Sundays at Tiffany's
by Gabrielle Charbonnet, James Patterson
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Book Reviews of Sundays at Tiffany's
Book Review: Prepare to fall in love
Summary: 5 Stars
Once again, I have fallen in love. James Patterson's new book has, yet again, delivered the kind of emotion one feels when one is hungrily, desperately and hopelessly in love. I cannot even begin to gather the words to describe this book.
I'll start with the summary found at the back of the book...(Warning, spoilers!!! as I have added a bit more detail)
Jane Margaux is a lonely little girl. Her mother, Vivienne, a powerful Broadway producer, makes time for her only once a week, for their Sunday trip to admire jewelry at Tiffany's. Jane has only one friend: a handsome, comforting, funny man named Michael. He's perfect. But only she can see him. Michael can't (and does not) stay forever. On Jane's 9th birthday he leaves, promising her that she'll soon forget him. According to him, this is just how things go.
Years later, in her thirties, Jane is just as alone as she was as a child. And despite her own success as a playwright (she wrote Thank Heaven and it was based on her life with her imaginary friend Michael and how it ended with him leaving), she is even more trapped by her overbearing mother. She's seeing Hugh, a conceited and self-indulgent actor who sees only himself and treats Jane as trash. Then she meets someone - a handsome, comforting, funny man. He's perfect. His name is Michael...and yes, he is the same Michael from her childhood.
(spoiler alert!! stop reading here if you want to read the book for yourself)
Jane does not understand how Michael can be the same man 23 years later. Michael is also as confused as she is. She's supposed to forget him but she didn't. He's not supposed to run into the kids he befriended but he has ran into Jane.
Suddenly they meet and its as if she was nine again. Michael would be there when she went to work and he would be there when she was done with work. He would listen to her, laugh with her and spend time with her. He would surprise her with flowers and walk her home every night. It was never a dull moment when they were together.
But Michael starts to question what brought them together. He starts experiencing things he has never experienced before. Such as, getting nicked while shaving, crying, and this unbelievable pain in his chest that he would feel every time he would see Jane. Is this love? Is he falling in love? Is this how love feels? To be happy every moment of every day? To look forward to the day even though you know its just going to be the same routine at work? To know that no matter what happens, someone out there is thinking of you the same way you are thinking of them?
And while he was in church, the answer came to him. It was his job to ease her passing into the afterlife. Jane was dying. He suddenly wanted to make the last days she was going to spend on earth happy. He brought her to Nantucket, her favorite place on earth and they spent several heavenly days together. But then Michael had an idea - he would sacrifice himself so that Jane could live. He then left her in the middle of the night and took off without a word.
This time, I ask you, how would it feel to wake up smiling and in love and then to find out that the reason you are smiling has left you? Jane went home crying and heartbroken. Michael had left her - twice!
But on the way back from Nantucket, Michael had a sudden feeling that Jane was dying. He started walking fast. Then he ran. He ran as fast as he could. And when he opened the hospital door - he saw her - he saw the reason why he was brought to her - Vivienne was dying.
Vivienne died but without saying goodbye to her daughter. Jane was able to make it to the hospital just in time and Michael was with her. He would be with her for the rest of her life.
Up to now, I still cannot figure out what Michael is. Is he an angel? I don't know. All I know is that love is timeless and needs no explanation. It knows no boundaries and when it happens, its a miracle. :)
Thank you James Patterson for writing another wonderful romance novel! I loved your first two books (Sam's Letters to Jennifer and Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas).
To all those who want to feel the love, I highly recommend any of the three books. They are just amazing.
Book Review: Maybe I'm the only one thinking this, but...
Summary: 3 Stars
First off, I want to say that I enjoyed this book early on for it's pacing and tone in story telling. I mean, it really came off as a nice 'fairytale' for grown-ups.
Right off, I liked Jane and her imaginary friend Michael. It was something about the two of them 'against the world'.
I'll admit, it took a lot of buying into, to 'buy' into this kind of storytelling.
But, then it sorta occurred to me...now, I'm not too familiar with this concept of having an 'imaginary friend', but something tells me, that if somebody (a child) were to have this so called 'imaginary friend', that they would be more...I don't know? 'Age appropriate'? Like if say, the child was six, then their imaginary friend would also be six?
I can't get around (which is to say, I really don't understand) why a child would have a thirty year old person as their imaginary friend? I mean, let's face it, when you're thirty, children think of you as being 'old' and not in the good way like with 'grandma'! I mean, why would a kid want to play (hang out with) a thirty year old?
To me, I think it would have been better, if Jane's imaginary friend could've been the same age as she, and then maybe at a certain age--just like in this story, they would have separated and then when the two of them were older, they could've met again. And then they both would've been thirty together.
Because the way the story unfolds, it just seems kinda creepy that Michael knew Jane when she was just a child and then all of a sudden, after he meets her again (as an adult) he starts having all these 'loving' feelings for her.
