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Practical Jean
Jean Vale Horemarsh is an ordinary, small-town woman with the usual challenges of middle age. She's content, mostly, with the life she's built: a semi-successful career as a ceramics artist, a close collection of women friends (if you ignore the terrible falling out she had with Cheryl all those years ago), a comfortable marriage with a kind if otherwise unextraordinary man. And then Jean sees her mother go through the final devastating months of cancer, and realizes that her fondest wish is to protect her dearest friends from the indignities of aging and illness. That's when she decides to kill them...
This eagerly awaited new novel from Trevor Cole combines the humour and sharp observations of contemporary life that he is known for with an irresistibly twisted premise, for fans of the quirkily macabre Six Feet Under and Dexter, and readers of Paul Quarrington, Miriam Toews, Jonathan Franzen, and, of course, Trevor Cole.
In his first two, GG-shortlisted novels, Trevor Cole proved himself a master of drawing us into the shadowy side of human nature with sharp observation and warm wit.
This eagerly awaited new novel from Trevor Cole combines the humour and sharp observations of contemporary life that he is known for with an irresistibly twisted premise, for fans of the quirkily macabre Six Feet Under and Dexter, and readers of Paul Quarrington, Miriam Toews, Jonathan Franzen, and, of course, Trevor Cole.
In his first two, GG-shortlisted novels, Trevor Cole proved himself a master of drawing us into the shadowy side of human nature with sharp observation and warm wit.
320 pages, Paperback
First published September 21, 2010
18 people are currently reading
852 people want to read
About the author
Trevor Cole
18 books33 followersTrevor Cole (born Trevor William Cole on February 15, 1960) is a Canadian novelist and journalist. His first two novels, Norman Bray in the Performance of his Life (2004) and The Fearsome Particles (2006), were nominated for the Governor General’s Literary Award for Fiction and longlisted for the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 172 reviews
October 27, 2011
Original review posted here
I really, really, really wanted to love this book. I’ve been on such a good run, and recently read a book (Fathermucker by Greg Olear) that had me in stitches. It wasn’t until fairly recently that I started to really get into the harder edge of comedy that these types of books offer, so I, like I said earlier, I really wanted to like this one.
But I didn’t.
This is why:
Jean is not a likeable character. She seems to break(? I don’t know if that’s the right word for it, but it most describes what I felt about it) after her mothers death and rather then finding a dark humor in the story, I just felt incredible pity and a lot of anxiety. I didn’t want Jean to get caught, but I didn’t agree with her actions either – or understand them fully, really.
I think the breaking point though, the moment I really just fell off the wagon and admitted to myself that I just didn’t get it, was during a pivotal moment in the book. I don’t want to say too much, but Jean basically takes away all climax to the story with a single speech. It felt.. contrived and out of character for her – not to mention the rest of the story seeming just too convenient.
I think I understand what Cole was attempting to do with the story, I just don’t feel there was enough of Jean to really like, or dislike. I felt pity, yes, but she isn’t a character that will stick with me. She seemed somewhat.. bland, like an unseasoned bowl of oatmeal.
I really, really, really wanted to love this book. I’ve been on such a good run, and recently read a book (Fathermucker by Greg Olear) that had me in stitches. It wasn’t until fairly recently that I started to really get into the harder edge of comedy that these types of books offer, so I, like I said earlier, I really wanted to like this one.
But I didn’t.
This is why:
Jean is not a likeable character. She seems to break(? I don’t know if that’s the right word for it, but it most describes what I felt about it) after her mothers death and rather then finding a dark humor in the story, I just felt incredible pity and a lot of anxiety. I didn’t want Jean to get caught, but I didn’t agree with her actions either – or understand them fully, really.
I think the breaking point though, the moment I really just fell off the wagon and admitted to myself that I just didn’t get it, was during a pivotal moment in the book. I don’t want to say too much, but Jean basically takes away all climax to the story with a single speech. It felt.. contrived and out of character for her – not to mention the rest of the story seeming just too convenient.
