17th out of 1,228 books
—
2,998 voters
Jemima J: A Novel About Ugly Ducklings and Swans
by
Jane Green
Jemima Jones is overweight. About one hundred pounds overweight. Treated like a maid by her thin and social-climbing roommates, and lorded over by the beautiful Geraldine (less talented but better paid) at the Kilburn Herald, Jemima finds that her only consolation is food. Add to this her passion for her charming, sexy, and unobtainable colleague Ben, and Jemima knows her...more
Paperback, 373 pages
Published
June 5th 2001
by Broadway
(first published January 1st 1998)
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Apr 16, 2012
Kelly
rated it
1 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
People who think an eating disorder is a great way to lose weight.
I've never been so thoroughly disgusted with a book. In Jemima J, Jane Green glorifies anorexia and then tries to claim that the main character is merely "obsessed" with exercising, even though she is clearly not eating. The result? Jemima loses a massive amount of weight (about 80 lbs.) in a short period of time, and all of a sudden, men can't keep their eyes off of her.
The plot is lame, even for Chick Lit. Fat girl falls in love with unattainable guy, chats with American hunk online, decides t...more
The plot is lame, even for Chick Lit. Fat girl falls in love with unattainable guy, chats with American hunk online, decides t...more
This book actually made me mad when I read it, to the point that I stuck a post-it note warning in the book before I returned it to the library.
Five reasons why this book is dreadful:
a) The heroine, Jemima, is constantly described as being morbidly obese and too fat to function in society. Jane Green, the author, mentions several times that Jemima can't fit into chairs. Now, Jemima is 5'7 and 217 pounds. That may not be the size of a supermodel, but the way Jemima is described throughout the bo...more
Five reasons why this book is dreadful:
a) The heroine, Jemima, is constantly described as being morbidly obese and too fat to function in society. Jane Green, the author, mentions several times that Jemima can't fit into chairs. Now, Jemima is 5'7 and 217 pounds. That may not be the size of a supermodel, but the way Jemima is described throughout the bo...more
Ugh. This book doesn't empower "ugly ducklings," it panders to them. The fat-phobia is so thick in this book I can't believe I got through it. The main character's obvious eating disorder is glorified, encouraged, and applauded. If I were a lesser woman here is the message I would've gleaned from this shitfest: "The only way to be happy, advance your career, find a hot man, and make your skanky roommates jealous is: eat lettuce and work out fanatically. Also, lying on the internet is ok!"
Souther...more
Souther...more
I wonder how the slender Jane Green, author of Jemima J, would feel if I wrote a novel about an anorexic woman who, whenever she ventures outside, is forced to clutch at nearby railings and walls in order to keep from succumbing to a 5-mph wind that threatens to blow her away.
I don't think Jane Green did any research on fat women when she wrote this book. Her protagonist, Jemima Jones, at 217 pounds (I want you to take a look at my profile picture at this point, because I weigh about that much),...more
I don't think Jane Green did any research on fat women when she wrote this book. Her protagonist, Jemima Jones, at 217 pounds (I want you to take a look at my profile picture at this point, because I weigh about that much),...more
Dear Bridget Jones,
You really should meet up for a cappuccino and a chocolate croissant with Jemima Jones. I think the two of you have the potential to be great friends, as you have so much more in common than just your last names (distant, long-lost relatives, perhaps?).
After all, you’re both single women, journalists, Londoners, traumatized by eccentric mothers, habitual dieters, smartasses, Silk Cut smokers, and prone to sleeping with handsome bastards while waiting for Mr. Right to come alon...more
You really should meet up for a cappuccino and a chocolate croissant with Jemima Jones. I think the two of you have the potential to be great friends, as you have so much more in common than just your last names (distant, long-lost relatives, perhaps?).
After all, you’re both single women, journalists, Londoners, traumatized by eccentric mothers, habitual dieters, smartasses, Silk Cut smokers, and prone to sleeping with handsome bastards while waiting for Mr. Right to come alon...more
In the beginning of the book, I thought that Jemima J was going to be another one of those overweight girl bashing books in which the girl is forced to conform to what society defines as beautiful in order to find acceptance. Needless to say, this book definitely didn't disappoint, but the one thing which disturbed me the most was the manner in which it was done.
Being overweight myself, I saw lots of myself in the character of Jemima J, from people who are only your friends as long as you're "u...more
Being overweight myself, I saw lots of myself in the character of Jemima J, from people who are only your friends as long as you're "u...more
Aug 02, 2007
Amy
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
those looking for an easy, entertaining read
Shelves:
chicklit
Maybe because I deal with literature every day in my job, I tend to pick books that are entertaining and easy to read while trying to wind down... and Jane Green's books fit that description for me. A lot of the other reviews I've read trash the "message" of this book about fat people, losing weight, etc.... but somehow I doubt that she wrote this as an attack on fat people of the world... or to promote eating disorders. I found Jemima to be pretty "real" -- most people don't initially go right...more
May 01, 2007
Abby
rated it
1 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
People training to have an eating disorder.
