Customer Reviews

Bridget Jones; The edge of Reason

5 star:		(279)
4 star:		(109)
3 star:		(47)
2 star:		(24)
1 star:		(15)

 

 

130 lbs. (gaah!), alcohol units 7 (entranced by book, and therefore not accountable for actions), cigarettes 0 (hurrah!), calories 1500 (v.g.), no. of times found self mooning over Colin Firth 42 (tragic)

11 a.m. Traveling with Mum from New York to Virginia and in desperate need of entertainment. Must busy self. Idleness only leaves time to contemplate terrifying slide into obesity (Why? Why?). Search plastic bag quickly tearing itself into shreds for relief (blurry wimpy plastic), found Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason and began to read. Refreshing change from self-help books, as actually might help.

Noon Stopped for gas. Laughing hysterically now (v.g. as laughing burns calories) and wondering at the comic genius of Helen Fie--Gaaaaah! Was Mum getting back into car. Would recommend to everyone (Reading book, not getting back into car).

3 p.m. Feel very comfortable with self after reading about Bridget Jones. Life can't possibly be as bad (v.g.). Not better or worse than the first, simply a well written continuation. Hurrah for Helen Fielding! Bridge's travel misadventures might be pushing it a little, but the further connection to Austen is bloody marvelous, this one paralelling Persuasion. The old Bridge is back!

When handed the original Bridget Jones Diary by a friend a year or so ago, I found myself enjoying it but certainly not classifying it as Great Literature. It took a year or so of thinking back on it (when repeatedly finding myself in situations similar to those in the book), and the release of the sequel Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, to make me realize just how cleverly drawn the characters are. A NYTimes book review last weekend noted that we can enjoy Bridget even though this book reveals that she is "not very bright", but I believe it's not dullness but fallibility that makes me, and apparently millions of other women, relate to her; Helen Fielding apparently striking the same chord as David Kelley did when he came up with Ally McBeal and friends. With Bridget, we get the added benefit of happy endings, which is always what one wants for a character one is relating to! This book is marvellous fun (and of course a terrific lift for all "Singletons" who have been recent victims of "emotional f--kwittage"), and felt like a fun-filled reunion with the characters who two years ago (I now realize)became life-long friends!

Helen Fielding has done it again! With all of the brilliance and comic genius she displayed in Bridget Jones's Diary, this second book Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, is just as much of a wild ride as the first. It is true the character of Bridget speaks primarily to single women, but there is no doubt any reader could enjoy the silly escapades that result from this thirtysomething simply living her life and taking advice from her 'singleton' friends. Frequent references to current events and trends in England and America make this diary easy to believe as non-fiction, although of course it is not. Getting lost in it's spider-web of events is only half the fun - when nearing the end, you will want it to slow down, as to preserve your need for more. Another highlight in this volume is the character of her mother taking a back-burner role, and letting the real star shine along with her friends and boyfriends alike. Read this book, laugh out loud, and be challenged to find at least one way Bridget doesn't remind you of someone you know. Perhaps even yourself!

Although am ashamedly Smug Married, manage to relate entirely to Bridget's neuroses and foibles to point of neglecting own children and husband in favour of hurriedly gulping down most entertaining read since last Bridget Jones book. Wonder if Ms. Fielding considering further additions to series, as cannot fathom going on without MORE BRIDGET! Disagree with previous reviewer that Thailand escapades were slow point in book, as thought were rather hilarious and cannot imagine non-Disney trip for self at this point in life. Highly,highly recommend for those who think laughing out loud while reading is high point in day and something that does not happen often enough! (Also wondering if will continue speaking and writing without pronouns and proper nouns as does Bridget.) Fantastic, fantastic and fun.

Bridget Jones : The Edge of Reason by Helen Fielding is an easy evening read and a great source of side splitting humor and intrigue for any fan of Fielding's wit. While retaining her wit and great nack for story telling, she takes us to a historic London, exotic Thailand, the guilty pleasures of Heroine and the twisted accuracy of Pop Culture, clutching and fleeting with humanity and great characters.

I curled up once again with my favorite reading music (John McArthur's, "HIDDEN") and found myself willingly transported through the lives of Bridget, Jude and Shazzar. (And what extraordinary lives indeed.) Only to find that the story was over and I wanted to read more.

A must for any Helen Fielding fan!

