kbranfield's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars.
In She Poured Out Her Heart, Jean Thompson explores the intricate bonds of friendships.
Bonnie Abrams and Jane Nicholson have been friends since college and although their friendship has had its share of ups and downs, the two women still remain close nearly two decades later. After college, their lives go in completely different directions: Jane is married to Eric, a cardiologist, and she is a stay at home mom to their two kids whereas Bonnie has achieved professional success but continues her lifelong pattern of sleeping with unavailable men. Jane is rather shy and unable to give voice to her growing unhappiness while Bonnie is self-confident and quite outgoing. When life gets too difficult for Jane to deal with, she welcomes the "white" space she disappears into and after one of these incidents lands her in the hospital, Eric and Bonnie find comfort in one another's arms. When Jane discovers the affair, neither Bonnie nor Eric is prepared for her rather unconventional reaction.
Jane is content to coast through life doing what is expected of her. She is not especially passionate about Eric and she is often overwhelmed by the demands of her children. Jane downplays Eric's suggestion she get professional help for her depression but to avoid conflict, she agrees to see a therapist. Jane makes an attempt to describe what she is experiencing to her doctor, but since she is not completely honest, she does not receive adequate treatment. Fast forward a few years and Jane's coping mechanism takes a dangerous turn and leaves no one in doubt about her fragile mental state.
Although Bonnie puts a positive spin on her dating life, she is growing increasingly unhappy with her single status. She continually chooses emotionally unavailable men or men with commitment issues, but she cannot seem to break free from this unhealthy pattern. It takes Bonnie a long time to understand what motivates these poor choices but by the time she figures this out, she is already emotionally invested in her relationship with Eric. It is not until Jane makes an extremely out of character decision that Bonnie re-evaluates her life but will she truly commit to the changes she has decided to make?
None of the relationships or characters in She Poured Out Her Heart are particularly healthy or happy. Bonnie, Jane and Eric are deeply flawed and they each have different coping mechanisms for dealing with their problems. Eric hides behind work, Bonnie drinks too much and Jane is never fully invested in any part of her life. Jean Thompson does a wonderful job keeping the plot realistic and unique but there is little character growth or real progress overcoming their issues. Despite the novel's surprisingly hopeful conclusion, the lack of resolution with any of the storylines is extremely frustrating.
In She Poured Out Her Heart, Jean Thompson explores the intricate bonds of friendships.
Bonnie Abrams and Jane Nicholson have been friends since college and although their friendship has had its share of ups and downs, the two women still remain close nearly two decades later. After college, their lives go in completely different directions: Jane is married to Eric, a cardiologist, and she is a stay at home mom to their two kids whereas Bonnie has achieved professional success but continues her lifelong pattern of sleeping with unavailable men. Jane is rather shy and unable to give voice to her growing unhappiness while Bonnie is self-confident and quite outgoing. When life gets too difficult for Jane to deal with, she welcomes the "white" space she disappears into and after one of these incidents lands her in the hospital, Eric and Bonnie find comfort in one another's arms. When Jane discovers the affair, neither Bonnie nor Eric is prepared for her rather unconventional reaction.
Jane is content to coast through life doing what is expected of her. She is not especially passionate about Eric and she is often overwhelmed by the demands of her children. Jane downplays Eric's suggestion she get professional help for her depression but to avoid conflict, she agrees to see a therapist. Jane makes an attempt to describe what she is experiencing to her doctor, but since she is not completely honest, she does not receive adequate treatment. Fast forward a few years and Jane's coping mechanism takes a dangerous turn and leaves no one in doubt about her fragile mental state.
Although Bonnie puts a positive spin on her dating life, she is growing increasingly unhappy with her single status. She continually chooses emotionally unavailable men or men with commitment issues, but she cannot seem to break free from this unhealthy pattern. It takes Bonnie a long time to understand what motivates these poor choices but by the time she figures this out, she is already emotionally invested in her relationship with Eric. It is not until Jane makes an extremely out of character decision that Bonnie re-evaluates her life but will she truly commit to the changes she has decided to make?
None of the relationships or characters in She Poured Out Her Heart are particularly healthy or happy. Bonnie, Jane and Eric are deeply flawed and they each have different coping mechanisms for dealing with their problems. Eric hides behind work, Bonnie drinks too much and Jane is never fully invested in any part of her life. Jean Thompson does a wonderful job keeping the plot realistic and unique but there is little character growth or real progress overcoming their issues. Despite the novel's surprisingly hopeful conclusion, the lack of resolution with any of the storylines is extremely frustrating.
melissakuzma's review against another edition
4.0
For about the first 80% of this book, I was loving it. I was thinking about it while I wasn't reading it, wondering where it was going to go, couldn't wait to get back to it. And then things got a little silly. But I would still recommend it.
vickimarie2002's review against another edition
4.0
This wasn't as attention grabbing as I thought it would be but I did enjoy it. There are so many conflicting emotions throughout this book but it was interesting learning about Jane's issues and how she dealt with them and the deception she was put through. The storyline was promising but there are some pretty big plot holes.
I was given a copy through the First to Read program in exchange for my honest review.
