Rating: 
Summary: Modern Jane Austen With A Twist
Review: Helen Fielding's "Bridget Jones' Diary" is an hilarious example of the modern 'singleton' in London, although the storyline is universal. Bridget Jones is single,and obsessed about weight, smoking, men, and life in general. We meet her friends: Jude, Shazzer, Magda, and Tom -- along with their significant and not-so-significant others, including "Vile" Richard and Daniel Cleaver, with whom Bridget flirts and sleeps with obsessively and compulsively. To top off the list of characters, the dominant force in Bridget's life is her mother, who not only lives in her own little world, but drags her unwilling husband and daughter with her. In between Bridget's trysts and trials, such elements as television, literature, May-December romances, 'Smug Marrieds', and trendy fashions and bars are skewered in the 'diary' Bridget keeps. The end is satisfying and throughout are constant references to the "Pride and Prejudice" miniseries with Colin Firth, another obsession of Bridget and her friends. This strange homage to Jane Austen is encapsulated by Bridget's own "Mr. Darcy" with whom her parents attempt to fix her up. The quick pace and witty dialogue will leave you begging for more; a great read.
Rating: 
Summary: Read Angus, Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging instead
Review: I'm glad I read Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging before reading Bridget Jones's Diary. The parody is far more entertaining the National Bestseller. Where I could relate to Georgia and laugh at her 14 year old views of the world and dating, Bridget as a 30ish naive diary writer comes off as self obsessed and pathetic.
Rating: 
Summary: Hilarious
Review: This book was absolutely hilarious. I laughed through the entire thing. Helen fielding made it really easy to identify with the characters and to love bridget. This is a great book that makes you feel good when you read it.
Rating:
Summary: Good solid fun
Review: I can understand why people raved about this book. I did enjoy it. I read it in one sitting one rainy afternoon. Fielding is a good writer. She devised really good characters who had some depth. I was particularly impressed with how clearly and consistently she was able to create Bridget. The author's voice didn't sneak through at all, and that is harder to do in an novel than many realize. I found I liked Bridget. She was self effacing, introspective, and not as whiny as the lead character in Arabella Weir's book, "Does My Bum Look Big In This" (which I have also reviewed). Her concerns around diet, her love life, her job, and her relationship with her parents were things I could relate to. The thing I found was a letdown was that the book wasn't as funny as I had heard. I also found that it was somewhat predictable. Despite that, I'm glad I read the book, and if you haven't read it, it's worth picking up a used copy. I like Bridget and I'm interested in her enough that I'll read the sequel.
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Summary: Parallels, Parody, Pleasure
Review: Bridget Jones's diary was funny enough to read three times running and my pleasure in this book was shared with a number of female friends. Men do not appear to understand the humour, which is hardly surprising as it deals largely with the female psyche and response to life and relationship issues. Bridget is a somewhat exaggerated character, but this device works to entertain women by presenting an extreme version of some of their own foibles. A source of particular amusement and pleasure for me were the plot parallels with Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice. Never so obvious as to be irritating, the parallels are none the less obvious enough that they are not to be taken seriously but simply enjoyed. Bridget Jones's Diary is not LIKE Jane Austin's books, but it has a similar scope. That is, it deals with the social interactions between people, with relationships, and with the petty social discourse that is yet so crucially important to our lives.
Rating:
Summary: a pretty good book
Review: I'd have to say that this book was quite good. Only one thing though Id reccommend reading the book first before watching the movie. Id rather have a movie ruined for me than a book. It was pretty good. I dont usually like books that are set in a diary form, but this one was actually good and readable. The characters were developed nicely in fact. I would reccommend this book to all women. ( men might get a little bored and slightly offended.)
Rating:
Summary: VVG
Review: I finished this book within a week. That is quite the accomplishment coming from a self-described slow reader and avid tv watcher. I abandoned tv for a bit and stayed up until I couldn't keep my eyes open any more. This book was truly entertaining and I could relate to Bridget being a singleton and having smug marrieds as friends. This book is written as if it were in fact someone's diary. The reader is allowed to peek into Bridget's diary. It looks very much like other diaries in the fact that she writes everything down from her weight to how many cigarrettes she had on a daily basis. It is quite entertaining and a relief to see that the singletons seem to be obsessed with the same things, no matter what country they are in at the moment. Bridget Jones's Diary started me on my love of the Chick Lit genre. A must read for any girl, especially the singletons out there. The book is better than the movie, though the movie was a great addition to the movie.
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Summary: I love her, I love her, I love her
Review: I love her. Need I say more? She's the most amazing female heroine in a modern day chick-lit book. Read it - you'll love her too, how could you not?
Rating:
Summary: Pulled me out of the doldrums
Review: I've been having a difficult time of late finding a book that holds and, more importantly, keeps my attention for any length of time. Am I jaded? Too easily bored? Tempted too easily by the lure of the tv? Probably. Having already seen the movie based upon this novel I knew what I was getting into when I turned the first page. A very funny, somewhat jaded, slightly over-the-top look at the modern girls' search for love. I figured I'd turn a few pages before becoming bored or distracted but was surprised when I quickly polished off 70 pages before nodding away to dreamland (from exhaustion not boredom). I found Bridget's lack of control when it came to nearly everything quite amusing and her constant (but never overwhelming) remorse realistic. She keeps on plugging away despite her setbacks and always maintains a wicked sense of snark that you've gotta love. Yeah, she's more than a little self-absorbed but I still loved her. Some fave bits: When Bridget ponders the weirdness of why one must apply mascara with mouth open, making me feel not-quite-so-odd for doing the same. It's these silly little comments on the mundane that kept me turning the pages. Love Bridget's daily tallying up of her vices. This one is my favorite though:
Pg. 77 9st, alcohol units 5 (disgrace: urine of Satan), cigarettes 14 (weed of Satan - will give up on birthday) Another favorite of mine (possible because I don't know the first thing about throwing a successful diner party) was her famous dinner party where she agonized over making the perfect. "Realize after all effort and expense have served my guests: blue soup, omelet, marmalade." A great read. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel someday soon.
Rating:
Summary: How could you not?
Review: How could you not like Bridget Jones? She is everywoman...struggling with weight, her job, and getting a boyfriend...this is a very funny, amazing book about a woman on a the longest journey called life...you'll Laugh Out Loud for SURE!...and she's British!
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