The Zygote Chronicles

by Suzanne Finnamore

A thirtysomething woman expecting her first child shares her thoughts about pregnancy and the prospects of motherhood as she chronicles the changes her body, mind, and emotions go through.

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Humor, Parenting, Womens

128 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Melissa Cardenas · Rating 2 out of 5]

"The Zygotes Chronicles” by Suzanne Finnamore

A mother-to-be narrates the journey of her first pregnancy in the form of journal entries to her baby-to-be. At 38, the narrator is terrified about having a baby, and expresses her insecurities. She also questions whether the advertising career where she's achieved the heady titles of vice president and creative director, will disappear the moment she gives birth. Under physical and psychological stress, she sometimes flares up to her 49 year old husband, who remains loving throughout. Another anchor is her best friend, Diana, who is also expecting a child. They help each other through the many phases of pregnancy. This leads to the day she has been waiting her whole life.
"The Zygotes Chronicles" written by the lovely Suzanne Finnamore is a chick flick. This book while not intrigue male audience, because it takes us to every stage of pregnancy. I do not think a male will want to take the time to read about the feelings and emotions of a pregnant woman. Unless you are a caring boyfriend or husband, who will like to know what it’s like to be a woman. I would also not recommend this book to teen girls who like horror, adventure, and mystery. But, I would recommend this book to women who are thinking about getting or pregnant or are.
I have mix feeling about this book. I really wanted to read it since the moment I took it out of my friend’s hand. But as I began to read, the purpose of this book didn’t click. I usually like reading about mystery and romance. And this book had neither. It felt like I was invading her personal space, like a third wheel. I had to read on and on about every emotion and feeling she was going through. Even though I would recommend this book to pregnant women, I would not go around telling people about this book. Sorry Suzanne Finnamore, its not you but your book.

[Carmyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm sure this falls into stage two chick lit -- the place where the mommy-gene takes over. I read Suzanne Finnamore's Otherwise Engaged a few years ago and loved it and so there was no hesitation when I realized she had a new book. The Zygote Chronicles are written in a confidential diary-like voice from mother to baby, capturing her journey from intent to delivery. This short novel is poignant and hilarious at once. Repeatedly, I found myself laughing out loud at moments like this:

"I think before a woman is really huge, before she looks like she is carrying a Louis XVI commode in her gut, people don't take her aches and pains seriously. I can't help feeling a gun would help. Just a small pistol strapped to my side, and when I complained about feeling bloated or headachey or nauseated, I would lightly finger the pistol" (70-71).

Finnamore's writing is a minefield of moments that made me chuckle, nod with understanding, wonder, ponder, and more. If I'd read this book with a pencil, marking my favorite bits, no page would be untouched.

[Celia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jonniker recommended Suzanne Finnamore on her blog, and I trotted off to the library to explore. (I wanted to read her engagement/marriage novel prior to the pregnancy one, but Zygote Chronicles was on the shelves, so that's what I picked up).

I expected something a bit chick-littish, which this is definitely not - it's a small book, a diary of a pregnancy, and beautifully written. I felt completely caught up in that strange world of something coming to life inside you, and the oddness of it all. Oh, and it's terribly funny as well. Good stuff, and I'm looking forward to reading her other books.

[Kricket · Rating 4 out of 5]

First read, August 2007:
I love Finnamore's conversational and humorous tone. This might fall into a "chick-lit" (lord I hate that term) category but it's high quality. Follow up to "Otherwise Engaged."

Second read, August 2021:
This time I read "Zygote" right after finishing "Otherwise Engaged" and noticed something I did not before: that although all of the characters are essentially the same, they all have different names and in some cases the story is slightly tweaked- the narrator's father is a pastor-turned-bartender in both books, but in "Zygote" the accident that takes his life is different. The unfortunate affect was that I started treating the books like a "can you spot the differences between these pictures?" puzzle in Highlights For Children, which was a little distracting, but I still really enjoy Finnamore's writing, so I'll live.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was HILARIOUS! It brought back memories of my extreme emotions during pregnancy. I read a review of this author's recently published book about her divorce, titled 'Split,' and couldn't resist reading this one first. She also wrote about about getting married that I don't know the title of and haven't read. I also liked that she was from the Bay Area and referenced it throughout, although I couldn't pinpoint most of the locations.