Shelves:
blech
It's been a long time since I've read this book. But I remember the pertinent details. Jemima, an "ugly duckling" (basically a woman who is plus-size, doesn't have highlights, and dresses comfortably instead of fashionably), is in love with her co-worker. Because she's an ugly duckling, of course, he doesn't notice her.
So Jemima starts online chatting with a hot guy from California who, for the obvious ironic twist, owns a gym and is hyper into fitness. After chatting for awhile, he wants a pic...more
So Jemima starts online chatting with a hot guy from California who, for the obvious ironic twist, owns a gym and is hyper into fitness. After chatting for awhile, he wants a pic...more
Jemima J. adalah seorang gadis Inggris yang gemuk yang merasa diabaikan oleh lingkungannya. Ia adalah gadis yang pintar, namun sepertinya kepintaran (plus mata hijaunya yang indah) tertutup oleh bobotnya yang 109 kg.
Ia menyukai salah seorang lelaki paling tampan, paling pintar di kantornya yang menyedihkan-The Killburn Herald-namun harus kecewa mengakui bahwa lelaki itu tidak menyimpan perasaan apapun selain murni persahabatan.
Lalu, Jemima mengenal dunia internet yang mengasyikkan. Ia berhasil...more
Ia menyukai salah seorang lelaki paling tampan, paling pintar di kantornya yang menyedihkan-The Killburn Herald-namun harus kecewa mengakui bahwa lelaki itu tidak menyimpan perasaan apapun selain murni persahabatan.
Lalu, Jemima mengenal dunia internet yang mengasyikkan. Ia berhasil...more
Loved this book to start. I have to say that I can always get behind a plus-sized leading lady, so of course I was in love with Jemima Jones... until I found out the Jemima is 5'7" and weighed 217 lbs at her largest. Jemima is described as being almost grotesquely fat, so when the acutal number of pounds she weights comes up, it stopped me in my tracks. "Wait, what??" I'm 5'4" and weigh 212, so what kind of fat monster does that make me? I don't feel like people stare at me on the street or only...more
I'm opposed to books being labeled as "beach reads" - why should your brain go down a few levels in intelligence just because you're on the beach? I don't want to waste my time on something that sucks so badly I can only handle it when I'm only half-paying attention due to screaming little kids, threats of sun-poisoning and hot lifeguards. Thus, this is not a "beach read" (although I don't see why you couldn't read it on a beach, provided you have the above distractions removed). Rather, I'm jus...more
The first 50 or so pages were dreadful. I only continued reading because it's not easy to find English language books in Japan.
I guess what I hated is how the author keeps switching back and forth between first and third person. Maybe if I hadn't majored in English in college I wouldn't have been driven nuts by this, but it really got on my nerves. And I hated some of the theatrical comments. Some of the things she wrote would have fit well for a TV show narrated by a third party, but to write...more
I guess what I hated is how the author keeps switching back and forth between first and third person. Maybe if I hadn't majored in English in college I wouldn't have been driven nuts by this, but it really got on my nerves. And I hated some of the theatrical comments. Some of the things she wrote would have fit well for a TV show narrated by a third party, but to write...more
Mar 31, 2009
DahliaNagaDanBukanDahliaPinky
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2009,
teen-chicklit-being-singgle-and-hap
April Fool's day!!!!
Ketika Gemuk Jemima ga bahagia karena orang selalu menilai dari fisiknya.
Ketika Kurus Jemima juga ga bahagia karena merasa ada yang kurang darinya.
Untung waktu gemuk dia 'sahabatan' ma Ben yang akhirnya jatuh cinta padanya,tapiiiii...setelah dia kurus pastinyah *rolling eyes*
Di sini ada usaha yang menekankan bahwa si Ben jatuh cinta bukan ma fisiknya seh, ho ho ho...usaha yang bagus! baiklah.
Jadi pengen nyanyi!
....
Lucky I'm in love with my best friend
Lucky to have been where...more
Ketika Gemuk Jemima ga bahagia karena orang selalu menilai dari fisiknya.
Ketika Kurus Jemima juga ga bahagia karena merasa ada yang kurang darinya.
Untung waktu gemuk dia 'sahabatan' ma Ben yang akhirnya jatuh cinta padanya,tapiiiii...setelah dia kurus pastinyah *rolling eyes*
Di sini ada usaha yang menekankan bahwa si Ben jatuh cinta bukan ma fisiknya seh, ho ho ho...usaha yang bagus! baiklah.
Jadi pengen nyanyi!
....
