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Dec 17, 2009

Monday rated it:

What I learned from this book is this:

If you are fat: lose weight. You will not be accepted or attracted until you do. If you want to get a date, even on the internet, lie about yourself. Then, when faced with the consequences of that lie, do not stand up for who are, instead diet and exercise yourself into being thin, then go find your man. Clearly you couldn't do that when you were fat, because fat people are lame.

If you are fat but have a beautiful face, you can ev More...

11 comments like (88 people liked it)

Dec 26, 2007

Mallory rated it:

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 des More...

5 comments like (41 people liked it)

Mar 16, 2008

Julie rated it:

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 More...

0 comments like (20 people liked it)

Dec 16, 2009

Kelly rated it:

I've never been so thoroughly disgusted with a book in my life. 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 wi More...

2 comments like (16 people liked it)

Apr 26, 2008

Holly rated it:

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 fo More...

2 comments like (32 people liked it)

Nov 10, 2007

Tamara rated it:

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 More...

3 comments like (8 people liked it)

Dec 17, 2009

Amy rated it:

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 More...

1 comment like (14 people liked it)

Dec 16, 2009

Abby rated it:

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 More...

0 comments like (10 people liked it)

Mar 22, 2009

Palsay rated it:

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 me More...

5 comments like (4 people liked it)

Mar 31, 2009

Dahlia rated it:

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' More...

10 comments like (3 people liked it)

Oct 27, 2011

Katie rated it:

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 remov More...

0 comments like (4 people liked it)

Dec 08, 2007

Jen rated it:

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 part More...

2 comments like (5 people liked it)

Apr 22, 2008

Yulia rated it:

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.

1 comment like (4 people liked it)

Jan 25, 2012

Linds rated it:

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.

3 comments like (3 people liked it)

Dec 03, 2008

Jennifer rated it:

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 w More...

0 comments like (4 people liked it)

Jan 21, 2009

DevonAlyse rated it:

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 ha More...

0 comments like (3 people liked it)

Dec 16, 2009

Becca rated it:

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.

1 comment like (7 people liked it)

Aug 06, 2011

Stephanie rated it:

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...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

May 11, 2011

Jenn rated it:

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 More...

0 comments like (5 people liked it)

Apr 15, 2010

Elley rated it:

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 o More...

0 comments like (3 people liked it)

Dec 29, 2008

Мεģαnn rated it:

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, peop More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jun 03, 2008

meghan rated it:

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 More...

0 comments like (5 people liked it)

May 29, 2008

Christina rated it:

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 More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Nov 25, 2007

Kayjay rated it:

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 sendi More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Dec 31, 2007

Tiffany rated it:

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 More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jul 01, 2007

Wes rated it:

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 More...

2 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 16, 2009

Marisa rated it:

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 per More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 29, 2008

Elicia rated it:

This is a train wreck, which I, of course, couldn't put down.

1 comment like (3 people liked it)

Dec 27, 2011

Wagatwe rated it:

When I downloaded this book I thought I was getting a chick lit book different from the rest that would show that people who aren't stick thin can be happy and *gasp* be loved! Instead, I got a crappy POS book that I still cannot believe got published!

My biggest problems with the book:
<ol> This book was too long. It cut have cut off at least 100 pages to make it feel like it wasn't dragging on as much. I don't think I've ever looked in the upper right corner of my Nook so ma More...

0 comments like

Oct 19, 2011

Cal {Heather} rated it:

I'm not generally a fan of chick-lit, but I picked this book up ages ago for the theme of the overweight girl transforming herself and finding true love. When I first read it, I adored it. I related to everything as I should, now older and wiser, I reread it and found many more problems with it.

The writing style is clunky, switching from first person to third and back again without any warning, rhyme, or reason. In Jemima Jones, we get an unreliable narrator, whose image of herself cha More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)