Something Borrowed
by Emily Giffin
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Book Reviews of Something Borrowed
Book Review: Book Review: Something Borrowed
Summary: 4 Stars
My Review
When I first became a book review blogger, I was preparing my Books Page for the website. I went through my books and input them all into The Library Thing. Now, of course, there are many books that I've read over the years that have since left my home never to return. However, somehow over the past 5 years, books have started to stay and my book collection born.
I finally purchased a bookcase and was excited to organize all of my books. That's when I came across Something Borrowed. Had I borrowed this book and forgot to return it? I don't think that was it. The color had faded on the cover and the pages beginning to brown. I can always tell when I've read a book. Something that doesn't belong there is shoved in there somewhere... a receipt, a lotto ticket... something. This book had nothing. It's pages obviously never turned. So, I flipped through the pages. Nothing seemed familiar. Had I purchased this book and not read it? That's not like me. But, guess what? That is the case! It just slipped right through.
So, it was added to my "TBR Pile" like an abandoned child. I promised myself to read it for the Just For The Love of It Reading Challenge. Yesterday, it got its turn. And, as quickly as I opened it, I finished it. I'm finding that I'm getting to be that way with Chick Lit/Women's Fiction. I just love it. Yes, I can read the classics and the prize winners. I love them too. And, I can read historical fiction and biographies... they too are great. But, when I relax the most is when I read "Chick Lit." I look back at my book reviews... for all of the women's fiction/chick lit that I read, I can see that I'm really pretty happy with most of them. I guess it's my favorite genre. That's one good thing that Something Borrowed gave me. I really like this genre no matter its age. I can compare it to going to see a Romantic Comedy in the theatre. I'm wearing sweats, eating popcorn, and pleased as punch to be there lost in the story line. I see myself feeling the same way in reading books like Something Borrowed, wearing jammies, drinking tea, and engrossed in a story.
Onto Emily Giffin and this book. As you can summarize from the story line section above, our heroine, Rachel, is a 30-year old lawyer in New York City. She ends up in bed with her childhood best friend, Darcy's, fiance Dex. Now, there are many in's and out's of their history and Rachel, in all, is not a bad person. The love affair between Rachel and Dex was, in fact, meant to be. Darcy is really more the "pain in the pah-too-kah" than Rachel. The reader wants Rachel and Dex to be together and Darcy to be humbled from her "ME ME ME" lifestyle and character. The story is fun, classically chick-lit, and I enjoyed it.
Let me tell you what I think is so smart about Emily Giffin. At the end of Something Borrowed, she provides the readers the first two chapters of its sequel, Something Blue. Something Blue is told from Darcy's viewpoint. So, now I HAVE TO get Something Blue to find out what happens to Darcy and her baby. I mean, how smart is that? Giffin's got her readers hooked into TWO books in one! Smart, smart, smart! I was just cruising through her website and she has a new book called Love the One You're With. I'd love to read and review it along with Something Blue and tell you guys more about Giffin and her writing.
I'd compare Giffin to Beth Kendrick, Jennifer Weiner, or Jane Porter. She's a solid writer and her book was really good!
On Sher's "Out of Ten Scale":
What I liked most about this New York Times Bestseller are the characters. Rachel is just somebody that you can't help to root for, just as much as Darcy is somebody that annoys the heck out of you! I also didn't hate Dex for being a "cheater cheater pumpkin eater." Rather, you can see that he just fell for the right girl at the wrong time. When you feel this way about characters, you know that the author has written a book that you can relate to and enjoy. And, that I did. From my PERSONAL viewpoint, I am awarding this book for the genre Fiction: Chick Lit an 8.5 out of 10. It might have otherwise earned an "8," but I just loved the response that Rachel gave Darcy about Dex's watch!
Book Review: Good book -- but weak characters
Summary: 3 Stars
I didn't want to read a book about a girl who cheats with best friend's fiance but after reading all the good reviews, I decided to try it out. It helped that I could get both "Something Borrowed" and "Something Blue" from the local library, so I didn't really have anything to lose. I ended up reading both of them in one day, back-to-back.
