She’s Come Undone
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Why does everyone hate this wonderful book?
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Judi
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rated it 5 stars
Jul 17, 2012 03:29PM
I agree!
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Sallie wrote: "totally loved this book also! I can't understand why anyone would put this book in the worst list. "I'm with you on this one.
Meredith wrote: "This book is one of my all time favorites from one of my favorite authors. Wally Lamb created a funny, scrappy and resilient character in Dolores Price. I laughed and cried--often on the same page."LOVE Wally Lamb.
It's been many years since I read this book and I'll be honest, I don't quite remember every single bit of it. I do remember however, loving it. I remember sometimes feeling pity for Dolores and other times I remember feeling almost as sick and empty as when I had watched the movie Precious. Point being, it had evoked many different feelings throughout. If a book was garbage or the characters unbelievable, those types of emotions wouldn't have surfaced in me. To hear and read so many others that disliked it almost confuses me. I'm reading comments about how the characters were unbelievable with no depth to them. How so? I'm honestly just curious on this other take and perspective. From my perspective when writing or reading about a character that has been through quite a bit of turmoil, she won't immediately bubble up from the page. It will be stagnant and it will be slow in getting to know him or her. They've 'been through a lot'. If I have to compare to people I know who have been through a pretty crappy run in their lives as well, a lot of them come off as awkward and silent and plainly hard to get to know because they can't open up or trust anymore.Maybe, I just have to read it again...
I loved it to and do not understand what all of the fuss is about!
This was the first Wally Lamb book I read. I had to keep checking to make sure it was a man writing the book. I loved it and could relate to Dolores and her dysfunctional life.
I read I Know This Much Is True and had to check out his other books, so I read this one too, and loved it. I've enjoyed all of Wally Lamb's books.But, hey... can't please everyone. Right? I'm sure there are some books I didn't care for that others loved.
I got rid of this book as soon as I finished. I can't quite put my finger on why I didn't enjoy it, I found it repetative, and oddly written. Having said that, I LOVED I Know This Much Is True. I feel like they were written by different authors.
I hated this BOOK!!! But omg did I love THIS MUCH I KNOW IS TRUE!! I really can't tell u why I hated it! Maybe it hit to close to home! Sad but I have too many friends and family members that have lived this life! Maybe I don't know! But he is amazing writer!
I loved it. Wally Lamb is an amazing author. "I know this much is true" is excellent as well.
This is my favorite book. I read it years ago, it remains on my shelf, and I go back and read chapters again and again. If a reader fails to understand the struggle of the main character, or can't interpret the symbolism or imagery, I can see how the magic of the book could be lost on them. I personally cannot believe that it was written by a man...it is so intuitive (in a woman-kind of way). For me, it is a book about self discovery and acceptance. Very powerful.
I remember reading it years ago and must have liked it, as I finished it. I stop reading books if they stink.
I read this book about 5 years ago....one of my faves, actually. I liked it...it touched on many subjects through a person's lifetime. Lite and quirky at times, very serious and dark at times...I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone to read.
I read three of Wally Lamb's books and I fell in love with all of them. He reminds me of Pat Conroy also an excellent story teller. I need to check my list to see if I have added it to my list.
I adore this book, it's one that will stay with me a long time.
Marie wrote: "I hated this BOOK!!! But omg did I love THIS MUCH I KNOW IS TRUE!! I really can't tell u why I hated it! Maybe it hit to close to home! Sad but I have too many friends and family members that have..."
Funny, I was just (like 30 seconds ago)contemplating re-reading Catcher in the Rye, which I HATED, because I realized I really didnt like the characters, and maybe in a re-read I could just enjoy the tale,accepting that I would not like the people acting it out. I had the same first impression of this book, only I eventually enjoyed the read because it was the first book where I utterly detested the main characters. I was very taken by Lamb's skill at keeping the reader involved in a story about the lives of people I didnt like.
that being said, I can understand how that might not be enough to carry some readers through. glad you found other Lamb works you enjoyed. Check out some of his non-fiction and collections he edited, also good stuff.
deleted user wrote: "I loved this book. I'm shocked to see how many people hated it. I can understand some of the reviews from men who can't relate with a woman's perspective, but to hear the amount of dislike from w..."A woman's perspective by a book written from a man, need I write more?
I read this book when it first came out on Oprah's list and couldn't put it down. I think it's a good read and entertaining. I don't remember much since it was so long ago, but I did like it.
Loved this book. How does anyone "hate" it?! The author is amazing.
I absolutely love this book, it is a great story!
"...but to hear the amount of dislike from women is what really floors me." Lamb basically created a list of the most awful things to happen to a young girl and put nearly all of it into one book. Besides the over-the-top drama of the book, I found Dolores' character to be quite flat (in other words, quite under-developed) to the point where I was actually rooting for the antagonists. This book is only good for toilet paper.
Who could hate this book, I read it years ago but it was great.
This was the first Wally Lamb book I read, and it was one of those books that stay with you for a long time. He is a good writer, and this book is worth reading. It may have even been life changing for me.