I saw the movie first and immediately wanted to read the books. I went to a store and picked up what I thought was "Bridget Jone's Diary" But when I looked closer, I saw it was actually the sequel "The Edge of Reason" I intially felt disappointed, but then figured I could read the orginal later (since I had already seen the movie and knew the basic storyline) Once I started "The Edge of Reason", I couldn't put it down. I found myself laughing all the way through. This book is a very easy, enjoyable read. I read it in a single sitting. I have also since read "Bridget Jone's Diary" which I also enjoyed very much. But I found that I liked the sequel even better than the orginal. Which is surprising, considering that only rarely are sequels as good as the orginal. If you liked "Bridget Jone's Diary" (and even if you didn't) I highly recommend this book.

No. of laughs: 1 million (v.g.), Average hours per day spent reading: 4 (am turning into obsessive bookworm in manner of Belle in Sleeping Beauty or similar), Moments found relating surprisingly well to Bridget: 4,000 and counting, No. of other books have enjoyed nearly as much: 0 (well, not counting Brigdet Jones's Diary, that is).

5:26 pm. My flat.

Hurrah! Helen Fielding is bloody genious. Knew it would be just as good as original, knew it. Have not been quite as well entertained since was young child and watched Care Bears until mother was ready to rip her head off and eat it. Such an honest portrayal of life has never come round 'til now. Have found endless stories of Bridget shagging, calling 1471, ranting with Shazzer and Jude, obsessing over Mark Darcy, worrying about Mentionitis and evilness of the dreaded Smug Marrieds, and the trilling and the irking antics of gigolo-hiring mother to be much more amusing than any John Grisham.

If you pass this book up (disaster), you're bloody well missing out.

After reading "Bridget Jones Diary," I couldn't wait for the follow-up book. The first review I read of it was in People magazine, and they had nothing positive to say. I debated buying it, and finally couldn't resist. I am so glad I ignored the reviews! I found this book as witty and laugh-out-loud funny as the first, and actually related to Bridget even more than last time. She finds herself very in love with Mark Darcy, even after her evil nemesis tries to drive them apart. Helen Fielding's writing was very on-target about the trauma and pain you feel when your relationship isn't going as well as you wish it would, and still manages to infuse hope and humor into the situation. I was rooting for Bridget all the way, and hope to see another segment of her saga in the near future!

Oh dear. I thought "Bridget Jones's Diary" was good but now Helen Fielding has topped it spectacularly.

We don't really want to know what happens after Cinderella finds her Prince, mostly because we're afraid the Prince will grow a beer gut and watch cricket all day while Cindy is reduced to being barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen. She'll make cutting remarks about his dwindling manhood in a adenoidal whine, he'll storm out and drown his sorrows in frothy Guinness - it's all too distressing.

It's all right. Something that mundane would never happen to Bridget Jones.

I started "The Edge of Reason" at bedtime (10pm), was so engrossed that I couldn't even put it down to perform my nightly ablutions (which made things quite awkward), and then sat up reading until 2am. When I read about Bridget's magic mushrooms and the contents of her Christmas cards I had to stuff a pillow into my mouth so that I wouldn't wake anyone with my hysterical gasps of laughter.

Singletons will feel an instant, emphatic connection with Miss Jones; Fielding manages to tug the reader's emotions into synchronised sympathy with Bridget's. A poignant encounter between Mark and Bridget in a dark kitchen caused me to shed fat tears of grief onto the same pillow I was gnawing with suppressed mirth 5 minutes before. Books shouldn't be allowed to affect you that way.

As always, Fielding's skillful weaving of intimacy and openness makes the reader feel like Bridget's imaginary friend and confidant rather than an intruder perving on a stranger's private musings.

So who needs a date on Saturday night? We don't - we've got Bridget Jones.

I began reading this book with low expectations-- it's not often that a sequel is as good or better than the original. However, this book is at least as equally hilarious, charming, and captivating as Fielding's first novel. The story picks up where the first left off: with Mark Darcy and Bridget very much in love. This book also follows Bridget through her entire year-- and what a year it is! I was pleased to discover Fielding brought back nearly all of the original's characters-- from Daniel Cleaver to schemeing Rebecca to Richard Finch, the boss from hell. Note to self: do not read the "interview" scene when you are supposed to be quiet ( i.e. in a library). It is so positively hysterical, you won't be able to choke back your giggles.