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Summary: My side of her story
Review: It's true that there are often two (or three sides) to every story, and it's true that Ms. Keyes writes in a "charming, chatty voice" that makes for an easy read, but I was disappointed in the fact that all three of her leading ladies are insecure, generally unhappy, and obsessed with their male relationships. Instead of portraying three, strong females that deal with the various ups & downs of professional & personal lives, Keyes' story is rife with petty comments, insecurities, obsessions and rather unattractive behavior. Not one of them has a seemingly healthy relationship with the man in her life, and much of the dialogue hints at men holding women back, glass ceilings, etc. I felt like the author had been burned by one or more males in her own personal and/or professional life and was venting through this story. What's even more bizarre is the characters badmouth "chick lit" in the story line - which is the genre within which the book falls.
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Summary: Did Amazon pay for corporate advertising? :)
Review: Just finished and I had to check 1) whether EVERYONE who reads this book goes straight to Amazon Reader Reviews - it's mentioned enough times! 2) post a review, like a predictable being! I loved this book. I think, though, it would be difficult to start with this one and then read the earlier ones like Watermelon (it's good, but this is fantastic). This one shows real development in her skills - the way she handles the plot and interweaves their lives. Reminds me of the kind of books you write essays on, as in, her technique is skilful! I like the way she gives us the mistress-from-afar in Colette and the inside life of a mistress we can't pigeonhole as a mistress in Jojo. Plus, Gemma's lack of self-awareness for such a long time! Had me crying in parts too - esp. Anton's letter to Lily and him crying in the street...Could go on but I'll stop right there! It's brilliant!!!
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Summary: What Goes Around Comes Around....Or Does It?
Review: Marian Keyes' latest is a true gem which transports the reader to the thirty-something singles life of Dublin and London. With empathy and humor she tells the story of very believable women whose lives intertwine.Gemma Hogan is a Special Events Planner in Dublin. She has recently lost the love of her life, and to make matters even more unbearable, said love is now happily ensconced with her former best friend Lily and the child they have together. Gemma seems to have enough heartbreak, but now her father has left her mother for his secretary, and Lily has not only captured Gemma's boyfriend but has written a best-selling novel, something Gemma has always wanted to do. Meanwhile, Lily is not only wracked with guilt over the aforementioned theft of affections, but also having trouble coping with a non-working mate and the lack of money they must exist on. Child-care mishaps and a second novel that is more of an embarrassment than a bestseller add more pressure to Lily's life. Jojo Harvey, a Jessica-Rabbit clone, enters the picture as the literary agent who represents Lily. But Jojo the dynamic businesswoman is also Jojo the homewrecker as she guiltily pursues a relationship with her very-married boss. Add one more catalyst in the form of Susan, former best friend of both Gemma and Lily, who has moved to Seattle, Washington. Susan becomes Gemma's sounding board via email and is privvy to the intimate details of Gemma's disheveled life, her desperately needy mom, her non-boyfriend, and a certain chemist who fills prescription after prescription for her. Susan thinks the emails are so interesting to read that she wants to share them. Taking a calculated risk, she sends them to Jojo Harvey who agrees they would make a great book. It's a merry-go-round of emotions with revenge, rejection, and disappointment having their day along with all the accompanying pandemonium of this inside look into the life of writers, editors, and publishers. It's Marian Keyes doing what she does best---telling a contemporary tale with all the humor and sadness that fills life. This is believable fiction that will appeal to everyone....except perhaps Mr. Burt Reynolds who does not fare too well in this one.
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Summary: Like Three Books In One
Review: The Other Side of the Story is written from three different women's points of view. Gemma Hogan is living the high life when she is suddenly summoned home to find that her father has walked out on her mother. Now Gemma is trying frantically to help her mother and figure out what to do about her father. All the while she's forced to write Emails about the whole fiasco to her best friend Susan who ends up finding Gemma's Emails so clever and humorous that she sends them off to London's top literary agent JoJo Harvey. JoJo is fighting to make partner and competing fiercely against a co-worker for the position. She's also having an affair with her boss who is married and trying to convince herself that it's a healthy relationship. JoJo is representing bestselling author Lily Wright who is trying to balance being a new mother with a bad financial situation - and the guilt of stealing her husband away from her best friend Gemma who used to date Lily's husband Anton. Gemma's always dreamed of writing a novel and getting a book deal that her boyfriend-stealing ex-best friend Lily now has. JoJo may be headed for heartbreak looking for love in all the wrong places trying to convince herself that she can handle a relationship that must be kept secret. But at the same time she's hoping to get caught and finally have her man all to herself. Lily is struggling to juggle the good with the bad and with a heart full of guilt. Marian Keyes' intertwines these women's lives and their connection to each other making for a fantastic read that fans will enjoy. The Other Side of the Story is like having three books in one. The three stories smoothly transition back and forth between the three women and will keep the reader turning pages to see what drama awaits on the next page.
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Summary: I couldn't put this book down!!!!
Review: The Other Side of the Story was a great read! I would get so upset when it would change characters because I wanted to know the rest but then I'd get engaged with the other character's story, etc, etc.... So I always wanted to know what happened next! Before I was even done reading the book, I got two more books by Marian Keyes. (didn't want to miss out)
I loved it!
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Summary: The real story is that ...
Review: this is a worthwhile read but not necessarily a worthwhile purchase (unless a reasonably priced paperback). The story revolves around 3 women who are all intertwined in one way or another. It begins with Gemma - an Irish girl who had her boyfriend (Anton) "stolen" away by her best friend Lily. Gemma is a special events planner who must deal with the breakup of her parents marriage when her father leaves her mom for a considerably younger woman. Then the story skips over to JoJo. JoJo is a literary agent who is supposed to resemble Jessica Rabbit (why this is supposed to seem sexy I can't fathom but I digress...) JoJo is a supposedly strong and self assured woman who is having an affair with her boss. Most of JoJo's story revolves around her relationship with her boss/lover Mark and it's easy to get frustrated by her actions. JoJo isn't really the most likable character...but then again you have poor sweet Lily to fall back on. Lily is a balding author who used to be Gemma's best friend until she fell in love with Anton and they became a couple. Reading this made me want slap these women for their actions. Gemma needed to get over her ex boyfriend Anton, JoJo needs to realize that she has commitment issues, and Lily just needs to get a backbone. It is interesting to see how all of their lives merge at one point or another. I wasn't a big fan of the story line because it reminded me of stuff I went through in high school. Not a bad read but certainly not one of Keyes best...
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Summary: Good book with some minor flaws
Review: While her familiar witty and snappy writing style were in attendance, for the first time ever in one of her books, I found myself thinking 'Enough already!' when she introduces Lily to us. There just wasn't enough to her character to justify all the words about her. I was also very frustrated with Gemma's mom. I find it hard to believe that a wife of 35 years would let her husband waltz back into her life so willingly after what he did. That man needed to understand the havoc and pain he had created in her life. She was a doormat of incredible proportion and I ended up having no respect for her or Gemma's Dad. It got to the point where I wanted to skip the parts that included her mom. And while Gemma and Jojo were fun and interesting, I would've liked more at the end of the book. Specifically, what happens with Cassie and Mark? Do they stay together or break up on their own without JoJo being in the picture? Does JoJo find another man to love as much as she did Mark? Do Gemma and 'the chemist' end up married? Also recommended: The Children's Corner by Jackson McCrae and You Remind me of Me.
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