"Something Borrowed" was a solid book. It wasn't an "out-of-world, this is the best book I've read all year, kind of a book. But, it was a "nobody bother me, I want to finish this book" kind of a book, so I have to give it 3 ½, but Amazon doesn't offer that option.
The good stuff: the writing is really good. This is a girl that knows how to write.
The conversations between the protagonists are quite realistic - you feel as though you're eavesdropping on a conversation between friends. Even though the characters sometimes do things that you would find morally questionable (like constantly back-biting and gossiping about their friends with each other) one cannot deny that it's a pretty realistic portrayal of what really happens amongst friends. The love affair between Dex and Rachel is written nicely, as well. The way she describes them sneaking around and the sadness they feel that they can't spend that night, and the way they both slip into denial mode about their affair is so well written that you can almost feel what the characters are feeling, even if you haven't been in that position yourself. Just based on the writing alone, and the way the plot keeps moving along, I would have to give it 5 stars.
The bad stuff: This is what brings the total score down a couple of points.
The characters are just not well sketched. You cannot have empathy for them. I think, for me anyway, it was hard to get past the basic premise of the book: a woman (the maid of honor, no less) has an affair with her best friend's fiancé months before the wedding. That is pretty unforgivable.
And, I felt that the author took the easy way out by painting Darcy to be a horrible person, so, in a sense, trying to say that Darcy had it coming. That makes no sense. If Darcy was such a horrible person, why was Dex with her for 7 years? 7 years is a LONG time to be with someone you think is horrible. Plus, Rachel had been her friend for over 20 years. That either makes Rachel the biggest pushover in the world (which is not an attractive quality in a protagonist) or Darcy must have some redeeming qualities as a friend.
Which brings me to another point: I could not sympathize with Rachel and Dex's position because I could not bring myself to like their characters. Rachel struck me as a weak person. She spent her life just sitting the sidelines waiting for things to happen to her, rather than going out and doing them. She could not stand up for herself and her self esteem issues got to be rather annoying at one point. The author tried to make it seem that it was Darcy's fault - that Rachel was always in her shadow and compared to her, but it doesn't fly with me. Darcy and Rachel weren't always glued at the hip. They both went to different colleges and, later, Rachel went to law school without Darcy. Why did she have such low self-esteem? I don't particularly like my main characters to be spineless, weak, and with self-esteem issues, so that's probably why I didn't like Rachel. And, then, there's Dex. How can you profess to love someone, have an affair with them and turn around to marry another woman? It made me really dislike him. How could Rachel still love him when he wasn't making a decision about this? I found it really hard to respect him - and that kind of ruined enjoyment of the story for me. I wasn't even rooting for him at the end. I was kind of hoping that Rachel would fall for Ethan, who struck me as a decent guy.
Anyway, I would still recommend the book. Character flaws and all - it was still an enjoyable read, even if I liked "Something Blue" a lot more. I would recommend that a person to read this before "Something Blue" because I think that you can't get the whole picture unless you read both of them.
Book Review: Why does she get to marry him? I saw him first!
Summary: 4 Stars
Rachel White and Darcy Rhone have been best friends since grade school. They have shared almost everything there is to share. Even though there has always been an undercurrent of competition, all of which Darcy, supermodel gorgeous and with exuberant confidence, wins almost without effort, Rachel loves her. Now Darcy has a glamorous PR job, is as gorgeous as ever and is engaged to the perfect man. Dexter and Darcy. Heck, even their names sound perfect together! Rachel, on the other hand, is single, hates her job at a law firm, and is about to turn thirty. (Darcy is a few months younger, so she gets to be twenty-nine for a while longer. Luck her... again!) During her thirtieth birthday party, put together by Darcy, Rachel gets drunk and does the unthinkable: she sleeps with Dex. A pandemonium of confusion emerges after the abrupt one night stand. For the most part, Rachel tries to downplay the events as a drunken mistake, but she admits to herself that she feels no guilt. Why should she? Hasn't Darcy been beating her in every way since they were kids? She'd even gone out with a boy she knew Rachel had a crush on when they were in the fifth grade! When Dex begins to flirt, making it clear that he wants their dalliance to continue, Rachel faces some difficult choices. She loves Dex, but she also loves her best friend. Will she and Darcy continue to be BFF after everything blows over? Whatever happens, the decision won't be easy.
