Rating: 
Summary: Sequel Still Doesn't Get It Quite Right
Review: My biggest problem with "The Autobiography Of Vivian" (as stated in my review, to which you may refer if so inclined ;-) ) was that it seemed the author felt it necessary to pad an entertaining, but unrealistic, fluff piece about a girl who has EVERYTHING with an awkward, briefly mentioned backstory of an abusive relationship in the heroine's past. I felt that this particular plot element was an afterthought, to make Vivian seem more accessible to readers who could not get past her too perfect life. However, it didn't work, because the Vivian we met in that story did not come close to displaying any traits of an abuse victim. I was not the only reader who commented on this. It appears Vivian's creators took our criticism to heart, as the past comes back to haunt her in the sequel, "Vivian Lives". A few years down the road, Vivian is the star of her own website, has a great apartment, and the perfect boyfriend in Jack, the fireman who rescued her dog Omelet in Book One. But she's not the same loveably shallow twenty something without a care in the world that we met in the prequel. This Vivian has a dark side, and can't let go of the past, even at the risk of losing the man who adores her. Her moodiness and passive agressive behavior in this book are a startling change from her earlier personality. And while it may be more in keeping with someone who survived an abusive relationship, it doesn't fit with the Vivian we knew in the first novel. I certainly don't object to heavier plotlines and complex characters - in fact, the first book might have earned a higher rating from me if it had shown us more of this side of Vivian - but the series started out as basically mindless, but fun, chick lit, and that's how it should continue. Turning it into a dark drama about the effects of abuse doesn't make sense. Either choose one approach or the other to Vivian's story and stick with it, or strike a balance between the two from the beginning. Doing an about face halfway through is confusing and leaves the impression that the creators of Vivian and her website are trying far too hard to please their target audience. The sad thing is, they still aren't quite getting it.
Rating: 
Summary: fun fluff
Review: No, it's not deep and thought-provoking, symbolic of anything, or the next Catcher in the Rye. But it's fun! Having done the NYC thing myself, I can say that the day-to-day lifestyle Vivian lives is realistic (not the VH1, dates with big stars parts, but the mundane apartment issues, dog poop, coffee and/or drinks with friends parts are accurate, as are the very fine firefighters!). The one discordant note is the backstory on Vivian's previous relationship--it's hard to buy that someone so well-adjusted has so recently survived such abuse. But Vivan's, or should I say Ms. Krantz's, easy-going, chatty voice is as easy to read as cool lemonade is to drink on a hot day. It's true, Ms. Ordinary can make it, just like anyone else. She just may have to shlepp a little more coffee to do it. A semi-inspiring, but mostly just fun, read.
Rating: 
Summary: I want more!
Review: Ok - so, I am not exactly finished with this book yet. I just bought it yesterday and started on it this morning....IT IS FUNNY * FUNNY * FUNNY! I love reality tv so much that I am probably a bordeline nerd (not) but I found myself laughing out loud when Vivian describes her dog, Omlette, taking a poop on her boyfriends foot while he is sleeping. I also checked out her website...and it is totally cool!!
Rating: 
Summary: Fashion magazines are more thought provoking
Review: Painfully shallow and predictable book. Friends who don't normally read books recommended this to me, and loved its simplistic (written at a 3rd grade level), conversational writing style, and "small town girl moves to the big city" story. I just couldn't believe it could fill an entire book, and website, with no real content.
Rating:
Summary: What age group is this drivel for?
Review: Promoting herself as the heroine to the twentysomething female, Vivian Livingston is as flat as the cartoon on the cover. Filled with grammatical errors and "cute" spelling, this "book" is merely a weblog taken way too far. The so-called casual style is grating to say the least, and for those who do not subscribe to such format, it is hard to read.
Vivianlives.com is a marketing tool that worked very well - and I see this book as an extention of that branding platform. It's probably a great read for young girls who want to dream of the "luck" with which Vivian lives her life, but beyond a fantasy, Vivian doesn't have any substance.