I think I understand what Cole was attempting to do with the story, I just don’t feel there was enough of Jean to really like, or dislike. I felt pity, yes, but she isn’t a character that will stick with me. She seemed somewhat.. bland, like an unseasoned bowl of oatmeal.
June 1, 2013
This is a darkly humerous book with an entirely Canadian sense of humour. American humour punches you in the face. British humour makes you work. Canadian humour is like Mama Bear's porridge. It's just right.
Trevor Cole creates a very interesting character in Jean. She's learned a life lesson the hard way, that death can come far, far too late and at too great a cost. It is with practical determination and love for her friends that she determines that they will leave this life beautifully. Jean is a strong woman and her absurd mission is handled with love and pragmatism which is the opposite of her artistic and professional pursuits.
In the end I found myself cheering for Jean, hoping that she could pull off her lovely strategy making perfect endings for her friends. In the end I found my heart aching for Fran, her unwitting collaborator, who never received her due affection.
Definitely a fun and charming read.
Trevor Cole creates a very interesting character in Jean. She's learned a life lesson the hard way, that death can come far, far too late and at too great a cost. It is with practical determination and love for her friends that she determines that they will leave this life beautifully. Jean is a strong woman and her absurd mission is handled with love and pragmatism which is the opposite of her artistic and professional pursuits.
In the end I found myself cheering for Jean, hoping that she could pull off her lovely strategy making perfect endings for her friends. In the end I found my heart aching for Fran, her unwitting collaborator, who never received her due affection.
Definitely a fun and charming read.
May 30, 2023
Satire and black humour are my favourite things, so I greatly enjoyed the spirit of this novel. That is, right up until Jean picks up a shovel and kills her friend. This to me is usually a deal breaker, when murder creeps into a satirical work. Death is just so messy, it is next to impossible to sustain the narrative after that. (I feel the same way about movies portraying assassins. I just don't understand assassin comedy flicks.)
Once the murder started, I felt much more distanced and much less involved. To Cole's credit, he still does manage to move the story along, and I was wondering how it would wrap up. I was distracted by plot points — when she killed her first friend, her husband would have told the police that he did not see Dorothy when his wife came to get her. I did not believe that Jean, no matter how disturbed she was by her mother's painful death, would just start killing her friends — had she been psychotic all along? OK, it's satire. And maybe it's a reflection of our sick culture that only satire which involves killing people has the power to have an impact.
Once the murder started, I felt much more distanced and much less involved. To Cole's credit, he still does manage to move the story along, and I was wondering how it would wrap up. I was distracted by plot points — when she killed her first friend, her husband would have told the police that he did not see Dorothy when his wife came to get her. I did not believe that Jean, no matter how disturbed she was by her mother's painful death, would just start killing her friends — had she been psychotic all along? OK, it's satire. And maybe it's a reflection of our sick culture that only satire which involves killing people has the power to have an impact.
June 29, 2012
Practical Jean by Trevor Cole
I enjoy reading humour and Practical Jean is not only funny but also a Stephen Leacock prize winning novel.
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_...]
Darkly humourous, this story is about a woman named Jean Horemarsh, middle aged and from a small town, who has just spent three months caring for her dying mother. This experience upsets her deeply. Jean then realizes that what she wants most is to do something nice for her friends. Her plan is to prevent her dearest friends from experiencing the indignities of aging and illness by ensuring they have one final happy moment and then killing them.
There are flashbacks to Jean’s childhood that explain why Jean believes that by killing her friends she is doing something nice for them. In this way, nice and “practical” Jean becomes a serial killer.
This book is hilarious… but in subtle, satirical ways. If you enjoy quirky shows like Six Feet Under and Desperate Housewives, you will enjoy this book.
I enjoy reading humour and Practical Jean is not only funny but also a Stephen Leacock prize winning novel.
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_...]
Darkly humourous, this story is about a woman named Jean Horemarsh, middle aged and from a small town, who has just spent three months caring for her dying mother. This experience upsets her deeply. Jean then realizes that what she wants most is to do something nice for her friends. Her plan is to prevent her dearest friends from experiencing the indignities of aging and illness by ensuring they have one final happy moment and then killing them.