In the context of a man loving a woman, the whole storyline would've been wonderful. But for me, it just gets real hard to get over the fact that when Jane and Michael first knew each other, Jane was just a small child. I mean, I guess what I'm trying to say, is that when you meet someone, even though the two of you get older--like say when you have a favorite aunt or someone, there are still aspects of that relationship that will NEVER change. Like you're aunt will still think of you as a little kid even though you're all grown up.
So, I can't figure out how Michael was able to get over that? Because as the reader in all of this, I really couldn't get over that. I mean, how's an adult supposed to develop feelings (real LOVE) feelings for someone that they first met as a young child?
I mean, I just didn't feel right about that. And I don't know how the author(s) could think people would feel right about that too?
Moving on, sometimes I didn't care about Jane's line of work. I mean, what did she really do in her mother's business? And her boyfriend? He seemed more like a cartoon character. And so did Jane's mom. With all the drama!
And the ending of this book, well it seemed kind of neatly wrapped up and in the box.
In the end, because of the basic premise of the book that I already talked about, I couldn't really route for Jane and Michael.
I think if their relationship could've been more like that of the movie 'City of Angels' and they would've met when they were both adults, then YES I could give this story the big thumbs up. But the way it is now, it's just...well kinda creepy!
(Though I liked the larger type-face in the novel. And I liked that the chapters were mostly very short and easy to get through.)
But I guess that's besides the point.
Also, what's up with cover? The woman shown is a very interesting looking lady with dark hair and Jane's supposed to be a blonde?
Book Review: Charbonnet's fantasy and Patterson's mystery prowess unite for an entertaining story
Summary: 4 Stars
James Patterson is acclaimed for his thrillers, detective series and countless #1 bestsellers, including the Women's Murder Club novels (which were adapted into a television series that aired on ABC) and SUZANNE'S DIARY FOR NICHOLAS, a memorable love story. SUNDAYS AT TIFFANY'S, co-authored with children's book writer Gabrielle Charbonnet, is the latest Patterson effort to have its audience buzzing. While reading, I theorized about which chapters were penned by which writer, or co-written and edited by both. The secret remains just that.
The gift of love is the basis upon which SUNDAYS AT TIFFANY'S develops a tender yet magical story. For anyone who has not experienced the wonder of an imaginary friend, the authors fill the pages with this real possibility. Imaginary friends appear and disappear, filling the needs of children who lack comfort and playful companionship. Jane Margaux, a lonely little eight-year-old girl, spends Sundays with her mother, Vivienne, window shopping at Tiffany's jewelry store. But Vivienne, a successful Broadway theater producer, fills her time with production and boyfriends rather than Jane's daily upbringing.
Michael --- who is in his 30s, witty, funny and handsome --- is Jane's diligent imaginary companion. He is steady, and a rock for her insecurities. Their favorite treat together is a scrumptious double-scooped coffee ice cream sundae, heaped with drizzles of hot fudge sauce. Michael's most painful day occurs when he has to bid the now-nine-year-old farewell and move forward to befriend another child.
According to the authors, children mature and forget about their past securities. Like the worn-out blanket dragged behind in "Peanuts" stories, the make-believe companion becomes a discarded memory. However, Jane carries Michael into her future when, at 31, she immortalizes his memory in her theatrical production Thank Heaven. The play is a smash hit and will be brought to the silver screen.
Hugh McGrath is a deliciously handsome actor with ambition to play Michael in the movie. He has wooed Jane and become her lover. Vivienne supports his landing the role, but Jane feels that she is being used by both her mother and Hugh. Her choice to deny Hugh the role destroys their future together, and this distraught young woman revisits the source of her childhood pleasure. Re-enter Michael. >From this point forward, the reader questions the hypothesis asked of him. Is Michael real, or merely a figment of Jane's imagination?
Collaboration in writing is a recent trend more commonplace than in years past. Alternating styles carry the tale forward in SUNDAYS AT TIFFANY'S. Michael is written in third person, while Jane is portrayed in the first. The action tracks Michael's journey from Jane's playful childhood companionship to a grown-up role in her adult life. Her struggle with self-discovery into maturity is well-written from her viewpoint. At crisis points in the book, the reader might find denial. By its conclusion, the combined writing styles produce satisfaction. Charbonnet's fantasy and Patterson's mystery prowess unite for an entertaining story.
Michael's diligence to Jane's protection is an obsession that transforms his character from pure fantasy to near-reality. Jane's unwillingness to forget Michael's place in her youth affects her realities as an adult. If he leaves her for a second time, will she have the strength to overcome her insecurities? SUNDAYS AT TIFFANY'S is unforgettable because Patterson's twist is "teddy bear" comfort at the conclusion.
--- Reviewed by Judy Gigstad
Book Review: Imgainary friend brings true love
Summary: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Tyler R. Tichelaar for Reader Views (3/08)
The title of "Sundays at Tiffany's" recalls "Breakfast at Tiffany's" but the comparisons end there, other than it being a love story, and its main characters are actually somewhat more bizarre than Holly Golightly. The story begins with Jane, about to have her ninth birthday, and her imaginary friend, Michael, a handsome adult male. Jane lives with her mother, a famous Broadway producer and distant parent, whose only quality time with her daughter is on Sundays when they go to Tiffany's to look at jewelry. Jane has almost no relationship with her father, which implies she created Michael as her imaginary friend to replace her absent father.
