Rating: 
Summary: Not funny, not smart
Review: This is below average coming of age fare. Jane is trying too hard to be clever and witty and consistently fails at both. Proves once again that hype makes sales, not quality. If this book had not ridden the coat tails of Bridget Jones, it wouldn't have been published, much less been the subject of such intense marketing. Others have commented on the run of books about single women, but is anyone else bothered by the number of books about single women IN PUBLISHING? Girl's Guide and BJ of course, but also Animal Husbandry and In The Drink. A bit of narcissism on the part of the acquiring editors? I'd say.
Rating: 
Summary: This book is so true to life!
Review: The Girl's Guide is a must-read for every woman! I laughed, I cried and most of all, I felt normal after reading this book. It is nice to see that every girl, teenager and woman goes through various obstacles in life that can challenge their character and sense of self. However, I was reminded by reading this book how important it is to stay positive and most of all-- stay true to yourself.
Rating: 
Summary: Doesn't live up to hype
Review: This book is a pleasant read. It lacks the fun and humor of Bridget Jones' Diary which unfortunately it has been compared to. But it is good book to read at the beach.
Rating:
Summary: Catcher in the wry
Review: Holden Caulfield, meet Jane. Soulmates, these two. Although Holden went brilliantly mad and Jane ambles on through life. I enjoyed this book, yet it was sad and strangely disturbing, as if one shouldn't enjoy reading about another's pain. The short stories are cleverly crafted to flow in and out of each other. It's a good book but too fragile to stand up to heavy doses of analysis. Read it and enjoy it and let it simmer a little bit. I think Jane is someone you will remember.
Rating: 
Summary: Lukewarm Lorrie Moore - truly hoped it would be better.
Review: If you liked this book, please refer to Lorrie Moore's Self Help. Moore's take on love is so much more refreshing and original. What truly frustrated me about this first novel is how little work meant to the narrator. It's as if she had little in her life except worrying about her boyfriend. At least Bridget Jones had a funny job with interesting office mates. I found the men in this novel particularly indistinguishable. In the end, I didn't care for Jane, and her grating one liners. I truly hoped it would have been a much more ambitious and sophisticated novel.
Rating:
Summary: don't believe the hype
Review: There's talent here, but the book's been misrepresented as 'smart and funny.' Unfortunately, Jane ain't so smart and her life is far from funny--dysfunctional romance with much older dysfunctional (in more ways than one!) man; low self-esteem and a curious forgiveness for men behaving very badly throughout.
Rating:
Summary: entertaining and well written...
Review: After reading the customer reviews for this book I couldn't wait to read "The Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing." Everyone compared it in one way or another to Bridget Jones' Diary so I figured it would have to be brilliant, and it was to a point. The only similarity between the two is the protagonist in both stories is a single woman...this is where it ends. "The Girls Guide" was a page turner and I finished it in no time at all, but it just didn't grab you and throw you headlong into the story (kind of a disappointment, because to me those are the best kind of novels). However, if you are looking for an entertaining book to take to the beach this summer "The Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing" is it.
Rating: 
Summary: A funny, yet confusing book.
Review: When reading this book, many emotions will come from within. This book is the story of a woman's trails and tribulations both in life and within herself. This is the first fictional novel that actually has a "down-to-earth" flavor. Writer Melissa Bank catches the woman within every woman, in a funny, yet calming and natural way. The book has its confusing moments, but that is exactly how life is; not written out on a tablet for us to read. The title does not reveal the true depth of this book, it should be titled "How to Live the Life of a Woman, Without Directions." Excellent book, I would recommend it to all my friends, girls and guys alike.
Rating:
Summary: Not Long Enough!
Review: I tried to slow down toward the end of The Girl's Guide to savor the joy of this terrific first novel...but I couldn't. Now I'll have to wait for Melissa Bank's next offering (hurry!)Jane is a witty and real protagonist. We meet her in adolescence and follow her until she finds true love (we hope!) I hated to close the book and end my relationship with her. (And whatever happens to her brother?!) There is a VERY interesting middle story about a man who fathers two children at once...I was intrigued by this interlude - maybe Banks was showing us what jane narrowly missed (she lived in the apartment above his mother.)
Rating:
Summary: 5/6 Superb. 1/6 Hype.
Review: We've all heard about the dating "rules". The hype surrounding this book is based on a little tale that is seemingly tacked on to the end of a wonderful life-journal kind of story. It starts with a younger version of our main character, curious about her brother's girlfriends, trying to figure out her own taste in relationships (not men), but how she will function within the idea and the potential of having a future love-life. She grows up before our eyes, becomes an editor to a really strict boss-lady, but relies on her ex-lover/editor to guide her through tricky job-politics. It is a bittersweet tale, showing the interconnectedness of a family, how they assume their roles as "mother", "father", "sister" and "brother". And then this silly hyped up "rules of dating" Cosmopolitan-esque short story is tacked onto the end, taking the completely opposite stance of the "rules of dating". It is easily predictable, less than interesting, and out of sync with the feeling that you are left with at the end of the family tale. It tastes like a pork rind after you've been eating fresh strawberries. I have no idea why the author added it on, except to make a bigger splash. I'd take a good look at future books to make sure that I'm getting the Melissa Bank who wrote the book and not the article in the back.
|