[Rei · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I love love love Suzanne Finnamore for this! Reading her book made me wish my mom was a writer. Or for that matter that everyone's mom is a writer so that something like this could be written during the period when our moms were pregnant. She made me burst into laughter reading passages from her book. Absolutely brilliant! I would kiss her hand when I see her! If she allows me. :)

[Sherri Bryant]

I was expecting a chick-lit novel not the author's memoir about her own pregnancy.

[Grace-ann Westergren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raw and humorous account of pregnancy and birth.

[Cora · Rating 2 out of 5]

[2,5]

[Olivia Loving · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whenever I see a book review that says "I laughed and I cried," I roll my eyes. But that's exactly what I did with 'The Zygote Chronicles.' I found it at the NYC bookstore where I used to work. I was in the D/E/F alcove in the fiction section, the place my coworkers and I used to hide when we needed to send texts, since there are no cameras. (Pretty sure I once heard rumors of a hot make-out section there.)

The word "zygote" jumped out at me (I got fertility-obsessed last summer), and I liked its slimness and baby-blue cover, and first-person narration, so I started reading. I silenced my phone and read the entire thing, cover to cover, without a bathroom break. I marked the places where I laughed out loud, and then by the end I was crying, or at least my eyes were watering and I was sniffling pretty heavily. I am not (yet! someday! hopefully!) a mother, but Suzanne Finnamore seemed to perfectly capture the soul-connection between a mother and child, which I think is something that more people should understand, or try to understand (how can we, ever, without the experience?) before having a baby.

~

"We saw how your life had its own shadowy yet distinct form, beginning with the right name, which had just now come to us from the future. As though time could be remembered forward."

<3

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the author's voice. Went back and read her previous novel, also semi-autobiographical, detailing an engagement. Was sad when her next book came out, a non-fiction book, describing what came later, a dissolution of her relationship with her child's father. Also good, but not as funny, as you can imagine.

[Meg C · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know her writing isn't for everyone, but man, she is one of my favorite authors. Rereading this for the fourth or fifth time and still so funny and moving.

[Betsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

humorous account of a pregnancy

[Naomi McDaniel]

this was hilarious, i feel so seen. my husband does too when i read some out loud to him hahahah

[Evanston Public Library]

So after enjoying Split, by Suzanne Finnamore, so much I decided to give her other books a try. Split is a memoir of the year when her husband of 5 years decides he wants a divorce. Finnamore’s other two books, Otherwise Engaged and The Zygote Chronicles, document her engagement to said husband and their subsequent pregnancy. Although Split is a memoir and her other two books were marketed as fiction, one can’t help but assume she is writing autobiographically. Since I had already started reading her books in the wrong order (having read about her divorce first), I decided to continue working backwards and read The Zygote Chronicles next.

Finnamore hilariously brings to life the crazy nine months she spends carrying her son touching on universal fears of expecting mothers; will I be a good mom, what will I do about work, what’s happening to my body!, in a funny and real way. Finnamore’s books are so readable it is like sitting with a friend listening to her tell a story. Can’t wait to read more about her adventures in Otherwise Engaged.

Rika G.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I originally read this short novel several years ago, but wanted to reread it now that I am pregnant. It was just as funny as I remembered. One incident that stood out when I read it the first time (and is still funny as all get out) is when her husband cooks beets and stinks up the house during her first trimester.

“I think, This is the worst thing he has ever done to me. Death by beet. I feel he is the most ignorant man alive right now. I want to harm him in some way. I know he doesn’t understand what it’s like to carry you and feel sick all day and night, but that really is insignificant in light of his crime. I imagine a jury of pregnant women chewing on Rolaids and unanimously holding up cards that read GUILTY.”

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised to find that this wasn't chick-litty at all. In fact, it was kind of like reading a blog: a really well-written one by a person you'd like to stalk (or, you know, whatever, be friend with) in real life. Certain parts were laugh-out-loud funny (in a wry, dry, witty way, not in a slapstick way) although I did get a TAD irritated by the way it kind of just went on and on and on in the same tone the whole time -- I might have liked a little more instance of conversation or, you know, PERSPECTIVE. I suppose that was a bit why it was like reading a blog.