There are flashbacks to Jean’s childhood that explain why Jean believes that by killing her friends she is doing something nice for them. In this way, nice and “practical” Jean becomes a serial killer.
This book is hilarious… but in subtle, satirical ways. If you enjoy quirky shows like Six Feet Under and Desperate Housewives, you will enjoy this book.
January 11, 2011
This is a book that's dying to be a movie (although I have no idea who should star in it - there's definitely a role for Kathy Bates as Fran Knubel, one of Jean's friends who isn't part of her 'inner circle'). After single-handedly nursing her very practical veterinarian mother through a painful and undignified death from cancer, Jean, a ceramic artist whose creations are so fragile only she can move them, decides that infirmity, old age, and a slow painful death is something she'd like to spare her friends. And then she starts to act on her decision. This is a witty black comedy that poses some serious questions about quality of life, the sacrifices we make for others, and the nature of happiness. Jean is an interesting character - strong doesn't even begin to describe it.
March 21, 2017
When middle-aged Jean was a little girl, her mother told her she didn't have a practical gene in her body. Jean took this to mean a "practical Jean," and now that she's grown and has found her purpose, she'll show her mom just how practical she really is.
Jean has just endured a few months caring for her mom during her illness and eventual death, and is reeling at just how unfair old age can be. No one should suffer as her mom did, and everyone should go out with joy, before the indignities of age and the suffering of disease ruins them. Ever practical, Jean decides to give the best gift she can give to all those whom she loves: one final happy moment and a quick death.
Jean has many different types of friends: the blunt, forthright one who always tells her like it is; the old reliable college friend; the fun, wild friend whose circumstances have tamed her . . . and don't we all have friends like this? Jean has all types of relationships that she's collected during her life, some that have fallen by the wayside and others that have fallen completely apart.
I took comfort in how the author addressed how difficult it is for women to find and keep friends in middle age. The author concedes a point that men don’t usually form close friendships at this age, and don’t need them or seek them out (is this true?). There are so many things that hinder older women from forming friendships: different socioeconomic statuses, different stages of life, different relationships with spouses. When you're in elementary school, all it takes is "hey, we're on the playground at the same time, now we're best friends," but as women age, the baggage, the insecurities, and the life demands smother many potential friendships.
Practical Jean is an unusual book. Even though she bumped off her friends, it was done out of love, and I found myself still pulling for Jean in the end. (What does that say about me?) The women in this book are hilarious, but at the same time very sad. It's a dark comedy, a relationship study, a heartwarming tale of love . . . and murder.
This review is also posted on my blog: flyleafunfurled.com. Please make me happy by visiting my blog and saying you liked it.
Jean has just endured a few months caring for her mom during her illness and eventual death, and is reeling at just how unfair old age can be. No one should suffer as her mom did, and everyone should go out with joy, before the indignities of age and the suffering of disease ruins them. Ever practical, Jean decides to give the best gift she can give to all those whom she loves: one final happy moment and a quick death.
Jean has many different types of friends: the blunt, forthright one who always tells her like it is; the old reliable college friend; the fun, wild friend whose circumstances have tamed her . . . and don't we all have friends like this? Jean has all types of relationships that she's collected during her life, some that have fallen by the wayside and others that have fallen completely apart.
I took comfort in how the author addressed how difficult it is for women to find and keep friends in middle age. The author concedes a point that men don’t usually form close friendships at this age, and don’t need them or seek them out (is this true?). There are so many things that hinder older women from forming friendships: different socioeconomic statuses, different stages of life, different relationships with spouses. When you're in elementary school, all it takes is "hey, we're on the playground at the same time, now we're best friends," but as women age, the baggage, the insecurities, and the life demands smother many potential friendships.
Practical Jean is an unusual book. Even though she bumped off her friends, it was done out of love, and I found myself still pulling for Jean in the end. (What does that say about me?) The women in this book are hilarious, but at the same time very sad. It's a dark comedy, a relationship study, a heartwarming tale of love . . . and murder.
