hottieb333's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Even though this book discussed romance and Black women, IT'S NOT A ROMANCE. It's also a product of it's time with the rampant fatphobia and homophobia. The only thing that makes up for it is that the women are so flawed, they have no right to talk about anyone else.
Despite these things, this book is hilarious and messy. I was thoroughly engaged and understand why the aunties were buying this book out in the 90s. WE LOVE MESS!!
Despite these things, this book is hilarious and messy. I was thoroughly engaged and understand why the aunties were buying this book out in the 90s. WE LOVE MESS!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia
Moderate: Homophobia
novelesque_life's review against another edition
4.0
4 STARS
"Four African-American women console and support one another in a complex friendship that helps each of them face the middle of her life as a single woman." (From Amazon)
I was 14 or 15 years old when I first read this book and I really enjoyed it. I did a reread after the movie came out and still liked it. I liked the movie but loved the soundtrack.
"Four African-American women console and support one another in a complex friendship that helps each of them face the middle of her life as a single woman." (From Amazon)
I was 14 or 15 years old when I first read this book and I really enjoyed it. I did a reread after the movie came out and still liked it. I liked the movie but loved the soundtrack.
burksandcaicos's review against another edition
2.0
This was my second time reading the book. I first read it in high school, because I'd always heard the book and movie were really good. When I read it in high school, I lowkey hated the characters. I thought they were birds, and didn't understand all the wrong choices they made in men. But I was like 15, 16 years old so I thought I'd think better of it if I read it now since I'm older. Well I'm 24, almost 25 now, and I still think they're birds and I don't understand all of the bad choices they made in men. Savannah was preachy, and obviously the author's self-insert, the situation with Gloria and Tarik's dad still is really annoying, Robin's a bird, but like the sky is blue so that's not saying much, I think Bernadine is still my favorite, because she was the least bird-y of them all. Her night with James was really well written, and I felt the love and connection between them. Gloria and Marvin were done better in the movie than the book. Robin's arc was somewhat satisfying, because she finally learned how to love herself without a man, but sis is way too old to be so ditzy. I think I dislike Savannah more now than I did in high school, because it's so obvious that she thinks she's better than Robin, but she makes the same or even worse choices than her so I don't get where she gets off making all of the preachy rants that she makes. But I digress. Now I'm about to end this review and go listen to the movie soundtrack.
shakeema16's review against another edition
4.0
I’m so glad I read this as an adult. Obviously I’ve seen the movies one million times and I like the book much better! Great read
rozreading's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Book reads pretty close to the movie. Loved it. Robin made me want to lose my damn mind though.
sab4's review against another edition
5.0
Such a good book! I really felt like I was part of the women's friendship. I laughed out loud in certain parts, and my heart ached right along with them in the rough patches. Eerie how much this book rings true for me now in 2021 as a 26-year-old Black woman dealing with many of the things, if not all, that these women were too. There's a type of realness to this book that's hard to find. These women feel like women I know and they're each navigating love and romance in ways I find to be true. Highly recommend this read!!
While the movie is really good, and I watched the movie before reading this book, I did find the book to be a little more enjoyable. I think the movie missed a few key points in the book. I will saw that the actresses were spot on though! I definitely did picture every single actress as their character while reading.
On to the sequel!
While the movie is really good, and I watched the movie before reading this book, I did find the book to be a little more enjoyable. I think the movie missed a few key points in the book. I will saw that the actresses were spot on though! I definitely did picture every single actress as their character while reading.
On to the sequel!
delanie_miller's review against another edition
3.0
A fun time capsule of a book. We follow the 4 women throughout about a year of their lives and join them on journeys of divorce, hook ups, family troubles, and deciding whether or not they need a man. It felt like I was reading a 90s movie, which is exactly what this is. I’ll top it off with watching the actual film next!
chyreads29's review against another edition
5.0
Waiting to Exhale was one of those things I knew was a cultural staple growing up, but that I was just too young to engage with. The book was released in 92 and the movie came out a year before I was even born, but I have vivid memories of my mom rewatching it ever so often on BET, singing “Count On Me” at my fifth grade graduation, seeing Tumblr gifs of Angela Bassett's character setting her husband's car on fire and the infamous balcony scene between Lela Rochon and Mykelti Williamson (recently a trending sound on TikTok). I was aware of the impact of Waiting to Exhale but now I understand it. This book is something special and it laid the groundwork for the shows we love like Insecure, Living Single, and Girlfriends.
I'm so glad I got to read this now, in my late 20s. I saw so much of myself and my loved ones in these four women. This is a story that explores what it's like for Black American women and our struggles with feeling overlooked, undesirable, lost, and unappreciated. But what really made my heart sing is that each of these women slowly learn that the remedy for these things do not exist where society says they do, but instead within each other. This is a story about the innate healing power of Black sisterhood. I can tell that I will be coming back to this one again and again.
I'm so glad I got to read this now, in my late 20s. I saw so much of myself and my loved ones in these four women. This is a story that explores what it's like for Black American women and our struggles with feeling overlooked, undesirable, lost, and unappreciated. But what really made my heart sing is that each of these women slowly learn that the remedy for these things do not exist where society says they do, but instead within each other. This is a story about the innate healing power of Black sisterhood. I can tell that I will be coming back to this one again and again.
tanitaa's review
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75