Anyway, funny, well-written, and definitely not going to make you feel bad about yourself in the morning. Also: very short. I sped through it.

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like to read books that are in a series, which is why I read this even though I didn't really love the first book "Otherwise Engaged". This isn't exactly a sequel, which was weird. A lot of the characters were very close, but some of the details were changed, sometimes just a character's name, which I thought was really weird. It was kind of like the author just "forgot" the name of the character in the previous book. That said, I enjoyed this much more than the first book. The character changes did make this book better, which makes me think that the first book should have been "cleaned up" a bit better, and it would have been more enjoyable. This was definitely lighter and just "better" than the first book.

[Amanda Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book when I was trying to get pregnant a couple of years ago and didn't pick it up to read until I actually got pregnant last year. It is great! It's about a couple that gets pregnant but it seems that may not be what she wants the most and at times throughout her pregnancy she feels as though the fetus in an invasion of her body. She has a very interesting view on parenthood (coming from a very busy work-aholic couple). She often has dreams of horrible things happening as a result of the pregnancy but eventually comes to love the baby dearly that is growing inside her. This is great for parents, ttc'ers, and pregnant women.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nine month chronicle of an almost forty-year-old woman's journey through pregnancy. The book is a journal but reads as though she is conversing with the life growing inside her. Predictably, much of her diatribe focuses on the ever-changing physical aspects and increasing discomfort. As the months drag on her scope narrows, crowding out work responsibilities with a singular purpose of motherhood. Though not notable by any means and very short (only 124 pages!) it was a thoroughly enjoyable read.

[Blythe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This ranks right up with Operating Instructions in the smart, funny, honest books about pregnancy category. I'm so glad I read it while my child is still small, because the uncertainty, joy, anger, and thrills Suzanne Finnamore describes are still clear in my memory. But I'm sure I could never have built such a vivid and affecting picture of them, especially with the economy that she does. Pick it up on your child's first birthday and it will all come rushing back.

[Jillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super funny. I know not everyone wants to have babies, but this girl is really funny.
I looked for other books by her & was disturbed to note that her latest memoir is called Split: A Memoir of Divorce. Kind of put a damper on this one for me, but it really was mostly about her nd this baby. Good stuff.

[katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing read. Simple and to the point. Her voice cuts right to the heart of whatever matter she writes about. Things you think, but never that eloquently. I'll be reading whatever else she ever writes.


Why oh why have I not read Suzanne Finnamore before? I'm 45 pages in and in love with her writing style.

[Eve · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the record, I don't have any specific plans to have a baby in the near future. I bought this book because it was selling on the street for $1 and looked entertaining. It was well worth the money, very funny and very sweet. I'm saving it for the next friend of mine to get pregnant.

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun book to read, funny and heart wrenching and poetically brillant. I've been inspired to write my daughter letters, there is so much I want to tell her about my life, my pregnancy and her birth - just having her in my life. Stuff that I wish my mom would say to me.

[Joanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this book, the narrator chronicles her pregnancy for her unborn child. Parts are hysterical like where she expresses her distress at the fact that her husband's normal smell has been replaced by one that smells like garbage. Cute and entertaining.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was only 128 pages, so it was a very quick read. It is basically a diary written by a mother to her unborn child. It details all of the emotions the mother has while being pregnant from conception to birth.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a first person narrative of a first time pregnancy--going from conception to birth. I'm sure I enjoyed this book more because I was pregnant at the time I read it. Especially nice if you don't have a girlfriend pregnant at the same time as you to comiserate. And a quick read.

[marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a perfectly simple and sweet ode to her unborn child.

"You can hear now. Your inner ear has formed.

"I shout 'I love you' into the bedroom. Then I feel stupid. Then I don't. This is pretty much the story of my life."

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oddly emotionless, since it's written from the perspective of an expectant mother. You think she'd be a little more excited and verbose on the subject of her future spawn, yet instead we have to suffer through her reticent and overly-crafted sentences.