Lucky I'm in love with my best friend
Lucky to have been where...more
Green doesn't offer original plots, memorable characters, or anything resembling a surprise, and I no longer notice when she comes out with a new release, but for what it's worth, I'd never dated when I read her work back in high school and it did provide its voyeuristic, vicarious pleasures at the time. Does that mean her books are good? No, but let's call them comfort reads. Read sparingly and watch out for trans-fats.
This is one of the worst books I've ever read, if not the worst book I've ever read. As someone who has read over 600 books, this is not something I say lightly.
I was at the beach with no book for the weekend and my sister had this, there's no way I would have finished it otherwise.
I was at the beach with no book for the weekend and my sister had this, there's no way I would have finished it otherwise.
I don't have a whole to say about this book. I enjoyed it enough that I read the whole book and I did want to find out what happened at the end - but I thought the message of the book overall was pretty dreadful. I can't decide if the author has never been seriously overweight and just assumes things in her writing - or has been overweight and has such a bad case of body dysmorphia that her self loathing distorts her writing to the point where you stand back and go HUH?
I think this book was a d...more
I think this book was a d...more
Hmmm....
I started this book and then put it down over two years ago. Last December, seeing my bookshelves sagging and this being one of the few that I had not read/finished reading, I picked it back up.
I, like most of the reviewers here, am not a fan of the switching from first to third person. That is annoying to no end. And that is the major thing that frustrated me about this book.
I'm a larger girl, and while yes, I see the points made about this book having problems with fat-phobia and eati...more
I started this book and then put it down over two years ago. Last December, seeing my bookshelves sagging and this being one of the few that I had not read/finished reading, I picked it back up.
I, like most of the reviewers here, am not a fan of the switching from first to third person. That is annoying to no end. And that is the major thing that frustrated me about this book.
I'm a larger girl, and while yes, I see the points made about this book having problems with fat-phobia and eati...more
Jan 02, 2008
Becca Becca
rated it
1 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
hated,
modern-lit
After reading this book I came up with a pretty mathematical formula.
Chick lit = crap
I employ this equation whenever I'm browsing for books and it saves me time and money.
Chick lit = crap
I employ this equation whenever I'm browsing for books and it saves me time and money.
I really enjoyed this one. It was cliché and quite predictable, but that isn't a complaint - it was still an enjoyable, easy read. I understand that some people find the whole 'lose weight, look good' idea ridiculous, but it's how Jemima felt and was important to her and the story. I think that a lot of women could identify with Jemima. I found most of the characters to be fun and each had unique personalities and I enjoyed the way that this was written. Though it wasn't laugh-out-loud funny, it...more
The first half of the book is really good. This half deals with the stigma and prejudice that Jemima faces as a result of her being overweight. For example, her friend has a position that Jemima is more qualified for simply because she's... well, glamorous.
BUT...
The second half was abso-bloody-lutely crap. I mean, seriously, it's like one of those makeover reality shows: You can't get anywhere when you're fat and ugly but if we turn you into a size 6 Hollywood clone, people will fall over themse...more
BUT...
The second half was abso-bloody-lutely crap. I mean, seriously, it's like one of those makeover reality shows: You can't get anywhere when you're fat and ugly but if we turn you into a size 6 Hollywood clone, people will fall over themse...more
What's difficult about any book like this - wherein an unhappy person changes and becomes happy - is that we as the reader are tempted to assume that the "message" is meant for us. In this case, if you are fat, you should become skinny if you want to be happy. You should turn yourself into an exercise fiend, get cute clothes, learn to do makeup (because fat chicks don't know how, obviously), and you'll land yourself the man of your dreams.
The thing is, though, that's not what I think this story...more
The thing is, though, that's not what I think this story...more
I found myself having a lot in common with Jemima Jones. We are both overweight, long to be thin and have a major crush on a gorgeous man (luckily he's my husband). I thought this book was very well written, amazingly since the author seemed quite thin in her picture. Perhaps she used to be like Jemima as well? Anyways, this was a fun read for me. I rated it a three though, not a four for a few reasons.
First, there was way too much of the "F" word throughout. I could have done without that pers...more
First, there was way too much of the "F" word throughout. I could have done without that pers...more
Nov 25, 2007
Kayjay
rated it
1 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
fat girls who don't love themselves, or skinny girls who want to mock.
Shelves:
chick-lit
Okay, first of all, the switching from first person to second person to third and then back again was FREAKING ANNOYING. I can see how the author did it for effect, but it felt a little too much like she wanted to write a screenplay instead of a novel, and that was her shortcut to prose.
The other reviews here are pretty much spot-on. Jemima is fat and she hooks up with a guy online because the people she knows IRL don't 'want' her, but her supposedly-good friend enables her in sending a photosho...more
The other reviews here are pretty much spot-on. Jemima is fat and she hooks up with a guy online because the people she knows IRL don't 'want' her, but her supposedly-good friend enables her in sending a photosho...more
Simply awful.
