The Evolution of Jane (Bookcassette(r) Edition)

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Summary: Wanted to read more about the dissolution of friendship.
Review: I liked this book about Darwin's ideas and how they relate to human relationships. I loved the way Shine played with the meaning of "species" which emphasizes the notion that our categorizations are somewhat arbitrary, and often, overlapping. I liked the descriptions of the Galapagos Islands and their flora and fauna. However, the theme of lost friendships, especially during teenage years, is really worth a much deeper treatment than we can get here. I do not feel that Jane is being narcissistic but she that she has suffered from the abandonment of her childhood friend and still does not understand the reasons for it. I think that the bonds between friends at that age are important to our interpretation of other relationships later in life and contribute to our self-image as a social being. I really liked the book but I wish this theme were explored more fully. I found Martha to be a "flat" character and hard to understand.

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Summary: Using evolutionary theory to "Know thy Self"
Review: I teach psychology and evolutionary theory at at a small university in the mid-west. This novel is a wonder as it elucidates evolutionary principles as they are manifest in "genes, mind and zeitgeist". I have long told my students to look to their own lives, the evolution of their own personalities, to understand the evolution of sepecies and cultures. The principles of change are the same in all three worlds and any one of the three reflects the other two. Schine breaths life into this maxim, for which I say thanks.

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Summary: The Necessity of Friendship
Review: I was surprised by some of the negative reviews Cathleen Schine's new book had the misfortune to garner. I enjoyed _The Love Letter_ very much and found _The Evolution of Jane_ to be a further evolution of the author's skill and talent. Jane's parents treat her to a trip to the Galapagos islands after her divorce is finalized. Rather than escaping from one failed relationship she is faced with another--her best friend from childhood, Martha, picks Jane and her group up at the airport and announces that she will be their tour guide. Here, where the whole concept of evolution began, Jane faces a more difficult puzzle than why "a husky is not the same species as a wolf but is the same species as a Pekingese"--why her relationship with Martha ended. It goes into a complex discussion on the nature of friendship, whether it is necessary to the human species and if it is why did Martha forget her? Jane's whininess is amusing and any one who likes Darwin will like the description of the Galapagos. A more-than-enjoyable read!

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Summary: provocative and quite interesting....deeper than most!
Review: I'm quite surprised by the number of negative reviews of this book, but I quite frankly found it very interesting. Jane, who is recently divorced, goes on a trip to the Galapagos where she finds that the tour guide is her distant cousin/estranged best friend from childhood. What follows is a convoluted tale of relationships, the evolution of friendship, species and families. For those who have developed a blind-sided aversion to Darwin and the theory of evolution, this is probably too much to take, but for those who enjoy the process of scientific thought and analysis and spoofs thereof, this book is a treat. But then, as a scientist by choice and vocation, I'm probably biased (grin).

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Summary: Buy the "Origin of the Species" in the original .
Review: It,s fascinating to read the variety of reviews-everthing from "I hate it" to "I love it." Afraid I'm on the dislike continuum. I bought the book because I heard Cathleen Schine speak and thought she was witty and charming.Was I disappointed. I thought the characters uninteresting and boring (glad I wasn't on that trip,) and the stuff on Darwin didactic and boring.If I wanted to know about evolution I'd go to Darwin direct andIf I wanted to know about lost friendship I think I'd search the Internet. ButI will read Rameau's Niece(great title) to see if I'm being too harsh.

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Summary: Boring, yet not bad enough to stop in the middle of it.
Review: Jane could have been interesting, but her obsession with Darwin and his travels and theories actually controls this book. Martha does not come through at all as a character. The only thing that pulls you through the numerous discourses on species is the need to know the family "secret".

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Summary: A witty, quirky novel with great characters!
Review: May be the most psychological of Schine's novels because it deals with the inner life and observations of a likeable but self-deceptive heroine. The other characters, the novel's unconventional structure (evolution is used to comment on the nature of friendship and loss), even the plot twists at the end, are all intelligently wrought and entertaining as hell.

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Summary: Thought provoking in 3D.
Review: Maybe it's because I have a son living in Ecuador. Maybe it's because I just ended a 20 year friendship. Maybe it's because I'm interested in tracing my ancestors. Or, maybe it's just because it was so well written, that anyone could find themselves in it. With the last word read, I turned back to the beginning, and couldn't wait to read it again...something I have never done before. I'm not usually a fan of fiction. But, this books makes me feel these people are, or were, alive and well.

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Summary: Not very deep, a bit contrived, but didn't bore me
Review: Most of the reviews hereunder were very negative, one reader even cringed at the thought of actually finishing this book. I didn't think it was that bad, it was entertaining enough to make a West/East coast flight go by quickly. But it was nothing brilliant. And I don't recommend it (there are too many wonderful books out there to waste time on one that is only so-so).

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Summary: Evolution of the Novel
Review: My book group read this book and will meet next week to discuss it. I found it to be a welcomed break-away from a conventional novel. The balance of Non-fiction/fiction was superbly crafted. Ms Shine's wit and wisdom is both provocative and entertaining. Don't we all know a Jane somewhere? Or perhaps have a little of Jane's quirky narcisism lurking in ourselves that we cringe to acknowledge? I would venture that it's this dark truth, along with the risk-taking departure from conventional format, that readers find disturbing. But if you shake off preconception, it's a terrific read. Bravo!