Rating:  Summary: Enjoyable read Review: I really liked this book! Though it reminded me much of Bridget Jones's Diary (single girl trying to meet the man of her dreams, lose weight and improve her career) it was also different enough that I didn't feel like I was reading the same book over. Jemima is 100lbs. overweight, suffers from low self-esteem and has a crush on her coworker, Ben, who sees her only as a dear friend. When she finds out how to use the internet, she meets California babe, Brad, in a chat room. Brad eventually wants to meet her so Jemima travels to L.A. to meet him but not before she goes on a crash diet, becomes exercise obsessive and gets down to 120 lbs. A makeover by her fashion conscious friend, Geraldine, makes her look like the popular t.v. personality she claimed to be. All is well when she meets the hunky (and wealthy)Brad, but Jemima is discouraged that she can't get over Ben, when the perfect man wants to pursue a relationship with her and Ben barely knows she exists since taking a new position as an entertainment reporter. But, you know what they say about perfect men...they're too good to be true... Jemima J is a very light and fun read that will keep you turning the pages to find out what is "wrong" with the perfect man, because you know there's no such thing, and what will Jemima do when his secret is revealed?? The author's point of view changes often during the course of the book. While at first I found it annoying, I soon came to appreciate the narrative that helps us to see what we can't see from the characters' point of view.
Rating:  Summary: Predictable and disappointing... Review: I had very high expectations for this book, based on the review and recommendation from Comso. But it was so disappointing. In this age of women finding power within, this book basically devalued it all - basic story - fat girl, no friends or men, the lust/love of her life considers her only a "work friend". Loses 100 pounds and becomes thin and beautiful, and has all men flocking to her, including the man who previously never gave her a second thought. The whole story focused on external beauty and how "beautiful people" get everything in life. There was probably a subtheme of finding power within once you realize you're already beautiful on the outside, but it was very hidden, and certainly won't be found by the women likely to read this - those looking for validation to lose weight and possibly develop eating disorders, thinking it will solve all of life's problems.
Rating:  Summary: This book was awesome Review: I just thought this was the perfect beach book. It was a very easy read and I couldnt put it down.
Rating:  Summary: Talk about a BAD book!!!!! Review: I got this book because I am overweight and thought it would have more of a story I could relate to, but I was never more wrong. When I started reading this I got the idea the Jemima J was so over weight that she should be on Jerry Springer having her bedroom wall torn down so she could get out of her house!!!! The author has no idea what she is talking about. I was saddened to find out that the "huge" Jemica was only 217. And on top of that just because she was "fat" she had no friends and that no man could ever like, or love her for that matter, her. Like I said Ms. Green has no clue as to what she is talking about. It is sad to think that all she could do is use sterotypes about overweight people instead of writting something that would be more true to life. And the idea that all Jemima had to do was to lose weight and she is now some beauty that everyone over looked because the fat masked it all. Now she is turning mens heads and getting upgraded to a first class seat on an airplane. If it was only that simple. Like other reviewers said it never takes into account that she lost almost 100 pound in 3 months, very unhealthy! So it breaks down to if you are skinny and don't care about sterotypes of fat people read it, but if you are overweight don't bother it will just piss you off.
Rating:  Summary: A beach read only Review: Predictable, cliche-ridden but a quick read. Written mostly in the first-person from Jemima's perspective, the book occasionally lapses into a greek-chorus-like third-person omnicient which can be intrusive and ruins the flow of the book. It's as if the author knew she was writing a slim fantasy and wanted to give it some moral or literary heft by using this device. And if you have ever lived in Los Angeles, prepare for some unintended laughs - inexplicable geography and lazy stereotyping of LA denizens. That being said, Jemima J. is a nice, light little fairy tale. I really didn't hate it - it just doesn't stand out from the rest of the single-gal books out there, or add anything to the genre. And the fact that all of the major characters either are or become physically stunning totally contradicts the supposed theme that beauty isn't everything.