I was given a copy through the First to Read program in exchange for my honest review.
ktrusty416's review against another edition
Haven't finished yet. Recognizing that I will probably never get back to it.
eileen9311's review against another edition
4.0
Rather to my surprise I loved this book, which I happened on by following a random goodreads thread! It sounded like chick lit, and perhaps technically it is, so that usually has a very high bar for me. Most of them I can’t tolerate! However, this stands apart. And not that I’m a literary snob – my reading tastes are far from highbrow! Here, though, Jean Thompson has written a rich, readable novel which I had difficulty putting down.
She Poured out her Heart is unpretentious but truly engaging from the first page. The main characters, two vastly different girls who become fast friends in college, are believable in their struggles, and their unique perspectives ring true.
‘He wasn’t anybody’s idea of a good idea, but he was available and agreeable. In bed he was enthusiastic, if sometimes sloppy from alcohol, and largely oblivious to his partner’s needs in a way that Bonnie found restful. So many men were intent on demonstrating, in the most exhausting manner, their skill set and well-studied choreography. Patrick was the sexual equivalent of McDonalds.’
There’s pathos and wry humor, even some laugh out loud parts, which temper the anguish. What a find!
She Poured out her Heart is unpretentious but truly engaging from the first page. The main characters, two vastly different girls who become fast friends in college, are believable in their struggles, and their unique perspectives ring true.
‘He wasn’t anybody’s idea of a good idea, but he was available and agreeable. In bed he was enthusiastic, if sometimes sloppy from alcohol, and largely oblivious to his partner’s needs in a way that Bonnie found restful. So many men were intent on demonstrating, in the most exhausting manner, their skill set and well-studied choreography. Patrick was the sexual equivalent of McDonalds.’
There’s pathos and wry humor, even some laugh out loud parts, which temper the anguish. What a find!
sdriscoll05's review against another edition
2.0
This was a bad book. The characters were bad - bad because they were unlikable obviously - but also bad because the story was bad and the things the characters were doing weren't believable. Many books in the same vein, I'd skip this one.
juliawehr's review against another edition
1.0
Blah. Maybe I'll come back to this (probably not) but it's just so boring so far. Following the friendship and lives of two women who are a mismatched pair; one the boring, plain Jane and erratic, unstable Bonnie. I'm told the book encounters an implausible twist but I'm not so sure it's worth sticking with to discover what it is.
justacatandabook's review
3.0
Jane and Bonnie have been friends since college, despite the fact that the pair are quite different. Quiet, reflective Jane leads a seemingly picture perfect life with her doctor husband, Eric, and her two young children. Impetuous Bonnie, meanwhile, works as a crisis counselor, and is always shuffling between ill-fated relationships and boyfriends. The two remain friends well into adulthood, however. Still, Jane can't tell Bonnie about the malaise she feels about her life and the episodes she has, where everything appears white and she disappears briefly to a different (happier) place. Then one evening, Jane has a more severe episode, and must be briefly hospitalized. The same night, Eric and Bonnie find themselves drawn to each other, and they begin a complicated affair.
This is a really strange book, and I'll certainly say that it's not for everyone. It's probably one I wouldn't typically enjoy, usually: the characters are not particularly likable, the plot is odd, and it meanders along with no real resolution. However, there was something about this novel that drew me in, despite its odd, somewhat incestuous seeming plot. It's extremely well-written (and told from Jane and Bonnie's point of view over various time periods). Both women are oddly addictive characters. In total, they may not be the most likable, but they were quite realistic, and I could find myself relating to pieces of each of them.
I don't want to say much more as to not give away much of the book and truly, I'm at a loss at how to describe it. It's almost a bit of a "trippy" experience to read. Overall, I'm glad I picked this one up; it's a solid, weird 3.5 stars. If you're looking for another recommendation, [b:The Year We Left Home|8979518|The Year We Left Home|Jean Thompson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327883554s/8979518.jpg|14617268] is still the favorite I've read of Thompson's work so far.
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This is a really strange book, and I'll certainly say that it's not for everyone. It's probably one I wouldn't typically enjoy, usually: the characters are not particularly likable, the plot is odd, and it meanders along with no real resolution. However, there was something about this novel that drew me in, despite its odd, somewhat incestuous seeming plot. It's extremely well-written (and told from Jane and Bonnie's point of view over various time periods). Both women are oddly addictive characters. In total, they may not be the most likable, but they were quite realistic, and I could find myself relating to pieces of each of them.
I don't want to say much more as to not give away much of the book and truly, I'm at a loss at how to describe it. It's almost a bit of a "trippy" experience to read. Overall, I'm glad I picked this one up; it's a solid, weird 3.5 stars. If you're looking for another recommendation, [b:The Year We Left Home|8979518|The Year We Left Home|Jean Thompson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327883554s/8979518.jpg|14617268] is still the favorite I've read of Thompson's work so far.
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kristiana's review
2.0
It was too painful a story to really like it, and maybe that means Thompson did an exceptional job making you want the best for the characters. The writing was really good and the alternating perspective was an excellent structure choice.
The first half of the book I truly enjoyed, but as the story progressed it became hard to get through. It never seemed like Bonnie and Jane were that good of friends. That dynamic was never flushed out, so as time goes on it became less and less likely that they would still remain friends. I guess if I approached the novel with the assumption that both characters were a sort of anti hero it would have helped.
The first half of the book I truly enjoyed, but as the story progressed it became hard to get through. It never seemed like Bonnie and Jane were that good of friends. That dynamic was never flushed out, so as time goes on it became less and less likely that they would still remain friends. I guess if I approached the novel with the assumption that both characters were a sort of anti hero it would have helped.