itclouie's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
kandicez's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this book as a kid. I got the audio to listen to on a long car ride with my children, and was so entertained, again! Not only because of the story, but the way it made me feel so old! I now identify with the mom. It's amazing, listening to it, to see how much things have changed for women. The errands-liquor store?!?! Among many other dating references. Still hugely relevant.
sarcasmandscifi's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
jkwriting24's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
misskrechel's review
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
honeybees_library's review against another edition
2.5
As a woman in her 30s, I’m obviously not the intended audience for this book. I read this as it was a book listed on a reading challenge I’ll be working to complete. Overall, it was an okay book. Not amazing, but not terrible. It was a quick read. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the original adapted movie from the 70s, but I think I watched the TV movie version from the 90s with Shelley Long and Gaby Hoffman less than a handful of times when I was a young kid (don’t really remember it though); I’ve definitely seen the 2003 version with Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis multiple times. This is one of the few times I will say the movie is better than the book (the 2003 version at least). However, the 2003 movie definitely does not follow the book (of course it still has the same overall mother/daughter switch bodies plot). If you’re expecting it to be exactly like the 2003 movie version, it won’t be. Even though the book is geared towards kids/pre-teens, I did actually enjoy the first half or two-thirds of the book, or so. Then I’m not sure what happened, but the second half/last third was not as enjoyable. I’m not sure if it was the writing, how the story continued, or a mixture of both. Overall, I give this 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3 because of the rating system.
lrector's review against another edition
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The movies are so classic & this is why I always read the book first. Annabel is obnoxious and whiney. However she also manages to navigate a day in her mother's life and learn appreciation for all she does. Her mom makes the switch happen but we never learn how. It's not like the movie so if you love either version, don't grab the book thinking you will love it too. It was just ok for me.
aimmyarrowshigh's review against another edition
5.0
Reread in 2023 for the umpteenth time. This book is so voicey and juicy and so very 1970's. I love the narrator's idiolect and tangents and meandering and imaginary scenarios. And I love that unlike the 2003 movie, the book makes zero attempt to explain how the body-switching happens. It just does, deus ex machina, roll with it. I love the simplicity of that, and it's a good reminder that you're allowed to do that in fiction.
foreverday's review against another edition
2.0
The message is the same as the film, but I think the film did it a bit better. Was a very quick, easy read, but I just couldn't sympathise with the main character at all. Some of the plot holes I didn't mind (the fact that the mechanism of the switch was not explained at all kinda fit with the kooky vibe) and others I did (so this very smart, almost perfect kid randomly had a personality change a year ago with zero reason??). Very readable, but unsatisfying in a 'just can't relate to the reasoning of the protagonist at all' kinda way.