Rating: 
Summary: Average woman not so average
Review: This book was great. I laughed out loud on a number of occassions. I really liked it because Bridget Jones is so average, and goes through many of the same situations that average women go through, but proves to be not so average when she finally realizes that she doesn't have to try so hard and just accepts herself. It's a great confidence booster and a great book to curl up to one night when you need some alone time to pamper yourself. So put on a face mask, sit and the tub and enjoy it from cover to cover.
Rating:
Summary: Hurrah for Singletons!
Review: Bridget sounds like every woman's nightmare. She's a seemingly shallow, insecure, ego-centric, delusional, semi-feminist, weight-obsessed, cigarette-and-alcohol-addicted, boyfriend-hungry "singleton" surrounded by "smug marrieds" and her garish mother - at least in her diary, where all her flaws get to come out. All in all, a pretty normal woman. The nightmare part is that it's constantly (and publicly) found out that she's not the superwoman/goddess that modern society seems to expect.But that's alright. She's also beguilingly charming, warm-hearted, witty (after disaster occurs, of course), and keenly observant when you least expect it. All the wrong funny things lead to all the right funny things. Follows Pride and Prejudice much closer than you would believe (try reading them in succession/concurrently), this is an inspired re-writing of Jane Austen's classic. A fresh voice in an timeless situation of woman v. the world. Guess who wins? So, it's a bit predictable, but that doesn't take away from Bridget's charisma. She's wonderfully, deleriously human. An overdose of self-help books has her aiming for high, vague ideals like Inner Poise. Her friends, having read different self-help books, aren't much help, but a crazy continuation of Bridget's frazzled, endearing self. The movie captures Bridget's screwball comic essence (as well as Daniel Cleaver's caddishness) brilliantly, but the rest didn't do justice to her friends or mother. A great read at any time, it will go all too quickly. V. v. good.
Rating:
Summary: Angus Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging - but better!
Review: If you are looking for a book like "Angus Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging"-than this book is for you! I was reading some reviews of this book before I read it, and I was hestitant to read it because many people made it seem boring. When I finally picked it up and decided to read a page, I was hooked! Bridget has spunk and wits more than anyone I've known. Her diary begins the day her weirdo mom invites her to a New Year's bash at the neighbors house, and she's forced to go. Life doesn't get easier for the British punk girl, as she faces her the fact that her mother has become a chat-show hostess. Bridget lives her life, makes mistakes, makes someone happy, and you begin to feel that she is real, only to be disapointed by remembering she is a fictional character. Bridget's character and problems in life is what pulls you in the book. I think, that if the main character in a book isn't enjoyable from the start, there is no point to reading it. Bridget Jones' Diary is an extremely good read for teens. I must end this now- going to begin sequel!
Rating: 
Summary: Good -- but a liiiiiiitle too repetitive
Review: Good overall story but the repetitive part came from the daily counting of alcohol units, weight, calories cigarettes. There was at least a count on every page.
Rating:
Summary: Love it for what it is...
Review: And it is simply a beautiful and hilarious retelling of Pride and Prejudice. No one claims it to be anything but. What's most endearing to me is not only the irreverance of Bridget herself, but the absolute honesty and exaggeration of what many woman go through on a day-to-day basis. Woman who hate it seem deathly afraid that people will find out about their secret obsessions with love, and neediness for relationships. Those who love it tend to embrace the story, and Bridget herself, as an amusing retelling that reminds you of yourself, only worse. If you've got a healthy sense of humor about yourself and the female sex, I say, read it. If you're looking for "serious literature," might I recommend Thomas Pynchon?
Rating:
Summary: The movie was good, the book was GREAT!
