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Summary: I wish I could say I enjoy reading about neurotic women...
Review: While Ms. Olson tells an interesting tale, I read the entire book wishing she'd get on with her life. I don't know any neurotic people, more than likely steer clear of them. I purchased this book, as I love to laugh. One of the reviews printed on the back of the book stated ..."I stopped reading it only to laugh my head off". I only laughed once. There are some good points and I did enjoy her mother, Flo, but sadly, this type of book is just not my cup of tea.
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Summary: The author could do much much better
Review: There are some very clever turns of phrase in "Welcome to My Planet" and the choice and handling of narrative structure was interesting and masterful. The open-endedness of the 'conclusion' was not completely bad either, insofar as that seemed to be one of the themes of the book (getting Shannon to the point of recognizing all the possibilities ahead of her). Overall, however, despite some flashes of real character, the book feels shallow. The insights to which the psychologist leads Shannon are not earth-shattering, and even though the inescapable banality of Shannon's life seems to be another of the book's themes, the book's presentation of this life never really rises above triteness itself. With a richer subject, this author would certainly be capable of writing a much better book. The journey of self-discovery in this one, though, was too obligatory, predictable, and, ultimately, indistinguishable from so many other 'autobiographical' narratives.
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Summary: hip & hillarious
Review: just finished reading this book and WOW I couldn't wait to let the REAL Shannon know (do you think she checks out these reviews?) what an awesome debut this was!! This is a hillarious story about a woman named Shannon trying to find her way through life and to her "self"...I could totally realte to the main character and I think a lot of other women will too...we should all be so lucky to have a "Flo" in our lives...thanks Shannon, can't wait till your next book!!
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Summary: A Little Too Much Counseling on Shannon's Planet
Review: Don't get me wrong. Shannon Olson (the author) has a great quality to her writing. Her character Shannon Olson could, in many ways, be me. And it was great to read a character my age going through the same thoughts that I was experiencing.However, there were times I wanted to b&%ch-slap "the counselor" aka Shannon's (the character) psychologist. I had the fortune (or misfortune) of reading the latter half of the book while toiling away in the jury pooling room, waiting to get called for duty. Though I enjoyed the book, I found myself re-counting the number of pages until the end. While I loved the characters and wanted to know how everything worked out, the psycho-analysis in the middle got to be overbearing at times. The jury room was dismissed when I had 20 pages to go, so I tucked myself into a nearby Starbucks to finish the book. Not impressed with the ending. I don't think the ending was supposed to be a big ol' cherry on top of the literary sundae, but it just didn't do anything for me. Frankly, it stunk.
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Summary: Good, but not what I expected
Review: When I purchased this book I expected comedy. When I read the first 20 pages or so I was howling with laughter. Then the book got a little deeper. There were still funny moments sprinkled throughout the book, but it wasn't the laugh a minute I expected it to be. It was, however, an extremely good book and one I would recommend to others. Personally, I would like to see a sequel to this one told through the eyes of Flo, Shannon's mother, as she was such a great character. I do look forward to more books from Shannon Olson in the furture.
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Summary: Excellent Read
Review: I loved this book! My girlfriend told me about it, and once I started it I couldn't put it down! Being from Minnesota I can relate to the need for a "Target" patch! Any woman who is going through the ups and downs of a relationship, and who are teatering on the "30 something" age range should love this book!
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Summary: A Mixed Up Book
Review: I had such mixed feelings about this book after finishing it that I read earlier reviews to see if others shared my ambivalence. Unfortunately, most people didn't seem to have my mixed feelings. It seemed that the reviews were either in the "loved it" or "hated it" category. To be honest, I can understand both points of view. On the positive side, I thought the book had a strong flow and powerful emotional content. Even if it's not a literal autobiographical work, it's apparent that Olson has a clear understanding of the emotions which underpin the book's situations. I also enjoyed the fact that the book doesn't have a tidy ending. Because it's a snapshot of a period in the protagonist's life, it felt appropriate to not have a clean ending to the book. The ambiguous ending conveyed the feeling that life would continue with the hope of things becoming better. I felt that implied promise was more satisfying than paring the protagonist off with a boyfriend/husband. On the other hand, there were elements that detracted from the book's overall power. For instance, I really didn't connect with any of the characters other than the protagonist. I thought that they were surprisingly shallow, especially the boyfriends. I also didn't care for the book's tone, which was slightly too serious for its subject. It seemed that the book wasn't quite as funny as others in the "neurotic female" genre. While I am the first to admit that some of the situations in the Bridget Jones books are outlandish, they do serve the purpose of adding an "over-the-top" levity to an otherwise dreary topic. Unfortunately, Olsen seemed to gravitate more toward the serious, which left me feeling that most of the characters were too whiny. As a result, the book is a lot like dealing with an individual (either male or female) of that temperament: they're fun at first, but they get annoying after a while. So, where does that leave me? Well, it leaves me where I started. Welcome to My Planet is not a bad book. The writing is sharp and the pacing is very good. However, I don't think it has anything new to say about a topic that has been (almost) over-exposed in today's media. A reader can do worse than Welcome to My Planet. But, there are better books on the same subject.
