Customer Reviews

His Insignificant Other

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

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

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.

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.

His Insignificant Other opens with the return of an EX, who comes back to town to win back her old boyfriend...Casey's current boyfriend. The book is told from Casey's point of view and it portrays all the missteps people make when feeling insecure and neurotic. Throughout, Casey is guided by Ariadne (my favorite character in the book), who acts as the voice of reason with subtle humor, and sometimes not so subtle. I get her humor, and found myself laughing out loud. I was looking to be entertained and hands down, this book delivered.

Have you ever felt insignificant around your companion? You ever noticed your companion actions are cautious when his/her ex enters the room. What about the sound of your lover's voice, the voice that is reserved for you, does it change when he/she is conversing with an ex? If you answered yes then you know how Casey Beck felt throughout Insignificant Other.

This soap opera written novel of bedhopping and revengeful sex left me empty. I do not understand how so much went on amongst this circle of friends and they continued to call each other friends. Mali was the girl who was John Paul's' girlfriend for four years. Casey is John Paul's' current girlfriend, who cannot get pass the relationship John Paul had with Mali. Casey continues throughout the book taking her friends and John Paul on her emotional roller coaster until she makes a decision that could change her life.

...

Insignificant Other was a very different book for me. The thoughts in the book were good the author just didn't do a good job conveying all the drama that could've been. My nosiness kept me turning the pages, I had to know how it ended. I don't think this story was developed enough so that I could feel closure. I never got to know the villan Mali enough to depise her and feel bad for Casey. One of my pet peeves about a book is the title must match the story and in this case Karen V. Siplin did an outstanding job.

Missy

...

Blessings on Karen Siplin. Yesterday I had jury duty and her first novel, His Insignificant Other, saved my sanity. I loved this book even more than Such a Girl - which I also greatly admired - and I hope that all those who only read the second will go back and read the first. From start to finish, this is a smart, entertaining, provocative, never-drops-the-ball-once kind of read featuring a complex heroine who is neither sinner nor saint but just a confused human being like everyone else I know.

Casey falls asleep while waiting for her boyfriend, John Paul, so they can celebrate an anniversary of togetherness when suddenly she is awakened. Someone is in the room with her. It is not John Paul as she had hoped, but Mali, John Paul's former girlfriend. Mali has just returned to the United States from a trip abroad and has nowhere to stay. Mali pleads with Casey to let her stay with her until she can resolve her homeless situation. Of course Casey's first thought is "no way" but she is also astute enough to know that if she doesn't agree to help her, Mali will simply go to John Paul and beg to stay in his apartment. Casey feels insecure because John Paul has cheated on her with Mali in the past. He claims it was only once but Casey doesn't want to put that temptation before either of them again.

This book is sad and funny at the same time as Casey attempts to find out who she really is, what she will tolerate and whether or not John Paul truly loves her and is the man for her. In her search, we meet her friends. These young people occasionally switch partners, disapprove of each other's mates, throw wild parties, all in the name of searching for their future.

It is a clever, well written novel that is entertaining and a pleasure to read. While the subject is serious, there are some scenes that will have you laughing out loud. It is a very realistic look into the lives of twenty-something people.

Reviewed by alice Holman
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

I read the book about the girl who worked at the hotel as an operator and I really enjoyed that one. There aren't too many African-American writers who can catch on to authentic dialogue, humor, sarcasm, and diversity all in one novel. Where some specialize in one, they also completely fail in another. It was interesting to see Siplin pretty much ignore the race identity factor in the book, which was almost a relief because many times, it's not necessary to bash it in the ground (read: Omar Tyree). She knows how to set up a sex scene without giving me entirely too many graphic, vulgar details (read: Eric Jerome Dickey and Zane). She also knows how to add humor and sarcasm in the same crisp fashion as Lynn Messina. The operator book was good, but it slowed down in the middle. This book was a great read all the way through. I love the ending. Phenomenal. Even when the main character was dead wrong in some parts, along with other characters, Siplin has a way of making you forget that "fill-in-the-blank" is wrong and we should be mad at them. Her characters are colorful, grip the page, and make me appreciate an easy, enjoyable read. I will definitely buy all of her books.

I really enjoyed this book becuase it was real life. I could relate to all of the relationships between the friends in the book. It contained many life lessons for things that many of us go through each day. This book was enjoyable to read and I could not put it down.

I'm sorry Ms. Siplin, but I had to force myself to finish this book (only because I paid for it and could not return it). I felt that the characters were underdeveloped (or maybe overdeveloped). Each character had so many things going on that they could have had their own book. I had a hard time believing that the characters were in their late twenties, I would have guessed late teens. I never got the sense that I knew these people or could relate to what they thought, said, felt or did. I waited and waited for the climax, but it never came. Sure, there were some unexpected surprises, but even they were weak. I walked away from this book, shaking my head because of the lack of connection with any of the characters. However, I was happy that it was over.