and very tedious. So, I never did find out what happened and frankly, I don't care.

Rating:
Summary: Great Book
Review: I read this book after my mom told me too and I'm glad I did. The characters and the sotry is brilliantly and movingly told. I've read some review that say this is way too depressing and it's trashy. To me this is a realistic book because the main character Delores doesn't always make the right choices. But it is uplifting you just have to keep reading until the end. This is definately one of my favourite books.

Rating:
Summary: Classic self discovery
Review: I just finished SHE'S COME UNDONE, and I'm so mad I did. I wish it was longer. I don't know where to start on how great this book was. I do know Dolores Price was very memorable, and I'll probably never forget her. Although she suffers quite a bit in this novel, from deaths to rape, she still rises above, and doesn't let anything keep her down. She was a very strong character, even if she did fall a few times. This was much better than Wally Lamb's other book, I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE, but it's still a good read. I highly recommend SHE'S COME UNDONE :)

Rating:
Summary: It's good but ...
Review: I found this bood well written but I think that Dolores was a bit too self involved and to quick to blame others. Being overweight myself, I don't have the ostracism that Delores seemed to have. It's as if the author was saying that you can't be happy if you're fat, which is not true. Once I got over that hurdle, I enjoyed the book and I really liked the ending.

Rating:
Summary: Great Great Book
Review: I found this book by Wally Lamb to be excellent and entertaining. It was so hard to put down that I spent many late nights reading. I think the story is a bit on the odd side, but there is just something about it that keeps you riveted. I would recomend this book to anyone in a heart beat. I wish Wally Lamb would come out with more.

Rating:
Summary: Never so realistic
Review: I have never read such realistic portrayals of characters before I read Wally Lamb's books. I am hooked on his writing, it's mesmerizing. I know a few 'Delores''s myself, and I feel like I have jumped inside their heads after reading this book. Contrary to others who have reviewed this book, I did find it uplifting, watching Delores's life fall apart and then slowly return to the surface. You feel that she has earned her scars, and yet has learned from them.

Rating:
Summary: Captivating
Review: This is the first book I read from Oprah's Book Club. I expected it to be good, and it did not fail me.

Dolores Price, the star of the book, grows up watching her mother coming under the tyranny of her father. When her family fell apart, she had to tolerate life living with her grandma (mum's mum) and almost crazy mother.

An unfortunate incident with her grandma's tenant changes her life drastically. Dolore's mother tries hard to help her by feeding her lots of junk food and letting her watch TV all day.

Dolores grows into a 257 pounds lady and her weight causes her to be an outcast in school and later on, college. Real help came only when she was on the verge of suicide.

How did she manage to turn her life around? Please read it to find out. A very easy reading and delightful story that would keep you captivated from the start. Dolores seems just like what anyone can be - having unresolved issues, emotional luggage, leading to breakdown, help comes, getting back on our feet.

We might not identify with all her problems, but we can sympathise with the pain she goes through, the loneliness and sadness caused from the lack of parental pressence, her triumph over her fears.

Heart-warming. Must read.

Rating:
Summary: YUCK!
Review: I don't expect all books to have a happy ending. What I do expect is that at the end I will have the feeling that I read this book for a reason. "She's Come Undone" left me wondering why Wally Lamb even bothered writing it. I could not identify a single signigicant purpose for this book. It was disgusting and pointless and I recommend that if you would like to read something by Wally Lamb that you go with "I Know This Much Is True."