This review is also posted on my blog: flyleafunfurled.com. Please make me happy by visiting my blog and saying you liked it.
August 26, 2011
Darkly humorous. Jean has always yearned to be in her mother's good graces, a childhood of trying to fit in with her mom's expectations take their toll. Jean's mom is fading fast from cancer, and Jean becomes her caretaker. Seeing what her mom is going through, along with Jean's own misgivings of her life(her marriage, her long-lost friendship that she holds herself responsible for its dissolution, the cliched lives her close friends lead, her art career not taking fulfilling her inner passion) in general, finally are the straws that break the fragile back that is Jean's mental state. She decides after losing her mom that if she were a "great" friend full of compassion, she would spare her best and closest friends from what likely will be the ultimate test- old age and eventual death. So how does Jean do this? By deciding to kill her friends out of mercy, so that they don't suffer from what will be(in her mind, at least), a slow, painful descent into the final hearse. Sounds dark, depressing, morbid? Oh yes, but Jean is such a sympathetic character that you grow to care for, that you almost hope she gets away with it(this review sounds almost as far-fetched as the notion of hoping Jean gets away with it, but I'm serious). And you cannot put this book down, the plot keeps moving and popping with surprises you don't see coming. Not only that, but a great supporting cast of characters, from Jean's bumbling, ner-do-well husband to her eager-to-please police sargeant in training brother, to her cast of friends. It almost reminds me of what would happen if you crossed the movie Pleasantville with a dark John Waters movie. I loved, loved, loved this book.
October 2, 2011
For fans of black comedy, this novel is just about perfect. Of course, black comedy doesn't appeal to everyone; certainly, it did not appeal to me when I was younger. Now, however, I find that I quite enjoy dark humor. Basically, if you find the description to be amusing and want to read more, then you'll quite enjoy the book.
Jean, of course, is crazy. What else could one possibly expect of someone stuck with the last name of 'Horemarsh?' Cole does a great job of making her brand of craziness believable. He sets up that this idea and her hardness is not coming from nowhere. Her past enables her to do what most people, even those who agreed with her that it would be a mercy killing, would never be able to do.
The cast of characters is lively and quirky, each one providing elements of humor. Here's a sample of the kind of dark humor you can expect: one of her friends betrays her, and as punishment, she does not have the honor of being killed. As I said, dark humor. If you think that's awesome, do yourself a favor and read this!
P.S. Before you start thinking Jean was onto something, please let me recommend instead Natalie's (one of Jean's friends) brand of friendship: "What says 'love' like a chocolate cupcake?"
Jean, of course, is crazy. What else could one possibly expect of someone stuck with the last name of 'Horemarsh?' Cole does a great job of making her brand of craziness believable. He sets up that this idea and her hardness is not coming from nowhere. Her past enables her to do what most people, even those who agreed with her that it would be a mercy killing, would never be able to do.
The cast of characters is lively and quirky, each one providing elements of humor. Here's a sample of the kind of dark humor you can expect: one of her friends betrays her, and as punishment, she does not have the honor of being killed. As I said, dark humor. If you think that's awesome, do yourself a favor and read this!
P.S. Before you start thinking Jean was onto something, please let me recommend instead Natalie's (one of Jean's friends) brand of friendship: "What says 'love' like a chocolate cupcake?"
April 10, 2012
How does one cope with the inevitability of bodily decline? Well, wfter seeing her mother waste away, Jean decides the kindest thing to do for her friends is to spare them the agony of age, disease, and rebelling organs by snuffing them after giving them a moment of joy. From there it is just a matter of determining which friends are worth her “gift” and how to make them happy. And what about if their lives are already really crummy? Does Jean have time to give them the happiness and killing blows they deserve before she gets caught? Or will her plans crumple like her beautifully detailed, yet impractical ceramics?
My moment while reading the book: I literally burst out laughing at one point, alternately laughing and groaning “No, no no” as Jean sets up a perfect moment before a kill. When I reentered the room with my fiancé, who grinned and asked that was so funny, I got to experience the horror on his sweet face as I described the scene. Huzzah for black comedy!
