Monday, December 12, 2005
Little Earthquakes – Jennifer Weiner (Enjoyable)
As always, I thoroughly enjoyed reading her book. Even though most of her books are not intelligent per se, they are very interesting. “Little Earthquakes” is narrated by Lia who meets three pregnant women (Becky, Ayinde and Kelly) who have formed a strong bond of friendship. She herself is recovering (or not) from losing a baby. The book is a tale about friendship, heartbreak and redemption. Even though the book starts off with tone that suggests that these women have a “perfect life”, it slowly reveals the true goings on in their lives. Becky is a successful chef who has been ridiculed by many about her weight. She has a mother-in-law from hell. Ayinde is the rich, elegant wife of a successful basketball player who herself used to be a successful reporter before her marriage with the celebrity. She is struggling to forgive her cheating husband. Kelly is the perfectionist (event planner) who wants everything to go according to the spreadsheet she has created for her life. After having undergone a troubled childhood, she is content and happy with her comfortable life with her husband until he walks in and announces that he was fired from his job. I loved it when in the end Kelly says – “good enough is very good”.While Little Earthquakes may leave little to the imagination, and some of the characters are laughably stereotypical, it is Weiner's gift for creating compelling characters with whom I could identify. The book was thought provoking and Weiner knows how to capture and retain her audience’s attention. The book suggests that nothing is perfect in life and you have to make the most of what is offered to you.
