Love the One You're With
by Emily Giffin
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Book Reviews of Love the One You're With
Book Review: At the very least, I learned something.
Summary: 3 Stars
'Show, don't tell.'
This is a primary Writer's Credo. And this novel is a monument to disregarding it. In fact, it celebrates 'telling', as opposed to the more inclusive (and collaborative) 'showing'. As a burgeoning writer, I found it a fascinating experience, reading this book...in the same way that as a screenwriter, I learn more from bad films than from good ones.
Don't get me wrong; I enjoyed this book. It had its moments. (I'm currently reading a slew of 'chick-lit' novels as research; I have one on the go in this genre) Putting aside the facile nature of the exposition (it gets a little tedious declaring character by way of possessions, no matter how much supporting, corroborative narrative is provided), and the pedestrian plotline, 'Love the One You're With' is capably written...if perhaps owning too low a set of aspirations. There's little that will 'surprise' here, little that will transform, or otherwise make reading the novel some kind of special experience. It is, in a very real sense, a Hallmark/Women's Channel film-as-book. (If nothing else, Ms Griffin writes confidently.)
But I'd have been curious to read how much different this story might have been in the third-person omniscient...without so much 'telling' going on.
We'll never know.
P. S. What did I learn? That a novel can be flawed, yet engaging. That there is a place for all artists...it's just a question of getting the product to market, and finding your audience.
Book Review: Typical chick lit
Summary: 3 Stars
The first three chapters for some reason made me bawl. The rest of it wasn't as intense - which was good. I'm not sure if I would have taken the same path as Ellen in the same circumstances but found the wanting to complete the past to be understandable - although I'm never sure the past can ever be tied off nicely. I didn't really buy Marot as a true best friend - it almost felt to me like she kept Ellen around to make her feel superior and sure of her rightful place in society.
The move from New York gave a good perspective of when you try to do the right thing by your partner (and yourself) while blindly ignoring the what if's that are comming up. Andy's desire and motivation to move was clear - but I didn't feel he gave his wife a decent time frame to consider it more seriously. Who buys a house based on their mother in law and sister in laws viewing?
It felt as though it tried to raise the point of true communication in a partnership 9which I saw as lacking in Ellen and Andy), but never really spelt out that was a possible issue. Maybe I was just reading into it too much.
While it ended rather blandly I think it highlights the notion that a couple does not have to be around each other 24/7 to have a successful marriage if that is what works for them.
Overall not so great a book as a lot of the raves I have heard/read about it. It was my first Emily Giffen book and it doesn't really give me much motivation to read any of her others
Book Review: Another great book from Emily Giffin
Summary: 4 Stars
On the surface, Ellen Graham appears to have the perfect life. She has a successful career as a photographer and is married to Andy, a wealthy lawyer who's a fantastic guy and also happens to be the brother of Ellen's best friend, Margot. Several months after Ellen and Andy's wedding, Ellen is going about her business on the streets of New York City when she bumps into Leo, her ex-boyfriend. Ellen hasn't seen or spoken to Leo in years, but as soon as she sees him again, she can't stop thinking about him. Eventually Ellen is forced to decide if what she had with Leo so long ago is worth fighting for, or if she truly belongs with the man she walked down the aisle with.
I always enjoy Emily Giffin's books, and "Love the One You're With" is no exception. Ellen is a very relatable character. I think a lot women encounter their own Leo at some point in their lives, a man who's difficult to completely let go of, for one reason or another. However, the book was very predictable right from the start, and it was pretty obvious how everything would turn out. (There's no such thing as an unhappy ending in an Emily Giffin book!) The ending in itself seemed rather rushed, in my opinion, and I would have enjoyed a longer Ellen/Margot reconciliation scene at the end: Their friendship was a major part of the book, and the resolution between the two characters took up less than three pages at the end of the novel. Still, I enjoyed this book from beginning to end and could not put it down.
Book Review: Blah.
Summary: 2 Stars
I loved Emily Giffin's first 3 books, so of course as soon as I heard this one was coming out, it went on my Amazon.com wishlist. I ended up listening to the book on CD, which was read by a great actress, but still didn't make me like the book. I can't stand books or movies about infidelity and such. I don't know why, because I read and watch EVERYTHING. I'm not the type of person to discriminate against reading/watching something just because I find the topic offensive. What I disliked most about this book was that the main character KNEW what she was doing, knew every lie she told to her husband, and yet still did it. She told her self OVER AND OVER AND OVER that she should do the "right thing" but every single time she ended up doing the wrong thing. I guess I just don't understand how you can go 10 years having been broken up with someone, and then as soon as you get married, BAM! You realize you're still in love with your ex??? Doesn't make sense to me. I guess I just couldn't relate to this character, and her indecisiveness and general stupidity made me not like her. I finished the book only because I wanted to see how it ended, which is why I gave it two stars and not one. I couldn't finish Jane Greene's last book, so it got one star. Anyway, other people seem to love this book, so I guess I'm in the minority here, but hey, you like what you like right?? I won't tell anyone NOT to read this book, because well, you might like it.Book Review: Last Giffin novel for me
Summary: 2 Stars
Before picking up this book, I'd only read Emily Giffin's "Something Blue" and spent the entire novel disliking intensely the main character. Still, I thought maybe that one novel was a fluke, so I gave this one a try. Nope, Emily Giffin really does write ugly, unlikeable, morally offensive protagonists, so I've read my last book by her.
I'm not sure why I didn't stop reading early on, but I guess I kept thinking that she really wasn't going to go THERE, was she? So I spent the first 338 or so pages of the 342 page book following along as the main character ran pell mell toward adultery before deciding in the last three or four pages that she'd stay with her husband and just love him. But, she didn't come to this conclusion before crossing a line -- maybe not the BIG line -- but a line nonetheless.
So I finish this book wondering what the author expected me to be thinking afterward? Was I supposed to sigh at how romantic their reunion was, despite the fact that the poor sap she's married to, a perfectly great guy in every way who adores her, has no clue just how far over the line she went? Was I supposed to think her so self-sacrificing and loyal because she FINALLY remembered those pesky marriage vows?
'Cause, it didn't work out that way for me. Thank you, Miss Emily Giffin, but you can keep your chick-lit and you're two for two in creating a protagonist I'd like to see fall off her stilettos.