Oh god, I just spent the past 5 hours reading this book, because I decided to shun reality for a while, and well, Bridget Jones is both a very good and a very bad choice for that.

The book is very different from the movie, in fact the two storylines have very few similarities, and I must admit I probably like the book better. I think the second Bridget Jones movie borrowed a few themes from this book as well (mainly the part of Mark being a badass lawyer and getting someone out of a few rather unfortunate criminal charges).

And I while I liked the book, reading it in one go was perhaps a bad idea. The way it's written is funny and witty, but it gets a bit much after a while. Still, the story is entertaining, and I really love Bridget and her friends and, of course, Darcy. God, he is wonderful.
Bridget's mother is truly awful, though, and that brought the book down a notch for me, because I was really hoping she'd turn out to have a few redeeming features in the end, but no, none of that, so I mostly just felt sorry for Bridget and her father, for having to actually put up with her. (And thank you, Helen Fielding, for making the dedication: "To my mum, Nellie, for not being like Bridget's". I'd very much like to thank my own mother for that as well.)

It also helps putting your own life into perspective. Facing you with the ridiculous ups and downs and misunderstandings and overreactions we all experience. It is one of the best and most honest portrayals of women (and people in general) today, and that is just so refreshing to read.

All in all a good book. Not the worst way to spend a Sunday evening.