Babyville

Rating:
Summary: Moving with the times...
Review: Most authors of the single-woman-looking-for-love-and-success-in-the-big-city genre are housewives from the suburbs. I find it interesting. I mean, why aren't they writing about the ball and chain? And the ones that do write about marriage use some sort of gimmick, like infidelity.

Jane Green is one of my favorite chick-lit writers. She is now married with children and has made the slow transition into writing about what she now knows. You only have to read the title of this novel to know what it's about.

The novel centers on the lives of three rather different women whose lives are intertwined by circumstances. Julia is a successful television producer in a relationship rut. She thinks that having a baby will salvage the relationship. She ignores the fact that her relationship with Mark has been doomed to fail from the beginning -- after all, he's not her type and they have nothing in common -- and becomes obsessed with getting pregnant. But things become all the more complicated for the couple...

Maeve, unlike Julia, cringes at the mere thought of having a baby. The feisty, no-nonsense redhead is focused on her career. When a one-night stand leaves her pregnant, Maeve finds herself reevaluating her priorities...

Samantha is Julia's best friend. Julia envies the fact that Samantha is the proud mother of a newborn. However, things aren't as blissful in Sam's life as they seem. Motherhood has changed her life in unexpected ways. Looking after her husband and child, she wonders if this is as good as it gets. She resents her single friends and wishes she had a bit of freedom. Is having an affair the answer to her problems?

Babyville does not have the edge and sparkle of Green's previous novels, but it is far more insightful and realistic. More important, Ms. Green has moved with the times and is writing about what she now knows, and I have to give her props for that. This is her best work since Jemima J. Highly recommended...

Rating:
Summary: Jane Green does it again!
Review: If you have just picked up Babyville because you thought that it would all be about babies and pregnancy then think again. This book is about three women whose lives are turned upside down by a life changing event, which is motherhood of course.

Jane Green has written this book in three sections for each of the main characters. Julia is trying desperately to have a child but is trying to cover up her bad relationship. Maeve has never wanted children until something unexpected happens. Sam has just had a baby and realizes that having children is not all that it is cracked up to be.

This is a really great about motherhood and friendship. If you have never read a Jane Green book before then this would be the perfect book to start with.

Rating:
Summary: Great twists!
Review: After reading all of Jane Green's previous work, I was a bit nervous to embark on "Babyville" because I have still not read a Green novel that I enjoyed as much as I enjoyed "Jemima J."

I was pleasantly surprised to enjoy Babyville and was very pleased with all the twists in the stories and odd coincidences. I find that my life tends to be a series of such coincidences, and was captivated by Green's ability to lay the foundation for such a great story without giving it away in the beginning of the book.

Green's style is one that I will continue to enjoy and I am looking forward to her next novel.

Rating:
Summary: Jane Green scores a hit!
Review: If you haven't read Jane Green's latest release, Babyville, I command you to drop everything that you're doing, and go get it NOW! Yes girlfriend, it is THAT good. You know how most chick-lit books are TOTALLY focused on the single, late 20's/early 30's chick, trying to snag a guy (a la Bridget Jones)? Well the brilliant Jane Green did something totally different in Babyville. She still creates the neurotic, witty, and human characters - just like she did in Jemima J, Mr. Maybe, and Bookends. But here, she takes it a step further and puts them into their next phase of life - the phase of motherhood. As you know, Jane usually focuses on one chick, and she allows that chick to tell her story throughout the entire book. Here, the book is divided into three, distinct parts, each that centers around three separate women. The neat thing though Stef, is that it's not until you finish one, that you TOTALLY get how their three lives intersect. So now that I've told you that, let me tell you about the three women that Jane has created. First, you have Julia. She is a very successful television producer. Although not married, she's been living with her lawyer-boyfriend Mark, for quite some time. Julia has wanted a baby for eons and she and Mark practice a TON. You should see the lengths that Julia will go to just to try and get pregnant (without seeking medical treatment). Second up is Maeve. Maeve is one of those chicks that IS single. She likes men for one thing - S-E-X. Not a bad thing if you ask me :). Her main focus is climbing the career ladder. Children repulse her. She would rather eat worms than to have kids. But then guess what? Yep, she ends up pregnant.... Last up is Samantha. Samantha is married to Chris and they seem to have a fantastic life. She quit her job as a graphics designer so that she could move into the June Cleaver world. Part of that world is her infant son, George. Sound boring? Oh my, it couldn't be further from the truth! You will DIE LAUGHING when you read about some of the fantasies that Sam has. When I got to the Maeve section (part 2), I couldn't put the book down. I think that this is the night that I stayed up until 3 in the morning, turning pages, craving more!!! It's not to say that I didn't feel that way with the Julia section. It's just that when I got to the Maeve part, I finally understood what Jane was doing. Clever woman she is!