I think 'hate' is a strong word. I enjoyed the book.. no hate here
I adore this book. And it's not just because my junior year English teacher reccommended it, or because the man who wrote this book teaches at a high school not very far from me. It's because even though the author is male, he captures the female voice so well. He doesn't write all sunshine and roses, which is what a lot of people want in a book. He writes real life, and about real things. I could read this book over and over again.
I enjoyed this book a lot, too. It's pretty sad in parts, which I don't love, in general, but it made the story more realistic.
I have read this book twice in my life and both times I loved it for mostly different reasons. I think Dolores was a very real and painfully honest character to read about. She is imperfect and damaged but what makes her worth reading about is the fact that she tries to be better. I think it takes courage to write about things we all know are out there but don't like to deal with-homophobia, self-hatred,obesity (food addiction), depression. Dolores is not what I would call a positive role model, but there are traits in her that we have all seen in others. This book is not a fairytale. It's a chronical of life.
I adore this book but I do understand why there are those who dislike it, although I disagree. I relate to much in this book and feel it's written with a lot of heart. Despite the author being a bit of a notorious jerk, I still feel he's quite talented. "Come Undone" remains one of my all-time favorite books.
I love all Wally Lamb books....and all my friends do too. I have read all four of them...Wishin and Hopen was cute, but the other three was wonderful in my books
Wait, how can anyone hate this book?!! It thought it was incredibly well written. I couldn't believe a man could write a woman's feelings so well! Loved this book.
I loved it. I love everything Wally Lamb.deleted user wrote: "I loved this book. I'm shocked to see how many people hated it. I can understand some of the reviews from men who can't relate with a woman's perspective, but to hear the amount of dislike from w..."
As a hater, I wish I could explain why I hated this book. But I refuse to suffer through it again and I read it 15 years ago, so my hatred is vague, distant and almost forgotten. I was a super-obese high school student and I wanted to relate to the main character, but some things were so blatantly off (her actual weight vs being able to fit into a chair is one thing that vaguely jumps to my mind) that I couldn't see her as real at all. Just a stuffed character meant for beating and torturing.Wish I could help, but I really cannot stand this book and I will not read it again.
i read and reread this years ago and I thought is was wonderful. Still do. I think it's unrealistic to always have a nice tidy, happy ending. And we don't really know what happens in her future, do we? I highly recommend this book to anyone, especially teen girls.
Perhaps it is the woman and women who suffer life in some tragic way that this book appeals to. I think Wally Lamb is an excellent writer and I loved this book. I have been undone too. I did not even know it was on Oprah's list, news to me. I would re-read it if I still had the book.
I loved this book but I can understand how some people might not. It was an emotionally charged book which can be hard for some people to read. I have recommended this book to numerous people whom have gone on to do the same. It my opinion it is a book well worth reading.
I loved this book, but it isn't a shallow little romance novel. It is a deep heart felt story some people just don't want reality !Pretty sure I have read all his books and loved them !
I just finished reading this book and can't believe how many people dislike it based on the fact that there are no predictable, fluffy good life moments to be found within it. This book is about someone's life and for some people, life happens just like that. For some people this is reality.
Sebastian wrote: "I just finished reading this book and can't believe how many people dislike it based on the fact that there are no predictable, fluffy good life moments to be found within it. This book is about so..."tTotally agree with you Sebastian, life is not a bed of roses for some people.
I loved this book! I've read it about 5 times since I first purchased it about 10 years ago. I thought the characters were portrayed so realistically that they could have been people I grew up with, especially "Grandma", who reminded me of my own somewhat cold English grandmother. Delores was not some fairy-tale character, she was real, she made mistakes, she did horrible things and behaved rudely to people who cared about her. Part of the magic of the book is her growth process and how all the things in her past made her exactly who she was.
I couldn't imagine hating this book, but different strokes, eh?
Naty wrote: "Sebastian wrote: "I just finished reading this book and can't believe how many people dislike it based on the fact that there are no predictable, fluffy good life moments to be found within it. Thi..."While I agree with you Naty, Its hard to swallow that when you have issues of your own. And its not like he( Wally Lamb) did a crappy job at portraying it. This story was fraught with emotion and I cried.It was a moving book( where she sat and ate the entire roast beef hunk....urgh). Stayed with me for days. For some people, the fluffy is the escape.
Love all Wally Lamb books!!!!!
I thought it was a very good book and I do not think it belongs in the "everyone hates category". It was quite successful. A perfect book? No, but not bad at all. Not everything is for everyone.
Just Finished this one today And I'm let down on the ending- The book was a continual rollercoaster of emotions and I did enjoy it, But I wanted so much more for her at the end. Oh well
It's been a long time since I read the book, but I remember disliking Dolores and feeling that she lacked character. Bottom line: she was an a-hole. And she didn't improve by the end of the book.
It's been along time and so many books ago but I love his books all of them, I think he may be an an acquired taste and sometimes he gets deep and you really have to look for the meaning, much like Richard Russo
I first read this book 8 years ago. And to count, I've read this book four times, and I know I won't get tired of it. The words are well-written and simple, and yet deep and hits you well in the heart. I think any woman could relate to Dolores one way or another.
Joan wrote: "Because she goes through so much and the ending was pretty flat. I thought why did he put his character through all of this? Why did I put myself through that entire book? I was really hoping fo..."I guess that's how life really works
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