Rating: 
Summary: Wonderfully written, touching beyond words
Review: I found it hard to believe that a man could write so well in the voice of a teenage girl but he did and Wally Lamb really hit the nail on the head with this book. It was the first one of his that I read and it made me want to read more. Delores Price is the perfect protagonist - she's not perfect but just HUMAN and I think that's why so many people can identify with her. She wants to be accepted (don't we all?) and she looks for love in a lot of places she shouldn't. It is brilliant to see Delores come of age in this novel. I laughed, I cried, I got mad and in the end, I loved the novel and how it changed me.
Rating: 
Summary: Very enjoyable yet sad...
Review: This book is not just about the trials and tribulations of a fat girl but about growing up, rape, family relationships, marriage and divorce. Dolores Price is a honest, funny, real character and I found myself rooting for her all throughout the novel, even when she made questionable decisions. At times hilarious and heartbreaking, this was the one of the best books I've ever read concerning the above mentioned issues.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining
Review: This book is about a woman and her struggles through life, starting when she was around four years old and ending near her forties. I had a hard time trying to decide what to write for the review of this book. When I first started reading it, I was not impressed with the author's style of writing. It was hard for me to follow the time line of events and feel sympathy for the main character, Dolores Price. As the story went on, I began to get used to the author's style of writing, then I found myself very angry with Dolores and the decisions she made. Upon further speculation, I wondered, maybe her decisions affected me so much because I could relate to her in so many ways. I wanted to reach into the story, take Dolores and just shake her up, yell at her or somehow make her understand that she wasn't alone, that she had other choices she could make. By the end, I couldn't put the book down; I was so involved in the story and hoping that Dolores would find happiness.
Rating:
Summary: A Lesson in Compassion
Review: I was deeply moved and surprised by this novel. Wally Lamb has an incredible gift of conveying human emotion. I was shocked that he so accurately, without sounding too typical, depicted the feelings of a young woman. I was also not expecting the book to touch on so many different emotional subjects. Wally delved into the human psyche in all areas from sexuality to sanity to dealing with death. Although the subject matter is heavy, I would definitely not say that the book is depressing to read. Dolores' struggles carry with them the promises of hope, friendship, finding true love, and most importantly, self-acceptance and accepting that one's true self is infinitely flawed. Growing up an "ugly duckling" (although I was a thin, awkward version), I could relate a great deal to Dolores. I can also relate to how, similar to her character, these experiences shape and transform a person in later life, hopefully teaching you to be more tolerant and accepting of others. This book is a great read for everyone. It teaches compassion and understanding, which truly improves us all.
Rating:
Summary: Warm and honest
Review: Some of the plot and character portraits were unbelievable, but overall it was a warm and honest portrait of a troubled young woman and her bold return to an honest, but harsh life. A quick and enjoyable read that evokes conflicting emotions, from disgust to pity to pride, for the protagonist, Dolores.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting but depressing
Review: This story was good but just a little too sad for me. I LOVED THE ENDING and it made up for some of the sad parts. I really would not recommend this book unless you are just in one of those psychoanalyzing moods.
Rating:
Summary: Great read
Review: I was quite worried about how much I could relate to the main character in this book on some of her feelings. This poor girl seemed to have so much happen to her in life. The book kept me reading and rooting for her from the beginning to the end!
Rating:
Summary: Amazing portrait of a woman
Review: Wow. What an amazing book. This book takes you through the life of Dolores Price, through the good, the bad, and the terrible. While most people probably won't relate to everything poor Dolores (meaning The Lady of Sorrow) goes through, I'm sure most people can find at least one experience in this book to which they can relate. With wonderfully flowing words, you go through this book drifting on the waves that comprise Dolores' life. It's so well written, you put all of your energy into hoping Dolores finally gets some good out of life - you celebrate and mourn right along with her.Dolores is an amazingly complex character, and this book is an amazing portrait of her personality and her mind. Written in the first person, it's easy to read along, and we gain a deep understanding of her. While it's sad that she has to suffer through so much, and there are a few convenient coincidences, it's not entirely unrealistic, it's a story that could happen, which makes it all the more poignant. I really can't say enough good things about this book. It has the potential to change your life by encouraging you to make your own happiness. Take what life has to offer. You can make it through life although it won't always be easy or pleasant. Don't give up on yourself.
Rating:
Summary: Loved It!
Review: This book was a selection picked for our neighborhood book club. The person who chose it, warned me that a lot happens, but that it was an easy read. She was right on the money. I don't want to rehash the plot, since I find that annoying when reading reviews. But lets just say that I don't know that I could have endured all that Dolores went through without just throwing up my hands and giving up on life. She is definitely a strong person (although she seemed to always be surrounded by losers). It was a very enjoyable book and a quick read. I would not hesitate to recommend this to a friend.
Rating:
Summary: Lengthy Inspiration
Review: When I picked up this book I was immediately turned off... it said Oprah's Book Club on the cover. I brought it home anyway (I had to read it for school) I hated Delores, thought she was detestable, crude and selfish but somewhere during the course of the story you fall in love with her. Delores experiences so much in her one life that many of us could only experience over several lives. She always seems to come through even though she has strange ways of dealing with herself. It is an inspirational tale of a young spirit that was broken and revived over and over. I closed this long book with satisfaction (well almost.. I do have to write a report on it now). I would most definately recommend it to anyone who needs a spirit uplift or just a way to escape life for a few hours. Wally Lamb does an incredible job of portraying a young female. Excellent book.
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