Amanda

I am a fan of the 2001 film based on this book starring Renee Zellweger, Hugh Grant, and Colin Firth, so naturally I was drawn to reading the book that started it all. Aside from not being able to relate completely to Bridget's weight loss woes (in either book or her movie counterpart - I would give anything to weigh between 120-135 pounds!) it was a quick and entertaining read.

No surprise, the book reads just like a diary: complete with dates and times and crossed out lines and emotional, post-2 AM-drunken entries agonizing one's love life.

For me, I found myself both absolutely frustrated with Bridget - only to turn the page and discover that sometimes, yes - I am just as silly and hot-tempered and fickle. My favorite element was the constant throwback to New Year's resolutions (and the difficulty in keeping them), which makes this a timely book for the end of the year around the holidays.

Overall, I am more likely to re-watch the movie again before re-reading the book, however I am appreciative of having a better understanding of Bridget because of this darling little book.

Visually stunning and tasty, Martel has a strong handle on how to craft delectable prose. Vivid details regarding some of the more violent sections were so easily pictured I found my stomach churning as if I was with Pi on the sea. The book was a beautiful blend of the mesmerizing fantasy of being lost at sea and the depressing elements of what that reality would look like. (Possible poilers ahead) My biggest frustration regards the ending. As a writer, I can appreciate it. As a reader, it took the wind out of my sails a bit, and a book that had made me hopeful and thirsty for adventure instead left me with a bittersweet after-taste in my mouth. However, I'm still thinking about the book, which to me is a sign that was, indeed, a quality literary work.

I'd love to give this book a 3.5 rating.

I listened to the audio version, which made me laugh out loud. I loved getting to know Tina Fey—as a person, a writer, a producer, and a mother. It was an enjoyable listen.

That said, it is apparent a few times this book is from 2011. Some jokes and comments haven't aged the best, like certain SNL sketches or episodes of 30 Rock.

Overall, I was pleased with this book (I borrowed the audiobook from the library) and think audiobooks are a great approach to reading books by comedians, especially. I liked it enough that I would love another book by Fey, picking up where she left off.

The story was a bit haphazard and disjointed, but then again, it's reflective of how life often is. I enjoyed the protagonist - Sasha - her unique stories (her beginnings in Serbia, her brief encounter as a mother, her mail-order bride escape to the states, and her round-a-bout way of finding her father, true love, and friendship). My favorite takeaway from this novel however is the beautiful way Anya Ulinich describes everything - from the world to emotions. Her descriptions are richly written, and are the type of descriptions I am envious of as a writer. I recommend this one if you are interested in learning about Russian culture and/or fictional memoirs about the immigrant experience in the states.

THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE show on Amazon Prime made me want to check out the book on which it is based. The concept—an alternate reality where Nazi Germany and Japan won the Second World War—is incredibly fascinating and I wanted to gain further insight into this world and read the details the television show missed, as screen adaptations are wont to do.

Unfortunately, while the book started strong, giving the reader a more comprehensive view of this alternate universe, it lacked conflict and any major plot developments. Its characters—many familiar favorites from the series, such as Frank, Ed, Childan, Tagomi, Juliana and Joe—mainly wander from situation to situation, and simply exist in this world. There is no character growth, and where novels most often include a beginning, a middle and an end, this book seemed to end with events where most other books would be only half way completed.

Furthermore, the book is clearly an artifact of its time (first published in 1962), which is evident by its racist and sexist texts. Hiding behind a character who is a Nazi does not excuse gratuitous and offensive racism, and there are plenty of other ways to describe female characters that don't rely on their breasts' physical attributes (really—did we need a whole paragraph dedicated to our lead female's struggle with how to wear a new dress while lacking the correct undergarments and her worry of going without due to her “mature, size 38 bust”?)

If Phillip K. Dick (aptly named) had spent more time creating a legitimate story with actual conflict and crafting his world with detail than waxing on poetic about Juliana's beauty, bedroom antics, or breast size, we may have been gifted with a true treasure of a novel.

Instead, despite a highly disappointing series finale, I find myself amazed that the televised adaptation has more character development, conflict-driven plot, and overall is objectively superior to its source material.

The myth that the book is always better is debunked, and we have Mr. Dick to thank for that.