I expected to dislike the heroine for her actions. Surely, sleeping with her best friend's fiancé is wrong. However, it surprised me that I rooted for her and Dex. There was never any doubt in my mind about this as I read on. I sympathized with the heroine, couldn't care less for Darcy. Every woman has had a Darcy at some point in her life -- someone beautiful, who always seems to get away with everything. Someone self-absorbed and petty. Someone who takes pleasure in beating her best friend to the punch. Which begs the question, is she that good of a friend? No? Yeah, didn't think so. But she's far from the only irritating factor here. Rachel's spinelessness is jarring -- the way she wouldn't tell Dex to either poop or get off the pot. Dex's confusion, though understandable, is annoying at times. You'd wish you knew where he stands not just in his feelings but also in who he really wants. Is he taking the heroine for a ride? I wondered more than once if he was just having a last fling and had lied about his supposed love for Rachel.
Anyway, I don't want to give anything important away. Suffice it to say that I couldn't put this book down. I wanted to know how it would all turn out. Even though the story is slightly predictable, the way things transpire is still refreshing and entertaining. Something Borrowed is an awesome read. Chick-lit these days is such a tiresome genre. You feel as though you've read the same novel over and over again. It's almost as though there were prerequisites for the storylines. Unfulfilling job? Check! Single? Check! Late twenties or early thirties? Check! Quirky mother/family? Check! Sex and the City-like scenes where friends get together for cocktails? Check! And so on. Few authors manage to improvise and write something refreshing and unique. Emily Giffin is one of those authors. She makes an unsympathetic situation seem completely sympathetic. This book has a darker edge than most chick-lits, with flawed characters and situations, which makes it all the more entertaining for me. I have picked up Something Blue, the sequel with Darcy's point of view. Darcy is flawed, a very unlikable character, an antiheroine for sure, so her novel should be interesting. Giffin is on my list of authors to look to in the future. Great summer read!
Book Review: Like a Sweet Valley High novel for adults
Summary: 2 Stars
I give this 2 and half stars. Like a roll of the dice, close but no cigar.
Nostaligic....this book reminded me of the young adult romances I used to glom as a kid. And all of the cool references to pop culture from the 80's, and the way Giffin smoothly injects these flashes into Rachel's narration are fun. Even the name Darcy has a kind of "80's" feeling to it.
Fast paced. Good prose. Being a bit of a goody-two-choes myself I relate to many of Rachel's observations about her friendship (rivalry is more like it) with Darcy. Were 2 women ever more opposite? (Rachel is starightlaced Elizabeth Wakefield and Darcy is wild, flamboyant Jessica Wakefield...for those of you who were fans of this teen book series you'll know what I mean).
Still, Rachel is an unbelievable wimp; passive-aggressive; self depricating; low self esteem (needs therapy), not exactly a role model for the modern woman. And I am supposed to believe this cream puff is a litigator in a top NY firm? Hillary was way more interesting to read about (alot like Miranda in Sex and the City) and i wished Giffen would have written more about her or did a sequel featuring her instead of focussing so much on Darcy.
Dex is supposed to be some tall dark handsome rich smart sexy successful perfect unbelievable JFK-Jr. type. A dream boat, a catch. Why would this Adonis want someone as shy, plain, insecure, easily controlled, inexperienced, deceitful, envious, and admittedly dull as Rachel? And if he loved her why would he be such a whimp about it till the end? Cruel to break it off the way he did. And a total cop out by Giffen to make Darcy so unlikeable and to make her do something so bad at the novel's end. And if Darcy is such a shallow airheaded tramp why would Dex want to stick with her for seven years anyhow? neither rachel or Darcy seem to be so great. And Dex is so perfect, his moment of imperfection (stalling the break up) is all the more unbelievable. (Actually Dex is kind of dull too--humorless, and stiff, like a doll. Giffen could have fleshed him out some more.)
