His Insignificant Other [Paperback]

Karen Siplin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2004

"His Insignificant Other" is one of the funniest and most endearing debut novels to hit the shelf since "Bridget Jones's Diary." With a freshness and wit that is at times laugh-out-loud funny, at others heartbreaking, Karen V. Siplin brings to life a truly memorable character.

"They say there are few guarantees in life, but when you're a woman on the verge of turning thirty, there are several. Without fail, a gorgeous woman will always manage to introduce herself to your boyfriend at a party the very minute you stick a chicken wing in your mouth. The part of you that turned off the telephone ringer and lowered the volume on the answering machine just to have a couple of hours to yourself will disappear and you'll want to talk to the man in your life, whether he's special or not, every minute of the day. And the moment you and your boyfriend reach a significant milestone, like an anniversary, a woman from his past is sure to reappear."

These are the words of Casey Beck, a twenty-nine-year-old African-American college professor from New York City who is sick of her job, her friends, her boyfriend, even the margaritas at her favorite Southern-style bar. Staring at the road to thirty, Casey is hoping for a little love, a little sex and a little bit more out of her world. And then -- boom. Her boyfriend's ex-girlfriend, whom she had hoped never to see again -- the ex-girlfriend who had slept with her man only a few months before; the ex-girlfriend who always acted prettier, sexier, smarter, cooler than her -- walks into her apartment one night and refuses to leave her life.

A hilarious, heartrending look at twenty-something living, "His Insignificant Other" is the story of agroup of friends who are trying to decide whether it's time to settle down or move on. When Casey finds herself re-examining the contented couple life she thought she had created, she begins to realize that sometimes the pictures we paint for our own happiness are not always so accurate. Telling more than just the story of a bored professional searching for satisfaction, Karen V. Siplin brings to light the ennui that exists in all of our lives, both at the workplace and in the bedroom.

Whether laughing or crying at the wild, risky world of relationships, "His Insignificant Other" is a candid look at life and love on the verge of thirty.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Billed as an African-American Bridget Jones's Diary, Siplin's debut explores the personal life of adjunct film professor Casey Beck, whose relationship with her boyfriend, John Paul, is threatened by the return of an ex-girlfriend, not to mention Casey's attraction to one of her students, a handsome firefighter named Josh. Mali, the ex, is alluring, manipulative and shameless; her reappearance provokes a crisis that brings to a head Casey's vague dissatisfaction with her life and career as she nears 30. She and her friends drift in and out of relationships and jobs, hovering listlessly between success and failure; the extent of their capacity for commitment seems to be a day at the laundromat. The aptly named Ariadne seems the closest to figuring out the tangled plots of the novel, or at the very least to escaping the labyrinth of hurt and revenge in which the rest of the cast is sadly stuck; she tries her hardest to hand Casey the thread, but to no avail. People seem to sleep with each other just because they can, a bit like eighth-graders competing for attention and making out behind the bleachers. Ethnicity never really enters into the story, except as a vague side note to the projected interracial romance between Casey and Josh, and when it comes down to it, none of the characters even the slinky, sneaky Mali herself hold much interest. They are uniformly self-absorbed and badly behaved, and the narrative lacks any of the self-conscious humor that might have saved it from itself.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Casey Beck, nearly 30, has an uninspired career as an adjunct film professor and an unfulfilling relationship with handsome John Paul, an advertising executive. When John Paul's beautiful ex-girlfriend, Mali, returns from London, Casey is reminded anew of John Paul's recent infidelity with Mali and is forced to reexamine her own reaction to news of the affair: becoming celibate. Mali's reappearance changes the dynamics of Casey's and John Paul's relationships with each other and with their friends. Casey chases around town trying to keep up with Mali's and John Paul's whereabouts and potential reconciliation, decidedly resisting his protestations of innocence, debating whether or not to exchange her three-month celibacy for revenge sex, and wondering what to do with her so-called career. She meets friends for drinks, eats, and backbiting gossip in a swirl of clubs, bars, bistros, and cramped apartments. Siplin's delightful debut novel sports a multiracial cast of characters and contemporary urban sensibilities. Vanessa Bush
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Kensington (July 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0758204922
• ISBN-13: 978-0758204929
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,183,231 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Relationships at their most comedic, painful, and successful, June 19, 2002

By 

TNC Reviews (Lake Charles, LA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: His Insignificant Other: A Novel (Hardcover)

I read Ms. Siplin's first chapter on her website and was so wrapped up in her main character, that I immediately received the book to read, and I'm so glad I did. I read it in one sitting, and it is already up on my fave list of 2002.

In His Insignificant Other, we have Casey Beck, a 29-year-old sister who lives in Brooklyn, New York. As the novel opens, Casey has been celibate for several months, blocking the loving from her boyfriend, a man who confessed of having a one night stand with his ex -- the beautiful Mali -- a month into their relationship. Casey is finally about to release her celibacy-induced build up on her anniversary when the most surprising thing happens. Mali returns...and she needs a place to stay. Casey, not wanting to lead the ex to her man, agrees to let her stay with her, and thus begins the bedhopping, dramaful, reflective, hilarious, yet serious novel that Siplin has penned.

I fell in love with the main character, Casey. Her narration of the story was real to me; I saw this sister, I felt for her, and I understood her confusion of the situation she was dealing with. The friendship between Casey and her best friend, Ariadne, was a great one, and believe me when I say there is enough drama and sexcapades in this novel to keep you flipping the pages with fervor, trying to figure out what happens, who ends up with who, and who will finally get his or her life in order.

For a debut novel, I am truly impressed with Ms. Siplin's writing style, dialogue and narrative in His Insignificant Other.

I definitely will be on the lookout for future works!

Shon Bacon

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not Very Significant, July 12, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: His Insignificant Other: A Novel (Hardcover)

The most entertaining part of the book was the first chapter. After that, I had to force my self to continue reading the book. I believe that Ms. Siplin had a great idea for a story line. However, it lacked continuity and a real development of the characters. The author had the ability to pull me into the story, but made it difficult to keep my attention. From what I understand this is a young author who I'm sure over time will grow in to an author that will write have a great story line with purposeful and interesting characters to go with it.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Book - Couldn't put it down, June 13, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: His Insignificant Other: A Novel (Hardcover)

I found myself not being able to put Ms. Siplin's book down. Even though I'm a guy, I still had had to know what Casey would do next. It's suspenseful, not in the sense of mysteries, but in the sense that most of us know of - who will call whom next, who will give in to temptation, who will find out what. A soap opera? I think it's more like our real lives - full of the insecurities people feel while in an unfulfilling relationship. There were no drawn out, dull descriptions of each and every character that wastes pages. Each character came to life through his/her dialoge with Casey - thus showing the reader who he/she was in relationship to Casey.

The book is funny, and it touches everyone in some form - whether it's because we've been treated that way before, or felt that way before, put ourselves in that position, or just knew and watched someone being treated that way. Being an insignificant other is a part of life. It was nice reading about it.