Also recommended: THE LOSERS' CLUB by Richard Perez

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic!
Review: Jane Green is definitely one of my favorite chick-lit authors. "Babyville" is different from her previous works (Mr. Maybe, Bookends) which concentrate on single girl finding love, etc. "Babyville" deals with different women and the themes that tie all three of them are relationships and babies. The first woman, Julia was a succesful television producer who had a steady relationship with Mark, who was an attorney. Their relationship had been going downhill and Julia felt that a baby would heal and "repair" their relationship. Unfortunately, Julia was unable to get pregnant and resentment towards Mark grew as she blamed him for that.

The next woman, Maeve was a career oriented television producer who was recently offered a great job. Maeve did not believe that she needed a man to make her life complete and commitment was the last thing on her mind. Unfortunately for Maeve, she became pregnant after a one night stand with a stranger. She had to decide whether to keep the baby or to get an abortion as a baby would be an obstacle to her career. The last woman, Sam, recently gave birth to a baby boy and the author showed the difficulties of the first year of having a baby. Sam's relationship with her husband suffered when she resented him for leaving the house for work when Sam was stuck at home, doing chores and taking care of a screaming baby. Chris, on the other hand had to deal with a difficult wife and anything he said might cause a huge argument.

I really enjoy "Babyville" because it deals with real issues that women can relate to. In addition, Jane Green also did a great job in developing her characters making them seem "real" and likeable. She has a way of making you feel that you know the characters personally. The themes are definitely - relationship, love and career, and how you balance one with the other. I highly recommend this book because it is different from other typical chick-lit as this one is more serious, better written and is definitely a keeper.

Rating:
Summary: What am I missing?!
Review: I read Babyville as an abridged audiobook (only because an unabridged format was unavailable to me) and it wasn't the witty, sarcastic read I was expecting it to be. And at times it was downright depressing and sometimes irritating. What happened to the humor Green's previous books were lauded for? Was it all cut out in this abridged version? If so, that's a shame for both the author and myself!

This version of Babyville features the stories of three women all facing baby issues of one sort or another and whose lives intertwine in the most unexpected of ways. Julia's story is first. When the story opens Julia is a successful businesswoman who, at first glance, appears to be in a satisfying relationship with her long-time beau Mark. But trouble simmers below the surface. Julia and Mark's once passion-filled relationship has fallen into a rut. Julia feels stifled, bored even, by her quiet life with Mark. She's an outgoing city girl and Mark is a homebody. She's comprised much to make a life with Mark and has decided that having a baby will fix everything wrong in their relationship. She couldn't be more mistaken but that's beside the point because the two soon realize conceiving isn't quite as easy as they expected. Julia obsesses over becoming pregnant, ruining her business reputation and straining her already troubled relationship to the breaking point. Julia's pain, frustration and misguided anger are realistic and dramatically written and Mark's tolerant attitude is almost pitiful. It's easy to feel the pain of this couple and when the inevitable happens it's was quite a relief!

