2024 READING CHALLENGE

2024 Reading Challenge

2024 Reading Challenge
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Saturday, October 4, 2008

REVIEW for The Prairie Bridesmaid


A big thank you to the author Daria Salamon who kindly sent me a copy of her wonderful book. Thank you Daria.
TITLE: The Prairie Bridesmaid
AUTHOR: Daria Salamon
DATE: 2008
GENRE: Fiction
RATING: 4 Stars
I discovered this book through my friend Melanie over at http://indextrious.blogspot.com/. She mentioned that she thought this was more of a chick lit type of book and my ears immediately perked up!!!
I just finished reading The Prairie Bridesmaid and I have to say that I sort of disagree with the assessment that this is chick lit. It is definitely fiction geared towards women - but it does not really have all the chick lit elements.
Having said that, I have to say that I LOVED this book. Everything from the cover - to our main character Anna who is, to say the least, going through a life crisis (which is mostly in her head - but then again, aren't they all?).

Anna is stuck in an endless loop - with a job she no longer cares about and a boyfriend she no longer wants - but for some reason can't seem to disengage herself from either. She is stuck in a dark void and while her conscious brain is yelling out to her to find a better way - her body and her heart seem incapable of following.

This storyline is riveting. I felt very strongly for Anna, who frankly, is not the warm and funny lovable character who will set the happy, happy tone of certain novels. She is dark, broody, at times annoying and always completely messed up. No matter - this made her all the more human to me - I have been where she is and I felt for her. Knowing something and actually doing something about it are two completely different things.

The author does a wonderful job of showing us that Anna's personality and traits were not created entirely by her own screwed up views - as we read on, we discover a little bit more about Anna's background - her family, her sister and her grandmother - and it becomes a little clearer to me how Anna could have turned out the way that she has.

Although one might believe that the focal point of this book is Anna and her problems with love - its really not - the focal point of this great read is a woman trying to find her way back after taking quite a few wrong detours - its really about finding her own center and being able to just 'be' with her own thoughts.

I thought this book was very well written - rich in hidden messages (and some not so hidden ones!) - there is a message here for all of us. Its tough being a woman today! and I felt supported and understood as I was reading this book.

I also really liked Anna's sessions with her doctor - these were always interesting and I thought a great opportunity to see Anna's inner thoughts (I also loved the description of the Dr's clothing). What did not really work for me was the relationship between Anna and her Grandmother. I just did not like the grandmother character very much.

Otherwise, this book is a gem. Yeah for this wonderful female Canadian writer.

6 comments:

Ladytink_534 said...

I've seen a similar book cover recently. Glad you enjoyed it so much!

cindysloveofbooks said...

I have seen this book at chapters and every time I go in I always pick it up and then put it back down. This is going to be on my TBR list. Great review!

Cheryl said...

I have not heard of thib book but it sounds good

Wendi said...

This book sounds just wonderful! This is being added at the top of my Wish List. I love your review - thanks for sharing! ~Wendi

http://wendisbookcorner.blogspot.com

Melwyk said...

I guess that's why you're the chick lit expert and not me! ;)
I'm so glad you got a chance to read it, and enjoyed it so much. It's funny, we liked the exact opposite elements of it! I knew that the right reader would love this book.

avisannschild said...

Sounds like an interesting read, Tina! I'm convinced there are books that we would both enjoy... and this might be one of them!

 
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