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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
This One is Graphic, June 5, 2010
Maria Semple, a former TV writer for shows such as Saturday Night Live, Mad About You, Ellen, and Arrested Development, is the author of the novel This One is Mine, published in 2008, a sharp, tragicomical depiction of the lifestyle and culture of Los Angeles, complete with cameos by Adam Sandler and other celebrities. This One is Mine is the story of Violet, her husband, David, her sister-in-law, Sally--and Teddy. David, a successful music executive, is having a hard time understanding and living with his wife, who has become distraught and distant. Sally, David's sister, is a former ballerina determined to find a rich man to marry. She sets her sights on Jeremy White, who may be socially awkward but otherwise fits the bill. Violet, on the other hand, seeks escape from her marriage, and although she loves her very young daughter, Dot, she's uncertain in her new role as a stay-at-home mother. She feels out of shape physically and emotionally. In this state she finds herself attracted to an unlikely candidate, ex-junkie Teddy Reyes, a bass player who is barely able to make ends meet. Although Violet is rich and pampered, money doesn't buy happiness, and she is miserable in her marriage. Teddy is somehow thrilling to her, and after sixteen years of marriage, she feels a spark and is drawn to the bassist.
Gradually and skillfully, the author reveals more about the main characters, who seem shallow and self-absorbed initially, and I could understand them better. Full of humor, the novel pokes fun at many things, including New Age parenting techniques and "sweat lodges". I raced through this book and it held my attention from the first page until the last, although I found the vulgar language and graphic sex disturbing (at times I even wondered if I were reading a pornographic novel). I understand that the foul language was supposed to be shocking, was intended to show what a "dirty" mouth Teddy has, how unsuitable he really is for Violet, but after a certain point it seemed superfluous, and detracted from the book for me. Although the language fit the character, I thought it was taken to an extreme and that it should have been lessened--a little bit would have been enough.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Off-Beat & Humorous, December 24, 2008
"This One Is Mine" completely took me by surprise and I mean that in a good way. Violet Parry has the successful husband, the adorable baby girl, a luxurious mansion in Los Angeles and staff who can cater to her every whim. Beyond the facade of a privileged lifestyle, Violet feels completely alone. Her husband David is a music producer who works all of time and doesn't understand her needs. She longs for a connection and is almost desperate for attention and love, when along comes Teddy Reyes, a scruffy bass player, who is wrong for her in every way. It is clear there is chemistry between them and so they begin a really unconventional affair. Then there is complicated and neurotic Sally, David's younger sister, who has her heart set on socially awkward Jeremy. These characters are all eccentric and lost in their own little way. It takes a number of difficult and often hilarious (but only for the reader) events to teach them the important lessons in life and where their priorities should lie. This book is so much more than a desperate housewife seeking an affair and a single woman seeking companionship. This is one of those dark comedies that forces you to read in between the lines and extract deeper meaning. The plot takes some strange turns but the ending seemed perfect and almost poetic to me.
This book is incredibly compelling in a quiet way. I enjoyed Semple's zany humor and vulgar language aside, it was an enjoyable read. Semple has such a vivid imagination enabling me to easily envision the characters' peculiarities and find something relatable about each one of them. This is one of those off-beat books that is unexpected and can elicit laughter from even the most subtle humor. I loved how unique this book was and though some may find it too unconventional, it worked for me.
[...]
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Both comic and tragic elements in this LA insider's story from first-time novelist Semple, December 22, 2008
I couldn't resist reading this book, partly because first-time novelist Maria Semple also wrote for several of my favorite sitcoms (Mad About You, Arrested Development) and partly because the novel was described to me as a "modern-day Anna Karenina." Unlike Tolstoy's tragedy, however, This One is Mine is more of a bitter, black comedy.
Although the story is mostly told from the perspective of Violet Parry, a rich, unhappy wife who hasn't seemed to be able to bounce back and find purpose to her life since the birth of her first child over a year ago, the book actual opens from a different point of view, that of Violet's husband, David, a successful music executive. Neither are portrayed as sympathetic figures, and then we are introduced to David's sister, Sally, a conniving woman whose sole purpose in life seems to be to marry a rich husband. Thus, none of the three main characters is particularly likeable, which made it difficult for me to get through the earlier parts of the novel in particular.
Surprisingly, however, Semple managed to hold my interest in the story; although I repeatedly found myself frustrated with her characters, I was also eager to discover what happened to them next. So, I found that the plot of the book did give it some momentum, and in the end, I did find it fairly entertaining; I would give it a final rating of about 3 1/2 stars. Although dark comedies are not my preferred genre, Semple certainly writes well, and I would be interested to see what else she produces in the future.
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