Rating:
Summary: In desperate need of an editor
Review: Something about this book drew me in, I have to admit. As much as I dislike Bridget Jones and her knockoffs, as often as I refuse to watch Sex And The City, there was something appealing about Vivian Livingston (in the first five pages). Maybe the fact that she's an average girl, as the preface keeps saying. Except she's not an average girl, is she? She wins a songwriting contest despite having no discernible talent. She has dinner with a bonafide movie star. She gets a great job because someone thinks she's cute. And she never has to struggle with money. Wow, if that's run-of-the mill realism, sign me up. This "book" reads more like a weblog, which makes sense considering its origin. It has not nearly enough dialogue. The plot is best described as summary and rushes through darling Viv's first few months (days? minutes?) in NYC as if there's somewhere better to get to. The abusive boyfriend plot was manipulative and completely unbelievable. Krantz's patchwork-quilt storytelling style is downright aggravating: She drops a major character into the fray, expecting us to like or dislike him/her instantaneously; then gives crucial background information in drips and drops scattered throughout the rest of the book. She does this over and over again. Viv's parents, brothers, friends, are paper dolls. We learn nothing about them except that they support our plucky heroine. Joy. And as for the sixth-grade writing style (total sarcasm in parentheses! smileyfaces :)! exclamation points!!!!)... If this is the new chicklit, I'm resigning my gender.
Rating:
Summary: Time Passer
Review: This book intrigued me since I think the website vivianlives.com is really fun. This book is....ok. As in most Chick-Lit, a seemingly impossible event (winning a songwriting contest with no experience) turns the protagonist's world upside down, and thus she begins a 'new life' in NYC. We are told Vivian has suffered physical and emotional abuse for years at the hand of her 'boyfriend.' She lands a dream job with VH1, meets loads of 'cool people', and keeps chugging along in the search of love and happiness. 'Vivian' is not the most well written book, and it sometimes seems quite childish, but a decent read overall. Rather then buy it, I suggest getting it from the library.
Rating:
Summary: What the...
Review: This book is awesome. I don't know why there are so many bad reviews. The book reads like Vivian is having a conversation with you. It is very easy to follow and a fast read. You can relate so well to the character and the story is told as an actual non-fictional autobiography.
I was so siked when the 2nd book came out. And when I found out about the 3rd, I put all other reading material aside and picked it up that day. I'm 3/4 through and dreading then end. I hope they decide to continue the series (even though it's a trilogy).
The book has been described as fluffy but I kind of like fluffy. That is what chick lit is for. Otherwise, I'd be reading 'War & Peace' or something like that.
Anyway, I would at least give it a try. It's a realatively short book and like I said before, a short read. If you don't like it, then you don't have to continue the series. But I think you will.
Rating:
Summary: What the...
Review: This book is awesome. I don't know why there are so many bad reviews. The book reads like Vivian is having a conversation with you. It is very easy to follow and a fast read. You can relate so well to the character and the story is told as an actual non-fictional autobiography.
I was so siked when the 2nd book came out. And when I found out about the 3rd, I put all other reading material aside and picked it up that day. I'm 3/4 through and dreading then end. I hope they decide to continue the series (even though it's a trilogy).
The book has been described as fluffy but I kind of like fluffy. That is what chick lit is for. Otherwise, I'd be reading 'War & Peace' or something like that.
Anyway, I would at least give it a try. It's a realatively short book and like I said before, a short read. If you don't like it, then you don't have to continue the series. But I think you will.
Rating:
Summary: Combines all the worst of urban women's fiction
Review: This book is so poorly written that it could be the work of a sixth-grader. It is a book for people who think "Friends" is a reality show about life in New York. Who has ever heard of a waitress getting a terrific glamour job at a major conglomerate (for which she has no qualifications) because a customer likes her? The subplot about a former abusive boyfriend seems to be a throw-in to "humanize" the Cinderella protagonist. The ending is a cash-in on post 9/11 sentiment. It tries to capitalize on all the trends, and fails miserably.
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