Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood : A Novel

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Summary: Fantastic - absolutely amazing!
Review: You've already read it, so I can't tell you anything about what's in the book that you don't already know. I can tell you, however, that the book was recently optioned by Warner Brothers for Bette Midler's production company. A Ya-Ya movie is in the works.

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Summary: Great for book discussion groups and sharing with friends.
Review: Super novel that explains 'growing up southern'. Outrageous, unforgettable characters. Shared this book with many friends, relatives and even Mom! All loved it.

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Summary: This book is a women's classic!!!
Review: This is a classic women's novel, filled with heart, tragedy and friendship! The story examines not only how women can empower other women but also how we can take our parents for granted by seeing them merely in their role as parents and not as people with their own lives to live. A true joy to read.

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Summary: I love the Ya Ya's!!
Review: This is a beautiful example of the struggles between mother and daughter. To understand, hate, love, and finally come to a sweet appreciation and acceptance of each other's lives.

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Summary: My most favorite book ever!
Review: I was glued to this book. For three days I would hide behind my desk praying I wouldn't be caught not working -- a bit difficult as you burst out laughing or start crying! I loved so many parts of this book -- but I will never ever forget Pooty Pootwell or the nite the Ya-Yas spent in jail! I've recommended this book to my mother and my friends and they have all loved it! I'm so happy that the Ya-Yas are finally getting the recognition they deserve!

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Summary: Greetings to the Divine Ya-Yas New Orleans Chapter
Review: Just a quick note to say how thrilled I am to hear about the first meeting of the New Orleans Chapter of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood! I'm looking forward to meeting ya'll, playing some Bouree, and consulting the Ouija Board! Thanks so much for your passion and enthusiasm!

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Summary: a total lack of subtlety
Review: I loved the cover of The Divine Secrets of the Ya-ya Sisterhood. The text of the novel, however, was insulting to one's intelligence. Wells consistently feels a need to explain her character's witticisms and code words thus giving potentially humorous conversations all the levi of having a joke explained (e.g. we could have all figured out that "the Betty" is the yaya term fo the Betty Ford Center). Furthermore, the author often uses brand names of attire to develop hercharacters--please, portray your fictional creations with more finesse! Having just read Robert Penn Warren's All the Kings Men, I am sorry to see such a marked decline in the genre of southern fiction. Carson McCullers, William Faulkner, Tennessee Williams and the other greatsouthern writers would be appalled, I think, by this novel which is devoid of the evocative and subtle prose which made their work so timeless and so stirring.

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Summary: Lasting friendships, and unresoslved mother-daughter issues.
Review: An outstanding book is one that I think about between readings. The Ya-Yas were on my mind quite often and I found myself envying their friendship. How wonderful to have life-long friends and to share so much with them. I thought that Sidda's issues were realistic and that in understanding her mother's past, she was able to deal with relationships in her own life. I loved Wells' style, the use of flashbacks, and the good feelings you get about life in Louisiana.

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Summary: Funny book but not well-written
Review: There were parts of this book that I thought were hysterically funny and there were parts that hit way too close to home as a Southern daughter of an alcoholic mother. But, in general, I did not feel that it was very well written. Transitions between the Ya Ya stories were weak and flat. To me, it was as if the author had a whole bunch of stories and then said, "Let's see. How do I string these together into a whole?" Some of the dialogue sounded the same whether it was the Ya Ya's talking or the boyfriend. I thought some of the imagery was canned and cliche: I was so tired of that water and the naked bodies -- ANOTHER REBIRTH?! And finally, the premise of the book, that Sidda could not get married because she had unresolved feelings about men/family(?) because of her life with her mother(?) was suddenly resolved by the revealing of her mother's history by the Ya Ya's(?) was very thin and, for me, a big stretch. But Wells clearly has an incredible gift for telling a rip-roaring story and I will probably never forget Dr. Pooty Pootwell.

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Summary: Some good moments, but lacking depth in key characters
Review: I found the overall premise of the book engaging, but found the character of Sidda lacking much depth and I could not understand why she lacked the ability to love or have female relationships, which was the main thrust of the book. The Ya Ya sisters were much more intriguing. The very end with Sidda and her fiance reminded me of a Harlequin romance, a disappointment after some complex relationships were uncovered earlier in the book.