Next up is Maeve's story. Maeve is another successful career gal but one who is desperate to avoid babies at all costs. She has no interest in kids and intends to keep it that way. When an out of the ordinary encounter with a handsome colleague leads to a one night stand that leaves her pregnant she immediately makes an appointment to have an abortion. Everything changes when she tells the impregnator of her condition and realizes that she is not alone in this after all. Maeve grows incredibly as a character and her relationship is the most satisfying of this trio. Unfortunately, because so much is going on (what with the three separate stories and all) her story quickly ends and the focus shifts to Samantha (Sam).

Sam is happily married to her long-time love Chris and is expecting a baby when the book begins. When her story rolls around she is a new mom intent on becoming the Best Mom Ever. She spends her days cooking organic meals for baby George and neglecting her long-suffering (but always loving) husband. Eventually she feels unappreciated and fat and contemplates having a lusty affair with a new friends' husband with near disastrous (and very embarrassing) results. Initially, I really liked Sam and felt horrible for her as her depression continued to spiral out of control. But as her story progressed she came off as somewhat of a self-centered nitwit and I lost a huge chunk of respect for her character though she does redeem herself in the end (thankfully!)

As a working woman and a mother I could find a bit of myself in each of these women and I suspect many us can as well. But, though their plights are realistic it is often difficult to like these women completely (at least in this version). They come across as self-centered and shallow too often for my liking. The men actually come off much more loving and tolerant than the gals, I'm afraid.

Another problem was the fact that this audio moves fast. Just as we're getting to know the characters the storyline switches focus to an entirely different set of people with different "baby" issues. Is it the abridged format or just the way the book was written? I guess I'll never know because I don't feel inclined to read the unabridged version after this experience.

Rating:
Summary: A Hit!
Review: I've never read a Jane Green book before, but I'm a huge fan of books about women in Britain. Bridget Jones, Simply Divine, Get Over It, Shopaholic Series...

This book caught my attention because it was about women being pregnant, trying to conceive, or ending up pregnant unexpectedly. It fit in with my life at just the right time. I was very pleased with the story and will read more Jane Green novels.

The book is divided into three different sections...Julia, Maeve, and Sam. However, they do all tie together in the end. It is a wonderfully written story and the feelings seem very true to life. I would recommend this book, especially if you are going through pregnancy or have just had a child and need something to relate to.

Rating:
Summary: A page right out of my life...
Review: As a new mom, I could totatlly relate to the Sam character in the book. Sam struggles with the post-prego weight, hormones, husband resentment, social isolation, loss of self and simply discovering that,(while loving her son to death) being a stay at home mom isn't the fairytale, chocolate chip cookie world we like think it is. The way Jane Green depicted Sam felt like she had broken into my mind and was writing everything that I have been thinking for the past 8 months since my daughter was born. The book also has two other characters with equally intruiging stories of pregnancy and how it affects our relationships (or vice versa!)

Whether you are pregnant (planned or not), trying to get pregnant, or just had a baby, this book is for you. It is like a good girlfriend speaking your mind and reaffirming to you that it is going to be OKAY!

Rating:
Summary: Terrific One By Jane Green!!
Review: When I saw this latest one by Jane Green, I bought it fast. I'm so happy to say that I wasn't disappointed. It is by far another one of the best in the lovable chic-lit genre.

I thought the story was realistic and reflected different womens' thoughts and feelings about having a well family; women who have had children should be able to relate to it, as well as those that prefer to be career women. I could relate to all of the characters in some way and it was just amazing how plausible they were. I think the story shows that life isn't always a dash in the snow and there are pitfalls and perils and good times in all relationships, some issues can be worked out and others can't.

I won't reveal anything, so I'll just have to say everyone reading this review should grab a copy now and read it for themself!

Rating:
Summary: Perfection!
Review: This book is perfection! No matter what your sitation is you can relate to it as a women. Jane Green has done it again!