On Jane's ninth birthday, Michael tells her she is now old enough that he must leave her. Jane is heartbroken by his departure. Michael tells her she will forget him, but she never does. The story then flashes forward to Jane as an adult, living with her mother, trying to turn the play she wrote about her relationship with Michael into a film, and having to fight with her mother and her handsome but obnoxious boyfriend, Hugh, about whether Hugh will get the lead role in the film.
And then, Jane and Michael spot each other. Actually, Michael sees Jane first and follows her around for a few days, fascinated that she is the first child he has served as an imaginary friend whom he has encountered as an adult. Michael turns out not to be imaginary at all, but rather like an invisible Mary Poppins, who helps children gain self-reliance, and then leaves them, apparently also making them forget him. When Jane also sees and recognizes Michael, Michael cannot understand why, unlike other children, she never forgot him. He soon notices other strange things also happening as he and Jane begin to fall in love, creating several complications in their lives.
"Sundays at Tiffany's" is the kind of light fare from which romantic comedy films are made. The book is entertaining, but I felt stronger character development was necessary. All the characters save for Jane and Michael are stereotypes. I'm not sure even Jane and Michael aren't stereotypes. Jane's journey is one of learning to follow her heart and stand up against her mother, yet when she and her mother come to understand each other, it is more her mother's doing than her own. I found it hard to admire Jane, although I sympathized with her frustrations. Michael was rather a disappointment to me. The book alternates without any pattern between first person narration told by Jane, and third person from Michael's viewpoint. Had Michael's sections also been in first person, it would have made him more real and interesting to the reader. I also thought the authors should have been more specific about Michael's past and purpose, something even Michael did not understand. I imagine the authors wanted to make Michael's assignments mysterious, but by more fully realizing what his duties and role were in terms of the bigger picture of his work, he would have been a more fully realized and intriguing character.
"Sundays at Tiffany's" is the first James Patterson novel I have read, and it does not appear to be typical of his writing. I suspect Gabrielle Charbonnet did most of the writing, although Patterson states the idea originated from something his four-year-old son once said. I doubt this book is what most Patterson fans will expect, but female readers looking for a romantic escape will enjoy "Sundays at Tiffany's."
Book Review: Classic James Patterson Love Story Coupled With Delightful Fantasy
Summary: 4 Stars
A sweet tale born of a precious memory of Patterson's son as a child. His son said it best - "Love means you never have to be apart."
Sure, one reviewer mentions that this tale holds a bizarre premise - and that may hold true, however, if you can get beyond the image of a child's imaginary friend being her real-life prince charming (at least beyond the icky vision that he was once her childhood friend)...then you have, my friends, a charmingly refreshing and unique love story.
In addition, I'd like to point out that in true nature, if there is such a genre as magical fiction as opposed to magical realism, then this novel is that genre's poster child and the bizarre premise is right at home.
Don't be deceived by the cover, though. This was the only disappointing aspect of the book for me, other than Patterson foreshadowing the twist of the story (which I personally didn't catch until the end). As I read about the two main characters, Jane and Michael - I immediately pictured Jane as being the lovely brunette pictured on the cover of the book - in truth, she is a blond in the story which, at least in my case, ruined my initial vision of her. I haven't a clue who the couple is on the front of the cover, but I can assure you that the woman, at least, is not Jane.
Having said that, I was easily able to picture every other character and humorously enough, they are all real people - actors, mainly. Jane takes the persona of a gal with a striking likeness to the clumsy and loveable Bridget Jones, complete with witty comments to herself in her own mind while conversing with others - while her boyfriend, Hugh fits quite ironically, the character that Hugh Grant plays in the same movie, slimy Daniel Cleaver. After having created this vision, I almost laughed aloud when I stumbled upon Patterson's own reference to the Hugh of the novel being similar to that of Hugh Grant. Don't worry, my visions were not entirely confined to this movie alone.
Back to the matter at hand, this is a classic James Patterson love story - only with a magical twist. If you loved Sam's Letters to Jennifer or Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas, this will not disappoint you in anyway. Patterson also peppers in pop culture references and humorous tidbits shared between the various characters that will have you smiling to yourself.
All in all, I loved it. It not only reached my expectations, but I was also pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed the odd premise as it gave the novel quite a unique quality. I began reading this last night and had sleep not gotten the best of me, I would have made it an all-nighter.
If you are a person demanding realism from a novel - I'll warn you in advance, this isn't the book for you. In my opinion though, considering the world we live in today, a fantastical happily-ever-after seems almost moronic. But if you take into account the novel's moral of living every day as though it were your last and also cherishing the people in your life as though you may never see them again as that day will inevitably come - then this tale is a refreshing break from reality, and in turn, a dream come true.