The previous reviews sum it up well. But to reiterate: Jemima is an ugly duckling (i.e. overweight and unfashionable) who diets (i.e. does not eat and over-excercises) her way to being a swan (i.e. slim and highlighted) at which point men become interested in her.
The author, apparently understanding that her book makes it seem that to be happy one should be anorexic, in a throw away line at the end says that Jemima decides that she likes being a curvy size 10 and finds balance in ea...more
The previous reviews sum it up well. But to reiterate: Jemima is an ugly duckling (i.e. overweight and unfashionable) who diets (i.e. does not eat and over-excercises) her way to being a swan (i.e. slim and highlighted) at which point men become interested in her.
The author, apparently understanding that her book makes it seem that to be happy one should be anorexic, in a throw away line at the end says that Jemima decides that she likes being a curvy size 10 and finds balance in ea...more
Ok...I know this is one of those Chick Reads...and its probably weird that a guy is reviewing and rating this...but...long story short:
I was home alone, the power was completely off, it was storming horrificly, and I needed something to occupy my mind. Lo and behold, sitting on the coffee table is my sister's copy of this book. Daringly I read the cover, followed by the first chapter, and so on, so on.
It was a fairly good book. Then again, I'm a sensitive guy and it will probably lead me to bec...more
I was home alone, the power was completely off, it was storming horrificly, and I needed something to occupy my mind. Lo and behold, sitting on the coffee table is my sister's copy of this book. Daringly I read the cover, followed by the first chapter, and so on, so on.
It was a fairly good book. Then again, I'm a sensitive guy and it will probably lead me to bec...more
I think this book meant well, as in "be who you are and be healthy," but it's, um, interesting, that the main character had to get an eating disorder to get skinny, at which point the man she liked actually noticed her, and they lived happily ever after. Basically, she had to be skinny to be liked, and then to be happy, even if eventually she got out of the eating disorder. That doesn't seem like a great message to me! Unfortunately, I think society thinks this is the truth; that a person needs...more
Modernized Cinderella story. Fat girl day dreams her life away until sth. seemingly insignificant makes her humdrum life more interesting. All of a sudden she has two new (good) friends, sth. interesting to do/to look forward to. She starts working out, stops using food as comforting remedy. Turns into 'swan' and meets love interest that seems to good to be true - which he is (nothing sinister though). In the end she reconnects with her original crush and friend, all's well.
The narrator changes...more
The narrator changes...more
I read this book long back. I was repelled by it, to say the least! What's wrong with this book? Now where to begin with.. So our protagonist is a really fat but good hearted girl and it's because of her appearance no guy likes her. Beneath the extra layers of fat is a really awesome chic. Whats the way out? Lose the fat and u ll be a heart throb! (so says the book).
The book in no way empowers plus size women. If at all it manages to do anything, it is to demean them, make them feel sorry about...more
The book in no way empowers plus size women. If at all it manages to do anything, it is to demean them, make them feel sorry about...more
I don't know why this book has a low rating. because for me it's worth reading. maybe it's because I like makeover stories.
this is my first Jane Green book I read but I searched for Jane Green books ever since!
some of her book tell us about a value we should keep and this Jemima J. is one of that.
Jemima Jones is a fat girl that loves one of her colleagues named Ben Williams. but she knows that to be Ben's girl she must be dreaming. she also has a best friend in her office named Geraldine Turner...more
this is my first Jane Green book I read but I searched for Jane Green books ever since!
some of her book tell us about a value we should keep and this Jemima J. is one of that.
Jemima Jones is a fat girl that loves one of her colleagues named Ben Williams. but she knows that to be Ben's girl she must be dreaming. she also has a best friend in her office named Geraldine Turner...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Moon Book Lo...: December 2012 BOTM - "Jemima J: A Novel About Ugly Duckings and Swans" by Jane Green | 6 | 11 | Nov 28, 2012 12:16pm |
Jane Green (born in 1968 in London, England) is an U.S.-based British author. She lives in Connecticut with her husband, four children under the age of 5 - including a set of twins - and dog Palmer. She attended the University of Wales, Aberystwyth from 1987-88, although she left without completing her degree and worked as a journalist throughout her twenties. At the age of 27 she was inspired to...more
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“Covers, so many covers, so many different, delectable pictures, and although, metaphorically speaking, it is the thing I hate most, when it comes to literature I always judge books by their covers. First the cover will catch my eye, then I read the back of the book, and then finally the first page.”
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“I think relationships are very difficult. It's very easy to get swept away with excitement, glamour, and passion. I think the trick is to look for friendship rather than passion.”
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5 people liked it
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