My moment while reading the book: I literally burst out laughing at one point, alternately laughing and groaning “No, no no” as Jean sets up a perfect moment before a kill. When I reentered the room with my fiancé, who grinned and asked that was so funny, I got to experience the horror on his sweet face as I described the scene. Huzzah for black comedy!
April 18, 2020
My mom read this book and found it hilarious so passed it along to me. Gotta say after the first murder I almost quit because I was so disturbed, but I kept with it and now I can forever torture my mother by pretending to kill her whenever she’s having a good time. 3 stars cause of the emotional turmoil reading it caused me, but 5 stars for bringing me and my mom together via mercy killing!
August 3, 2011
Christmas booty!
I have to say I was a little unsettled when I read Trevor Cole's opening sentences to this book:
" You might think this is a rather horrible and depraved sort of story. But that's because you're a nice person."
Oh, oh. I've already figured out I am NOT a nice person. I've read both of Trevor Cole's previous novels and really, the people in those books are not so nice either. I recognize not nice. Takes one to know one as they say. In fact, I remember specifically thinking as I read Norman Bray in the Performance of his Life, what a pompous self-centred ass! Norman, not the author. Worse, by the time I'd finished reading the novel, it had dawned on me that I WAS Norman Bray. So it was, as I say, a little discomforting as I read Practical Jean, wondering what nasty side of my character Trevor Cole was going to bring to light now.
I totally related to Jean. Having just been primary care giver so to speak for my partner's live-in elderly parent I could quite see Jean's point, kindness really, in wanting to spare her friends that whole aging and dying thing and the whole practicality of going out on high note, while at least some of the bloom was on the rose.
Now how Jean goes about helping her friends did seem to me to be a tad rash. Not the end result per se, but the speed and sometimes lack of due caution as time went on was worrisome. On the other hand, her friends would not have wanted her to put herself out, so while Jean does try to plan things out in advance, she does have to be clever and rely on some quick thinking at times. And, at least at first, she gets little recognition or thanks for all her hard work, much like the rest of her life really. Poor Jean.
Despite my saying poor Jean, the book is quite funny in its own wicked way. Indeed, it won the Leacock Medal this year. So read this book. You won't be sorry you did.
I have to say I was a little unsettled when I read Trevor Cole's opening sentences to this book:
" You might think this is a rather horrible and depraved sort of story. But that's because you're a nice person."
Oh, oh. I've already figured out I am NOT a nice person. I've read both of Trevor Cole's previous novels and really, the people in those books are not so nice either. I recognize not nice. Takes one to know one as they say. In fact, I remember specifically thinking as I read Norman Bray in the Performance of his Life, what a pompous self-centred ass! Norman, not the author. Worse, by the time I'd finished reading the novel, it had dawned on me that I WAS Norman Bray. So it was, as I say, a little discomforting as I read Practical Jean, wondering what nasty side of my character Trevor Cole was going to bring to light now.
I totally related to Jean. Having just been primary care giver so to speak for my partner's live-in elderly parent I could quite see Jean's point, kindness really, in wanting to spare her friends that whole aging and dying thing and the whole practicality of going out on high note, while at least some of the bloom was on the rose.
Now how Jean goes about helping her friends did seem to me to be a tad rash. Not the end result per se, but the speed and sometimes lack of due caution as time went on was worrisome. On the other hand, her friends would not have wanted her to put herself out, so while Jean does try to plan things out in advance, she does have to be clever and rely on some quick thinking at times. And, at least at first, she gets little recognition or thanks for all her hard work, much like the rest of her life really. Poor Jean.
Despite my saying poor Jean, the book is quite funny in its own wicked way. Indeed, it won the Leacock Medal this year. So read this book. You won't be sorry you did.