My gripe is there are no consequences for Rachel and Dex. They drop Darcy like a hot potato without guilt or care.
And giffen takes the easy way out with Darcy too(or perhaps she saw a chance to capitalize on this in a sequel?)
No one is that unlikeable...so card board cut out, sterotypical, Gffen gives her no redeeming values, nothing likable at all about her...until the last third of her next novel! And even then it does nto ring true.
I liked the author's style; I did NOT like the characters and I thought the ending was too abrupt, could have been better. I mostly disliked what a doormat the heroine is to Dex...not a good example for the tons of single gals out there who read this. Folks, lets face it, this book is a fairy tale. Perhaps that's where the appeal stems from? It is an Urban dating myth. Please! Dex never would have picked Rachel, even if he did dump Darcy. Most likely Rachel would have ended up the other woman and continued the affair throughout their marriage. Dex would continue to be a two timing cad. Darcy would be a park avenue princess who fooled around with the gardener. Rachel would continue to pathetically service Dex without any respect for herself, and would continue to delude herself about how he is using her and Darcy too.
Not a bad book, but not one I'll be rereading any time soon either. Largely forgettable. Stick to the paperback.
Book Review: Just Great!
Summary: 5 Stars
I had never heard of author Emily Giffin, or this book "Something Borrowed", or the follow up "Something Blue" until I was looking for some summer reading and these popped up on Amazon. I saw that they both got 5 stars and so I borrowed both from the library. I was not disappointed. This book and "Something Blue" were just great! "Something Borrowed" is about the friendship between Rachel and Darcy who've known each other since they were five years old. The story begins at Rachel's 30th birthday party at a local nightclub in NYC. Darcy is there, along with Dex, her fiancee, and a few other friends. When the party breaks up and it's just Rachel and Dex left at the bar, they hang out the rest of the evening together, one thing leads to another and they end up in bed together. How does Emily Giffin turn this story into a great book? She just does with great writing and believeable characters. The story is told in the first person by Rachel. This is her story and her version. To understand how Rachel could end up in bed with her best friend's fiancee, you have to understand the character of Darcy. Darcy had always been the type who had to "one up" on everything Rachel had or did. Even when they were in high school, Darcy lied to Rachel and told her she got into Notre Dame, knowing that Rachel didn't and that was Rachel's first choice. Darcy had to be the center of attention, be the best at everything, be the most beautiful and most populer, and had to get that affirmation from Rachel, and Rachel, the good friend that she was, always let Darcy shine.
Rachel actually met Dex first, at law school. They developed a good friendship, but she was so preoccupied trying to do great in law school, she didn't have time for romance, but she thought Dex would be great for Darcy. Dex is handsome, well connected, and has a great job. Darcy falls for him and after seven years together, they get engaged. The night of Rachel's 30th birthday party, Dex takes Rachel home and they make love. Not sure where to go from here, they realize that they can't hide their feelings from one another and continue to see each other even though they know that they are hurting Darcy, and they both don't know where it's leading since Dex is set to marry Darcy in three months. Rachel is confused and torn because she loves Darcy like a sister and tries to rationalize her relationship with Dex by saying that she met him first, that she should've pursued Dex when she had the chance and fate was giving her another opportunity because she was in love with Dex. Besides, Darcy wasn't really that nice of a person for someone like Dex.
As a reader, you would think that you would not want to read a story about these three people. With Darcy, you have a self-centered, spoiled brat who would do anything to get what she wants; you have Rachel, who betrays her friendship by sleeping with her best friend's fiancee; and you have Dex, who is cheating on his fiancee, and it appears that he's leading Rachel on. But author Emily Giffin writes this book in a way that makes you somehow root for all three of them to work this out. It's just an excellently written book, and you have to follow it up with the sequel, "Something Blue", because that story is told in the first person by Darcy, and it picks up where "Something Borrowed" ends. I read both books in two days. I know I've read a great book when I miss the characters after I've finished the book. Enjoy both of these. You won't be disappointed!