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Summary: This story will make you laugh, cry, and reflect.
Review: A story of an intense mother/daughter relationship with friendship thrown in for laughter. Tears of joy, laughter, sorrow and horror ran down my checks throughout the book. I would highly recommend.
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Summary: potential feminism mired in troubling race/class/beauty issu
Review: I'd been very much looking forward to reading the book, what with its proclamations of "sisterhood" and a southern sensibility. However, while it takes great pains to tell us over and over about the "sisterhood" here, I found the characters to be prententious (lets see how many upper crust clothing labels, enormous mansions and brie cheeses we can name drop), superficial (thank goodness none of the yayas or their daughters are ugly! Someone actually says this!), and pitiful in race issues. Wells periodically plugs in black women of the south but ironically restereotypes and simplifies them, as they remain mired in the superwoman myth and then, more nauseatingly, "saved" in racist moments by righteous rich young white belles. And what in the world is a "sisterhood" book where a woman's loss of sanity is narrated with horror at symbolically chipped nail polish? After all, what other nightmare could befall a woman? This book seemed to be a mishmash of Martha Stewart meets Anne Taylor and J. Crew proccupations all thrown into an otherwise over-the-top attempt at hitting us over the head with shallow and superficial women friendships. And do we really need to emphasize how the heroine here has a concave stomach? Or how over-the-top gorgeous all of the sisters are? (it appears that looks and lack of body fat are the #1 criteria here for this "earthy" sisterhood). Overall, the feminist movement has been very troubled by classist and racist notions, and while it has moved with some success away from such problems, this book simply revisits them plus sugarcoats the whole thing with cloyingly saccharine jargon (angels gracing the bed during a love scene? come on.) Amy Tan and Barbara Kingsolver have beautifully written about female relationships and have avoided the elistist and feel-good pitfalls of this book. I would highly recommend them, as examples, instead.
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Summary: Highly entertaining, really made me think
Review: I enjoyed this book - the first book chosen for our book club. The southern imagery was entertaining and full of imagination. I thought the characters were explored well, except I could never get a clear picture in my head of the faces of the Ya-Ya's. More could have been done with the relationship of Sidda and her fiancee. The fairy-tale ending was much-needed, but also a little predictable. A good read for anyone interested in female relationships!
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Summary: Yay for the Ya-Ya's
Review: While I don't think Rebecca Wells will win any awards for her writing, I did find the story very intriguing. I found myself jealous that I didn't have a group of special friends like the Ya-Ya's. I had trouble putting it down because I think I was as curious as Sidda to find out more about the Ya-Ya's and their many adventures. After the "Gone With the Wind" scene, I dug out my video of it and popped it in the VCR. I really felt for both Sidda and Vivi and the tragic circumstances of their lives. My only criticism is that Ms. Wells kind of jumps from first person to third person and I also thought that sometimes, her "journal entries" and descriptions of the teen Ya-Ya's just didn't sound like a young girl narrating. I fully recommend the book, though, as enjoyable reading.
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Summary: Most POWERFUL, ENDEARING book makes you LOVE LIFE
Review: This book had me identifying myself, my family, my friends, and all the trials that come with those relationships at every turn. I picked it up and put it down within 10 hours - I couldn't get enough, and didn't want it to end. It has helped me look at myself, my mother and my daughter differently, as well as the normal hazards of raising teenagers.This book not only helped me think through my own life, but made me ANXIOUS to live life!!
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Summary: ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITE READS!
Review: THIS WONDERFUL BOOK WAS RECOMMENDED TO ME BY A FRIEND AND WHAT A JOY IT WAS TO READ. I GREW UP IN ALABAMA AND I SWEAR, I KNOW SOME OF THESE PEOPLE! SENT COPIES TO MY FAVORITE COUSINS WHO LAUGHED AND CRYED ALLONG WITH THE YA YA'S TOO.
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Summary: Most enjoyable
Review: Ms Wells brings her characters to life in this tale of a relationship between a mother and her daughter. Every woman as well as the men in their lives should read this book.
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Summary: A beautifully written emotional roller coaster
Review: 'Divine Secrets' is one of the best books I've read in a long time. Rachel Wells takes us on an emotional journey as we follow the lives of the 'Ya-Ya's', four southern belles with the type of friendship everyone desires in life. Not only do we learn the power of friendship, but also the turmoils that come between a mother and daughter. Any one who reads this boook is able to identify themselves with a character in the book. At some points in the story its almost as if you're looking through a mirror. I'm only 18 years old and read this for my Advanced Contemporary Literature class. Although I am young and haven't experienced all that the world has to offer, I found a great deal of value in this book. Whether you've experienced this type of friendship or not, it is a great read. It helps to understand why the strength of friendship is so important to have in life.
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Summary: Perfect Gift for Mother's Day / daughter's birthday!
Review: My mother bought 3 copies, one for each daughter! What a treat - I haven't stopped asking her questions since! Great book to share with your girlfrieds too!
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Summary: Well written tale of the complex relationships of women
Review: I read this book for a book club and I loved it. The book led to a wonderful discussion of our own relationships with our mothers and our friends. The author does a great job in telling the tale of the four Ya-Ya's and she also goes a step farther and lets the reader in on the relationships of mothers and daughters.
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