February 2, 2011
I will be thinking about this book for a while - partly the story itself, and partly my ongoing debate with myself about Cole's characters. I really don't like them. It isn't the subject matter (I had an even stronger reaction against the characters in the Fearsome Particles) but something about who they are and their personalities. Imagine working with Milt, or being in a book club with Jean.... I don't think characters need to be likable, and I actually kind of like how they aren't, but I can't seem to think about the book without trying to figure out my reaction of wanting to separate the characters from the story. Maybe it is because Cole is so specific about who these people are and is honest about their faults? Inner debates aside, I really enjoy Cole's stories and his sense of humour. I am taking my struggles as a good sign and will keep reading his books to try and figure it out! Also, there is a scene with a dunk tank that rings so true to my limited exposure to small town politics that I can't stop smiling when I think about it.
October 17, 2011
Book Giveaway & Review:
When I was looking for books to review during October, a.k.a. Halloween month, I knew I had a winner when I saw the publisher’s brief synopsis for Practical Jean by Trevor Cole. It cracked me up and made me go “Eeew” all that the same time. I approached the publisher about sponsoring a book giveaway and they said yes! So on top of learning about this twisty tale, one lucky reader will also win a copy of Practical Jean! WooHoo!
A Little Background: Trevor Cole is a Canadian author and an award-winning journalist whose first two novels, Norman Bray in the Performance of His Life and The Fearsome Particles, have both been short listed for several prestigious awards. Practical Jean has just won the 2011 Leacock Medal for Humour. Practical Jean was released in Canada in 2010 but is just being released in the U.S. this month.
To read the rest of my review & enter the giveaway, go to http://popcornreads.com/?p=2046
When I was looking for books to review during October, a.k.a. Halloween month, I knew I had a winner when I saw the publisher’s brief synopsis for Practical Jean by Trevor Cole. It cracked me up and made me go “Eeew” all that the same time. I approached the publisher about sponsoring a book giveaway and they said yes! So on top of learning about this twisty tale, one lucky reader will also win a copy of Practical Jean! WooHoo!
A Little Background: Trevor Cole is a Canadian author and an award-winning journalist whose first two novels, Norman Bray in the Performance of His Life and The Fearsome Particles, have both been short listed for several prestigious awards. Practical Jean has just won the 2011 Leacock Medal for Humour. Practical Jean was released in Canada in 2010 but is just being released in the U.S. this month.
To read the rest of my review & enter the giveaway, go to http://popcornreads.com/?p=2046
January 7, 2013
Original. Amusing. A rather believable main character doing unbelievable things. I would recommend this as a fast but absorbing read.
March 15, 2023
Well, here I was thinking I was going to read some chick lit. I guess I did, it just wasn’t what I expected.
I don’t know what to make of it. I mean, obviously Jean is crazy. As in eat a bowl of crazy flakes every morning crazy. But I don’t like her. I really don’t know much about her, and this book is all about her.
It’s a twisted tale of friendship, I supposed. Twisted in the way that serial killers think they are doing something great for their victims by killing them. This woman, Jean, has good friends. And she honors them by preventing them the atrocities that come with growing older. I sometimes thought I was reading an episode of Criminal Minds. Jean is definitely a premeditated gal.
The characters are quirky. The plot is dark. I like quirky. I like dark. I do! I really do!! I liked Serial Mom. I liked Santa Clarita Diet.
Maybe it’s because I didn’t read the book jacket and I went in thinking it was going to be light and fun? Most of the time reading this I kept wondering how I’m supposed to view Jean. Crazy? Murderer? Darkly humorous? Mostly I think that I just didn’t like her or understand her psychotic break. And, I guess I didn’t buy into her manifesto. At least in Santa Clarita it’s about vampires and vampires are not real.
The book did have me googling my area for ceramic classes.
I don’t know what to make of it. I mean, obviously Jean is crazy. As in eat a bowl of crazy flakes every morning crazy. But I don’t like her. I really don’t know much about her, and this book is all about her.
It’s a twisted tale of friendship, I supposed. Twisted in the way that serial killers think they are doing something great for their victims by killing them. This woman, Jean, has good friends. And she honors them by preventing them the atrocities that come with growing older. I sometimes thought I was reading an episode of Criminal Minds. Jean is definitely a premeditated gal.
