Customer Reviews

How to Get Divorced by 30: My Misguided Attempt at a Starter Marriage

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Something's fishy here. First off, the book itself. `How to Get Divorced by 30'' began life as an article in the Los Angeles alternative paper, the L.A. Weekly. It has since been optioned by Universal Pictures to (possibly) become a feature film. Fair enough; the saucy title alone is enough from which to build a fun, chick-flick/rom-com that could last a couple of weekends in the mall (assuming the studio covers their bet by putting actual comedy writers on the project who can exorcise this painfully drab story out of their script.) But the middle piece - the book itself - dreadful.

For some reason, Rothchild (and her publisher) thought her twenty-something life's story was interesting enough to foist 224 pages onto the general public during the fallow first quarter. It is not. (It appears that the movie option was already in place, as the book would clearly be a `pass' without it.) Her story, the story of a writer of limited accomplishment, moving to LA to `make it,' and turning a loser boyfriend into a loser husband is about as exciting as the `marriage' of the half-filled ketchup bottles Rothchild merges while waiting tables at the Palm. (A mundane procedure, she actually feels obligated to explain.)

After a handful of uninspired relationships lead her to Jeff, a curmudgeonly wannabe actor/bartender whose life seems to revolve around living in his La-Z-Boy recliner, playing video games and smoking pot all day, it is shocking that Rothchild both marries him and then is somehow surprised that the obviously ill-fated unison ends in divorce. (This, despite the fact that she has to buy her own engagement ring at the mall, is married by a guy who got his certificate off the internet and hopes Jeff wears his 'good jeans' on their wedding day!) It would be hard to imagine a reader out there who shares her surprise as anyone with a pulse could see this coming from deep left-field.

This quick read, gallivants (one of her favorite words, she uses it more than once in the book) back and forth to work with the author, questions whether she should have ended up with a previous boyfriend or two instead, and generally covers the quotidian lifestyle of a young Valley couple whose greatest life-changing event is the day they get a flat-screen TV.

And let's not forget the part where after sixteen years, she decides to try cocaine again just to see if 'she is addicted.' WTF? The fact that this white-trash wedding story is completely banal is bad enough. The continuation of that thinking (that anyone would want to actually read about it) only serves to underscore the basic problem; that Ms. Rothchild lacks the maturity to realize she has nothing interesting to offer here.

The most curious part are the online reviews. While there are a number of negative ones, suspiciously most of the Amazon reviews are five-star and all posted the same week by people who have few, if any, other reviews posted and appear to live in cities the author formerly called home. (A common amateur sign of insider reviews.) Of course, they claim the book is hilarious, scintillating and well-written and many can't wait for her next volume (ahem...).

Unfortunately, with an Amazon sales ranking at nearly 400,000, this is more like landfill waiting to happen. Let's see if a movie ever gets made, and if so, who the real writers are. One word: Fail.

You don't have to have been married to recognize a lot of the relationship tropes and dynamics that Sascha Rothchild deftly parses in this highly entertaining read. It could almost be subtitled "The Stupid [...] People Do In Their Twenties" -- even if you haven't shared the writer's journey, or wouldn't have always made the same choices, you will find familiar people, mistakes, and small triumphs in this book. Looking forward to more.

Way more than a divorce memoir, this book is about growing up the child of Generation Counter Culture Parents in the '80s-90s multicultural, media saturated, Bi-Coastal USA. Rothchild captures the kaleidoscope of parental, social and generational ideas that must get sorted through to finally become your own person.

A snarky humored memoir that I just couldn't get into. I picked this up because I have read and loved memoirs that are filled of hard funny truths. This one - just didn't work for me.

I knew from the beginning that the man she married would not be there in the end. But from the beginning of the relationship, I saw the doomed ending - she should have never married him in the end. There were so many deal breakers that she just let go by, where I would have made an abrupt stop to the relationship. I can't get started about her family life, oh my goodness.

I have to be honest, I would only recommend this to those who have the heart to by pass her mishaps and rough humor to enjoy a true story

I heard about this book in an interview with a favorite actress, who said it was hilarious. It wasn't. I did find it amusing, and finished the book quickly. (It's pretty short) However, this book is mostly just a sad litany of how screwed up the author made her life. I found little to relate to, and won't buy anything by this author again.

After seeing the book on a table at Borders I picked it up b/c I loved the title and the picture of the blender on the cover. I'm a sucker for packaging, what can I say. :-)

I wanted to read the book straight through but unfortunately had to work and sleep, so I finished it over 2 nights. The stories about her ex-Jeff, her writing style, learning about her background and a bit about how she was raised so unconventionally- these are some of the reasons I wish the book hadn't ended.

This is a light-hearted and relatable read for anyone who experienced their first love in high school, stayed in a dysfunctional relationship because it was too comfortable to end, and/or spent some time engaged in self-destructive behaviors trying to figure out who they are.

Quite frankly I wish her marriage had lasted longer so she'd have even more Jeff stories to share with us!

The title itself is hilarious, which is why I bought this book. Rothchild delves straight into her personal life, dating, schooling, childhood, and the story of her short marriage. She is open, honest, and funny and at times admits things that generally people don't want to, such as not telling her therapist 100% of details. This is quick and fun read and for anyone who's been in the situation, it makes you feel a little less alone.

The author has such a way with words! Anyone can relate to 'quarter life crisis' scenario, esp. if you live in LA, as I do, where the story is set! I laughed out loud several times throughout this witty and highly entertaining book!

Great book that I couldn't stop reading! A refreshingly honest look at what happens when you "stick to your schedule" and marry your opposite (no matter what your age!) Although I'm past 30 and still married, I could definitely identify with Sascha. This book was funny and spot on about modern relationships. Can't wait for more from Sascha!

This book deals with such universal themes and at the same time Sascha Rothchild is so specific about her often very funny and sometimes sad experiences that I read it in one night. This book is for anyone of any age who isn't afraid to face the ups and downs of life with humor.