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Summary: River City's Own Review
Review: #1 in Chaska. #2 in Minnetonka. #3 in Eden Prairie. What book do you think would have such a stronghold in sales in the western suburbs of Minneapolis? Harry Potter? Growing Perennials in Cold Climates? The Carbohydrate Addicts Lifespan Program: A Personalized Plan for Becoming Slim, Fit, and Healthy in Your 40s, 50s, 60s, and Beyond? No! It's Shannon Olson's debut novel Welcome to My Planet(Where English is Sometimes Spoken). It's a wonderfully written, engaging novel about a woman who isn't where she thinks she should be at the age of thirty, and wonders, even stresses over the reasons why. She consults a therapist, she consults her mother, she consults a therapist about her mother; never ceasing her search for the answers to her problems, or her "perceived problems." Reading the novel, one can't help but visualize the beautiful author whose picture graces the back cover of the book as you read along with the story. Since the protagonist shares the same name as the author, it's difficult to separate that image as you're reading about Ms. Olson. The dialogue and interaction between Shannon and her mother, Flo, is the driving force behind the novel. In a chapter titled "The Grieving Conference," Shannon is able to arise above the horrific consequences of being served weak coffee to joke with her mother."The loss of your hearing is very difficult indeed" states the speaker of the conference. Whereas Flo, not hearing what the speaker said, leans to Shannon to inquire what had just been spoken.". . . We should give floss and herring to those in need.""He didn't, either" Flo responds, like it even was a possibility that he could have. Garrison Keillor even takes time out from detailing per verbatum who brought the hot dish to the latest picnic at Lake Wobegon to call Flo "one of the greatest moms of American Fiction," Even myself, except for the bra shopping parts, can relate to Florence and the relationship between Shannon & Flo. This brings me to my last comment. Males whose readings go beyond the Sports section in the bathroom should enjoy this book, too. A lot of reviews and praise have come from females. This isn't just a one gender book. Part of me when reading it wants to say to Shannon "there's nothing wrong with you. A lot of people are going through what you're going through. Look at me for instance, I bought a house by myself. I never dreamt of that being a possibility. I always thought it would've been done by me and a spouse. I always thought this would 've been a decision I would have been making as part of a couple." Part of me gets angered by Shannon."Typical woman. Doesn't know what she wants. On one hand, she whines about not being married by the age of thirty, and on the other hand, she wonders if her mother is really happy because she married so early. Then she goes off about the Love Boat. The problem with the Love Boat was, beside the fact Charo appeared too frequently in the latter stages, is that everyone ended up with a partner. Even as a young, naive kid, I found that concept unbelievable. It's about as unbelievable as the Pursor of that ship being eleted to the U.S. Houseof Representatives. In closing, reading this book can stir a variety of emotions. There's nothing on this planet that validates the fact that you're alive than to experience multitudes of emotions. I recommend you buy this book. Use the $ you save shopping amazon.com, resist from supersizing for a couple of weeks, drink water instead of Coke, comb your couch for loose change, and use this money to place your order for Shannon's next book, "Children of God Go Bowling." ...
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Summary: Leave off the word neurotic
Review: Shannon Olson, the main character in this novel by Shannon Olson, is not the neurotic, man-obsessed city girl, ala Bridget Jones, that other reviews have made her out to be. She's a midwestern slacker who would like nothing more than to hang out at her parents' house and sleep, but who knows that she's expected to make an independent life for herself. As for complaints that Shannon has nothing to whine about-- that's the point. Her parents did such a good job that they've made her never want to leave the nest.I loved this book-- it was funny, clever, and ultimately kind. I'm biased-- Shannon's life is equal parts mine and my best friend's-- she got the Scandinavian parents, I got the chubby thighs and the childhood respiratory ailments, and we both majored in English, worked at deadening office jobs, spent too much money at Target, and bonded over a shared desire to nap. This book reminds me what our lives might have been like if we hadn't married and had kids. I'm certain that I, like Shannon, would still be doing laundry at my parents'.
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Summary: Completely fell short of my expectations
Review: I, too, really wanted to like this book. But how can you like an eternally depressed woman with nothing interesting to say. The main character is so lame, as a matter of fact EVERY character is so lame and uninteresting. I really didn't get the point of this book. It tries to be insightful (I'm assuming it is, it must be trying to say something) about a young woman's search for a life, but it's way too pathetic. She has no female friends, no clue about what she wants, I mean I can't stand her! The book isn't even written with a sense of humor. If you want a funny, endearing story about a woman's "coming of age", check out Anna Maxted's Getting Over It. It blows this away.
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