The characters are quirky. The plot is dark. I like quirky. I like dark. I do! I really do!! I liked Serial Mom. I liked Santa Clarita Diet.
Maybe it’s because I didn’t read the book jacket and I went in thinking it was going to be light and fun? Most of the time reading this I kept wondering how I’m supposed to view Jean. Crazy? Murderer? Darkly humorous? Mostly I think that I just didn’t like her or understand her psychotic break. And, I guess I didn’t buy into her manifesto. At least in Santa Clarita it’s about vampires and vampires are not real.
The book did have me googling my area for ceramic classes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 9, 2019
3.5/5
I love dark comedy and was so excited to read Practical Jean. I loved the concept and learned a lot about how to be a good friend (I am kidding.. about the good friend bit, the concept is fantastic). My main issue with it was that something about Jean and her friendships just didn't quite hit the mark. It felt a little superficial, and understanding that it was not meant to be a profound book, I still think it would have benefited from further developing Jean and her friendships.
I love dark comedy and was so excited to read Practical Jean. I loved the concept and learned a lot about how to be a good friend (I am kidding.. about the good friend bit, the concept is fantastic). My main issue with it was that something about Jean and her friendships just didn't quite hit the mark. It felt a little superficial, and understanding that it was not meant to be a profound book, I still think it would have benefited from further developing Jean and her friendships.
February 4, 2020
This was an inverted whodunit because we know who the murderer is; it's a plot that isn't used that often so I was intrigued. In this way the reader understands very well Jean's motivations and emotions which led to her actions. There was a lot of humor in it, but also many sad truths about getting old and/or sick. I look forward to reading Mr. Cole's future books.
June 3, 2020
It is very rare that I will finish reading a book that I dislike as intensely as I disliked this one.
What didn't I like about it? Was it the snarky tone? the cardboard, cartoon-like characters? the ridiculous-almost-to-the-point-of-offensive plot?
All of the above.
I guess I kept reading out of dread fascination to see how the author was going to pull it all off.
What didn't I like about it? Was it the snarky tone? the cardboard, cartoon-like characters? the ridiculous-almost-to-the-point-of-offensive plot?
All of the above.
I guess I kept reading out of dread fascination to see how the author was going to pull it all off.
April 8, 2019
The first time I tried to read a black comedy novel it didn't go so well...but I'll give this a shot. Unfortunately, I could not finish. The cadence is reminiscent of the desperate housewives narration meet Forest Gump.
May 21, 2017
Extremely strange but I have to admit I kept reading it
May 8, 2018
Don't think I was really in the mood for this.
February 22, 2019
interesting storyline
December 10, 2019
Not sure if my 'friends' would appreciate me recommending this book to them (ha, ha). Although this novel was somewhat dark in nature, I also found it to be highly entertaining!
May 21, 2020
Je suis peut-être trop terre à terre, mais les critiques l'annoncent comme un livre drôle, hilarant,.. et je n'y ai vu que du désespoir, de la tristesse et de la peur..
January 26, 2021
Well, that was kinda quirky. Not at all what I was expecting. I’m finding I enjoy Trevor Cole’s style of writing however I still get surprised by the plot twists.
March 28, 2021
An unexpected story line for sure, very original and oddly entertaining.
February 27, 2022
Unlike anything I've read before, Practical Jean is a dark comedic look at friendship and the lengths one woman will go to, to ensure her friends are spared the ravages of aging.
July 5, 2023
This story is original, dark, humorous and truly about the things only a true friend can do.
March 10, 2017
I've read the book. I wanted to love the story and all-- but, I just couldn't bring myself to truly agree with the way the story went. I mean, at one point. I enjoyed it and the other, I just wanted to get over reading it. Everything seemed predictable and unpredictable all at the same time. Somewhere down the road, I just wanted to pin down the book already. I did enjoy the descriptive approach whenever it came to Jeans artworks and pieces but, the chic-flick tv vibe just made it feel like I was watching one of those dragging scenes on tv.
September 2, 2019
Wow! Very interesting story!
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