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nicole_marissa's review against another edition
3.0
I'm glad this was not the first Jen Lancaster book I read. She comes off very snobby and it makes it difficult to enjoy her writing. I've previously read another book from her that was absolutely hilarious so I am a fan. Had this been the first book I read I don't think I would have picked up another. The book had some funny parts but is not her best work by far.
kierya's review against another edition
5.0
teetered between wanting to punch her in the face and laughing my ass off. In the end, I just wanted to give her a big hug and buy her a martini. Great book, brutally honest. Loved it.
ahsatan82's review against another edition
4.0
Loved the humorous way she penned her story of misfortune turned happy ending. Gives you hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Many people endure hardships and this just goes to show "you" are not alone and sometimes what looks like a devastating tragedy ends up being a blessing in disguise. Now I have to read (or listen) to her other books =). The narrator made the listen that much more entertaining!
jmrkls1's review against another edition
4.0
I laughed out loud in parts of this memoir. Fun vacation read.
amesish's review against another edition
5.0
This book rocked my world. Jen starts as a real bitch, partially because the book begins with her having the life I imagine I WISH I had...but as her story progresses, Jen's life becomes increasingly similar to my own. Sure, I might not live in fear of eviction, but I get being unemployed and exactly what that does to one's sense of self. Wickedly funny, moments of "I wish I had the balls to do that" and I repeatedly thought, "this woman is IN MY HEAD." Can't wait to read her others.
booksnberners78's review against another edition
5.0
One of my favorite books and author. I would laugh out loud on the subway. I wrote the author after I read this book. She had to know she had a forever fan.
lockmm's review against another edition
5.0
There are some eye rolling moments, where her husband and her, both unemployed, refused to move into a more affordable place because it’s the “ghetto.” They still end up in the “ghetto” but one for $400 more than the other. Stuff like that seems illogical to me.
Another slip up is that Jen focuses more on her life post-job but skips on the job hunting portion. She complains about people saying she’s not doing anything to change things but she doesn’t show us the reader that she’s looking. She writes about her wedding (arranged to get her on her husband’s insurance) and looking for a new place, but not the job hunting she does during the day.
I do like how she admits that the experience humbled her. She goes from putting her lessers down to actually empathizing and understanding that she was the problem, not them.
Mostly, I like her sense of humor - she’s funny! Despite her protest of her ego, she’s very willing to poke fun of herself and you know, I got to like that.
Jen’s other books are touch and go - there’s really one other one that I full out like.
However, I recommend all recent college grads to read this book. Its a light hearted look at what you’re probably going to go through and it contains good career advice as well, such as how to handle yourself, what not to, etc.
Another slip up is that Jen focuses more on her life post-job but skips on the job hunting portion. She complains about people saying she’s not doing anything to change things but she doesn’t show us the reader that she’s looking. She writes about her wedding (arranged to get her on her husband’s insurance) and looking for a new place, but not the job hunting she does during the day.
I do like how she admits that the experience humbled her. She goes from putting her lessers down to actually empathizing and understanding that she was the problem, not them.
Mostly, I like her sense of humor - she’s funny! Despite her protest of her ego, she’s very willing to poke fun of herself and you know, I got to like that.
Jen’s other books are touch and go - there’s really one other one that I full out like.
However, I recommend all recent college grads to read this book. Its a light hearted look at what you’re probably going to go through and it contains good career advice as well, such as how to handle yourself, what not to, etc.
kimberussell's review against another edition
1.0
I read Pretty in Plaid first, because it was available from my library first. I thought it was okay, but since so many people love Jen Lancaster, I decided to give her first book a shot. Parts of the book were funny, but when I'm rooting for people to lose their apartment and I cackle with glee as their car is repossessed, it's obvious that Jennsylvania's not the place for me. Which is a shame, because I like Jen Lancaster in every interview I read. I don't like the amped-up, bitchy, sorority girl, memoir version of her. I was never on her side in this entire book, and I actually felt badly about it.
The last sentence of the book says it all: I'm not looking for a giant redemption story, but ending the book by telling the companies that didn't hire you to PISS OFF doesn't show much needle movement on the "Change" meter.
Writing-wise, the parts written in Jen's own voice are fine. Obviously. But when it's up to the other characters to set the scene or move the story along, their voices sound like they're flatly reading from a script that Jen has handed them. For example, her hairstylist says towards the end, "I practically didn't recognize you in the lobby without being loaded down with a mass of glossy, cord-handled carriers." Read that aloud. Who says that? That sounds like written word, not spoken word.
So I'm sadly done with the Lancaster genre. I also (again) wish the Goodreads star system was a bit more balanced. Sure, I didn't like the book, but it's still better than a one-star book.
The last sentence of the book says it all:
Spoiler
[I think it's obvious at this point that I haven't learned a damn thing.]Writing-wise, the parts written in Jen's own voice are fine. Obviously. But when it's up to the other characters to set the scene or move the story along, their voices sound like they're flatly reading from a script that Jen has handed them. For example, her hairstylist says towards the end, "I practically didn't recognize you in the lobby without being loaded down with a mass of glossy, cord-handled carriers." Read that aloud. Who says that? That sounds like written word, not spoken word.
So I'm sadly done with the Lancaster genre. I also (again) wish the Goodreads star system was a bit more balanced. Sure, I didn't like the book, but it's still better than a one-star book.
ebtdean's review against another edition
4.0
I just really love Jen Lancaster. She is so rough and hilarious, I can't get enough.