The first Jennifer Weiner novel I read was "Good in Bed." I didn't think I would, but I enjoyed it, so I took a friend's recommendation and read "The...moreThe first Jennifer Weiner novel I read was "Good in Bed." I didn't think I would, but I enjoyed it, so I took a friend's recommendation and read "The Guy Not Taken" next. I was sorely disappointed.
I'll contend that part of the problem is that I'm not a fan of short stories in general, but these (especially the last few) are just plain too short. They are inconclusive, the characters and themes are yawningly repetitive, and the writer's tone, while engaging, is not varied enough to keep a reader interested for a significant amount of time.
It just seems that, as she alludes to in the final pages, Weiner herself struggled with many of the same issues such as divorce, an absentee father, depression, etc., that her characters do, and writing is a way to work through those issues. Here's hoping that she's almost done, and will soon move to a wider range of characters and emotions.(less)
On the whole, I really enjoyed "An Amish Wedding". I like how three different authors can each write a distinct story, yet use the same characters and...moreOn the whole, I really enjoyed "An Amish Wedding". I like how three different authors can each write a distinct story, yet use the same characters and setting, and combine them into a single, seamless work. However, I was a bit frustrated with the order of the stories; on the back cover lists the novellas one way, but in the actual book, the order is reversed!
My favorite novella was the story of Rose and Luke. The plot was a bit edgier than anything I've encountered before in Amish fiction, the hero is mysterious and exciting, and the heroine is a bit outspoken and completely lovable. Also, Long doesn't skirt around the idea of physical desire and romantic passion like most Amish fiction does. It's still very clean, of course, but acknowledging the issue makes the characters more real.
Naomi's story has a few unique twists too. Unlike most Amish women, she lives alone, still single at the age of 25. Zeke is also older than most single Amish men. Their story is so sweet!
The last novella about Priscilla and Chester's wedding is more predicable and less plausible than the other two. Their problems were far-fetched, appearing suddenly one on top of another, and then everything was resolved too quickly. But it does have a great message about trusting God and learning to follow His perfect plan for each of our lives.
As for the rating, I just couldn't quite give it five stars because I think The Perfect Secret would be better as a complete, separate novel, and A Perfect Plan didn't live up to my expectations of Beth Wiseman.(less)
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