Review: I read this book in about two days. The characters are addicting and so incredibly human. Bridget seems like a great, datable person who just doesn't have much luck. She obsesses over all the things other women obsess about: weight, alcohol and cigarette intake, men; but the way Fielding verbalizes her thoughts are what make this book so amusing. The way she keeps track of her weight and other information is a laugh too. You can tell when she's had a bad day because sometimes she won't even list her weight or calories or she'll list the ungodly amount of negative thoughts she's had. Some of the situations seem a bit absurd, but Fielding makes them real and the reader really feels for Bridget and experiences the embarassment with her. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. It is basically a chick flick in a book, but if you enjoyed the movie, you'll definitely love the book.
Rating: 
Summary: Depressing and lacking in redemption
Review: I seldom dislike books. This one I did. I dislike it because there is nothing to see that produces a change in Bridget except a man. It is a stereotypical plot - a woman is nothing without a man, and she cannot relate to herself without the context of a man. And, Bridget is an alcoholic, surrounded by alcoholics, swimming in a sea of self-loathing, self-doubt, self-negation, until a man comes (literally and figuratively) into her life to save her. Sure, this book reflects many of the dark moods of women, but it does nothing to redeem its charracter. I will say that Bridget obviously has good friends, and is capable of caring about others, and has others who care about her - but she cannot believe in her own worth, except in the relationship with another, usually a man. The world is a reflection of her self-worth, and changes from moment to moment. Not a healthy ego. The only thing which redeemed the book, on the first (not fifth) mentioning was the being eaten by an Alsatian. Too bad the manuscript was not eaten by Alsatians, long before it got to press.
Rating:
Summary: Movie Vs. Book
Review: I first watched the movie, and then read the book because I loved the movie soooooooo much!! And I guess it must be because I watched the movie first that I haven't enjoy the book that much, but I have to grant it that it was the preliminar idea, it is just that the movie adapted the original plot so well, that the main idea of the book had more sense.
Any way, I believe this book is "a must read" to all women, because it makes you feel relieved about your traumas of looks, bad habits, love life, family, etc. I believe this is a radiography of what normal women think, maybe men should read this book to understand how does our mind work, what our worries are.
Rating:
Summary: HILARIOUS!!!
Review: i received this book from a friend who had read it (& i had the great pleasure read while i was traveling in England) & i wholeheartedly recommend it to any girl who is single or who has ever been single - that's all of us, ladies!!! those who loved pride & prejudice will especially love this story. it's loosely based on that story (tho maybe not that loosely, the guy's name is Mark Darcy after all...) Bridget Jones is hysterical, her take one things will have you laughing out loud. Also, the crazy things she gets herself into will have you laughing out loud! A definite must-read. Definitely read the american version, unless you know how to translate english weight system to our pounds....
Rating:
Summary: Chick Lit Worth Reading
Review: ...I'd just like to say a few things. First of all, I'm an over-achieving, teetotal, drug-free, boyfriend-free, slightly plump jobless teenager. See - some similarities and some differences with Bridget. I'm also Christian, and I find it very tiresome in chick lit books when the heroine sleeps her way through for no reason other than drunkeness/boredom/mild lust.
So - I don't know whether I'm "meant" to like this book, but...you know what? I do! I like it because it makes me laugh. A lot. Humour, as we all know, is in the eye of the beholder (or something like that) and so whether you like this book depends a lot on whether you find Helen Fielding's humour funny.
But I do NOT agree that this book is demeaning to women OR that it provides a role model for them. Okay, no one should choose to try and emulate Bridget (well, I don't think so) - but on the other hand, as a female I didn't feel degraded or stereotyped by this book.
Other people have criticised this book for saying that you're nothing without a man. A lot of chick lit books DO do this, but Bridget Jones's Diary isn't one of them. Trust me, I get very frustrated with books that say this, and this book isn't saying it. It may be saying, however, that it's nice to have a boyfriend - and where's the problem with that? Why can't women be allowed to say that they really want to go out with someone? Why do we have to act like admitting that is degrading?
I recommend this book highly. If you watched the film and are interested in the book, you may be disappointed as the two versions are somewhat different, but read it anyway!
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