Rating: 
Summary: A hauntingly wonderful book
Review: I bought the abridged, audio book and literally did not want to turn it off. i would listen in the car on my way to work and i just didn't want to get out because i wanted to know what would happen next. As many have said before me, this book travels around the exsistence of a group of high school friends. It chronicles their lives from the time one of them falls into a coma up until she wakes up and strange things begin to happen. The entire story unfolds in such a way that you wouldn't expect and the turns it takes is completely mesmerizing. Robert Sean Leonard lends his voice to the reading of the book and he does a wonderful job. by the end of the book i really believed he was Richard. His voice changes so well for each of the characters. i just love this book.
Rating:
Summary: Startlingly original- and oddly uplifting.
Review: "Girlfriend In A Coma" opens in familiar territory- a group of high school friends on a ski trip- with one small exception: The narrator is a ghost. He arrives to set up the story, and tells the reader he'll be back later, but in a different role.With that odd introduction, we meet a group a friends and see their first tragedy- one of their members goes into a coma shortly after her first sexual experience- which, we learn later, has resulted in her pregnancy. But there's much more to this book than the soap opera beginning suggests. Karen awakes- but the world she awakens to may or may not be the real world. Jared, the ghost, makes his return, and brings a choice to his friends. More than that would give away too much. If this much intrigues you- you won't be disappointed.
Rating: 
Summary: A superb and captivating message of hope
Review: Girlfriend in a Coma was the first book I have read by Coupland, and I am now afraid the others will not measure up to this excellent novel. Coupland has masterd the art of relating to his readers in Girlfriend... so well that i had extreme difficulty putting this book down. I found that I would intend to read for only five minutes, and read for 2 hours instead! One thing that Coupland was able to do somehow in Girlfriend, was to capture the full attention of his audience, and make them believe that all of what was happening in his post-appocalyptic novel is really possible. Not once did I find myself thinking "yeah right, like the whole world could really ever fall asleep!" Coupland does this by making us relate to his characters: both their thoughts, actions, feelings, and situations. I can only hope I will get as much joy out of reading all the rest of Couplands novels.
Rating:
Summary: Its the concept that counts...
Review: When i first started reading this book, i found it a bit shallow, and rushed, with a focus on plot more than development and explanation. However, as the book progressed, i literally couldn't put it down. It has such an engrossing plot, of an apocalypse and the select few who get a second chance at life, and how they deal with it. I'm glad the book ended the way it did, because i thought it would be cheesy, but it turned out excellently, bittersweet. The only drawback i had with the book was that the plot seemed to supplant character development, and the story. In other words, it became the concept that was important, and not the process. This book is like the Stephen King story, "the stand", but without focussing on the events of what's happening, but on the outcome. I found this focus on the larger idea a bit too sidetracking, and a bit too moralistic, where i would have enjoyed more development of the story. Nonetheless, its a really good read, and it is a great concept, but i think it could have been expanded on.
Rating:
Summary: striking
Review: probably one of the most enjoyable experiences I have ever had, this book now follows me around. A very touching, wonderfully written story. I would recommend it to anyone who is in need of reminding that they are alive.
Rating:
Summary: This book was an insight to the thoughts that flood my mind
Review: I have read all of Douglas Coupland's books (except Shampoo Planet) and this was my favorite Coupland book to date. I admire Coupland's style of writing simply because he has a way of portrying the thoughts and that fill many of our minds. At first the SEEMINGLY shallow and trashy plot nearly kept me from reading, but as soon as I started I could not put it down! As they say you can't judge a book by it's cover and I'm certainly glad I didn't. As a 17 year old I may view the world differently than some of you critics out there, but I stand by my ratings, this book was excellent. Through the obviously fictional apocolyptical events that unfold, Coupland questions the meaning of life and our purpose on this rapidly desensitizing planet. I thoroughly enjoyed and I advise anyone else out there who questions their own exsistance to read this novel!
Rating:
Summary: A fine adventure
Review: I must admit a bias for things that change in midstream. This book starts off in one direction, one type of story very typical to Couplands previous works, and becomes something else...scifi, fantasy, end of the world, or how ever you may choose to describe it. Coupland handles the transition beautifully, and it in fact, added to my interest in the novel. It's just like a song that starts of drowsy and slow, but then halfway through roars into an audio assault that makes me want to jump up and break something....or at least air guitar a bit. This first part was interesting...but in a typical, comfortable Coupland kind of way. In the second part he tries something a little different...cept maybe for some of the appocalyptic visions in 'Life After God'. If you want some fun, some adventure, fine writting and a bit of philosophy to think about..then enjoy...just understand that it's a new evolution for this particular authour. Enjoy
Rating: 
Summary: two books in one
Review: Unfortunately this books greatest strength is, probably its biggest failing. The first half of "Girlfriend" is classic Coupland. You cannot help getting wrapped up in the lives of the characters, even if about 18 years skip by like a stone. I got so involved with the characters that I forgot that I knew what was going to happen... and then Coupland decided to become Stephen King, throwing in the modern equivalent of the "sea change". As a literary device, this makes you re-evaluate the characters, and completely alters the timber of the book. There are merits to this, however it completely disrupted my reading. I was content with the way the book was going before the change. After it I felt like I was being preached to about the evils of modern society. If you like Coupland AND Stephen King, you will probably like this morality play. If you like Coupland you will love the first half... as far as the rest, you are on your own.
Rating:
Summary: how to put a title on something like this...
Review: foremost, this book is moving in ways one may not realize they are even thinking. it kind of creeps into your subconcious and comes out at odd times. when reading this, multiple times, i discovered each time how strange our surroundings can be, how we kind of warp things into whatever temperament we currently flow under. after reading this, one tends to question their place, desideritum, etc. in the collective scheme of the prodigious world and those that reside under it's sky... the same sky we forever try to grasp, and seemingly sometimes get close. douglas coupland is a master of emotional connection regarding the reader. sometimes backing grounds for weeping, in moments when things don't make much sense, when we seemingly lose the sky. "Girlfriend in a Coma" is quite possibly one of my favorite books, for it's emotion, for it's questioning, for whatever else it induces. READ IT... in reading it i am forever changed, in small ways, in rare moments, in obscure corners... An awesome book.
Rating:
Summary: If you are looking for Life After God II, don't read this.
Review: This book started off pretty drab.. and I wasn't sure if i was going to like it at all. I didn't relate to any of the characters though this might be because I was more of a child of the 80s than the 70s. After continuing through to the end, I was surprised and pleasantly delighted. I have read all of Coupland's novels and it is so difficult to not pit one book against another when reading his work. This is definitely not a book to read if you are looking for the sequel to Microserfs or Life After God. This is not a typical work by Coupland and it takes a more sci-fi look into our present lives. It deals with the same kinds of thoughtful insights into our culture and our generation but on a surreal level. After reading I was inspired and relieved that once again, good ole Douglas hadn't disappointed me.
|