Rating:  Summary: A Great Summer Read. Review: Jemima J is a believable character whom I miss already!! Finished the book in a few sittings & was one of my favorite reads this year. All young women will be able to relate to Jemima's quest to be thinner and more beautiful and her thinking that somehow losing weight will make us more valuable human beings. Jane Green's character development makes the readers believe the relationships with girlfriends, co-workers and the love interests in Jemima's life are real. The interesting part of the book comes when Jemima does lose weight and how her new-found confidence changes her perspective on everything. A story most women will be able to relate to and a definite quick read, great for the beach!!
Rating:  Summary: Do Not Pass Up Reading This Book Review: I started reading Jemima J a few weeks ago. I found the first few chapters ok. I was hoping the whnole book wouldn't be like the beginning but now I see that the author was showing us how Jemima was feeling in detail. Anyway after reading the first several chapters I took this book with me on vacation. By the time I started reading it again it was like a whole new book. I got so into and hooked on this book and Jemimas life I COULD NOT put it down. This is one of THE best books I have read this year. I just love Jemima and how she changed her life. If you get this book and think the first few chapters are slow, do yourself a favor and enjoy it and KEEP READING because it is just FABULOUS! I recommend this book to all my friends. Buy this book, it is awesome!!
Rating:  Summary: I loved this book Review: Ok, it's predictable, a bit cheesy, simple, and almost embarrasing to tell someone you are reading it...but it's a terrific, fun, meaningful novel. It took me exactly 6 hours to read...that includes...workign and sleeping in between...I couldn't put it down, and I finished it up on the treadmill at the gym --- inspired by my dear friend, Jemina aka JJ. It's fun! Even a tear at the end...YOU GO JEMINA. This is a great summer read....pick it up!
Rating:  Summary: I couldn't put it down! Review: It was amazing how much I related to Jamima! It was like reading about my self! It was had a great flow and wonderful asides... I loved it! I would highly reccommend it to anyone who has struggled with their weight, crushed on someone you thought you could never have, and found that it didn't matter what happened to you in the end you were still a beautiful person.
Rating:  Summary: This book is totally offensive to fat girls everywhere! Review: As I read this book I had hoped that it would in the end make a heroine out of Jemima J (which is not even a thinly veiled rip off of Bridget Jones). Green sadly looses the chance to make a great book about a plus size gal. There are times when you think she is going down the right path like when she talks about how Jemima is invisible to men and is discriminated against on the job. However, in the end she does nothing but promote stereotypes about fat people, loosing weight in an unhealthy/distructive manner and self hate. There are numerous flaws with this book. I could start out with the technical which includes the horrible attempt of the author to move from first person to narrator throughout the book. I would rather focus in on the "fairy tale" of the fat Jemima turning into the beautiful blond bombshell JJ. We learn about Jemima's physical appearance gradually through the book. As a female of ample proportions myself, I can safely say that Jemima would not be the gross blob Green makes her out to be is she weighs 227 pounds at 5'7". Jemima lies about what she looks like to a CA hunk online. Then suddenly finds her inspiration to loose weight because he wants to see her. She then looses a ridiculous amount of weight by becoming addicted to exercising and virtually being an anorexic. Green BARELY addresses these destructive behaviors. The one part of the book that SHOULD have been a lesson to all--the handsome CA hunk we find out actually loves larger ladies--is likened to some kind of sick devient behavior. If Green had created a better story, a heroic main character and left us with a redeeming end the "twist" would not be so utterly offensive. In the end Jemima/JJ gets her man (Ben whom she used to work with) , but ONLY because she is unrecognizably thin to her object of desire. He is rewarded when she reveals herself to him because he did miss his FRIEND Jemima but he lusted after the stick thin JJ. So therefore, he gets to have his cake and eat it too. The fact that he would NEVER had ate the fattening cake in the first place is not even dealt with in the book. I don' t know about you, but I wouldn't WANT a man that suddenly wanted to be with me because I had lost weight. Green looses herself in the "romance" of her novel which could have been cute and likable if she didn't choose to use weight as her Eliza Doolittle. She quickly ends her story with Jemima having accepted herself and is not rail thin anymore. I would like to think that she came to this conclusion because she learned to love herself and also sought some counseling for her eating disorder/exercise addiction. However, I know that is futile thinking because Green would lead us to believe that you can learn to love yourself if a man loves you (and as a thin persona at that)--in addition to eating in an unhealthy manner and developing an exercise addiction.
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