Customer Reviews

Watermelon

5 star:		(161)
4 star:		(59)
3 star:		(27)
2 star:		(20)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

Having already read LAST CHANCE SALOON and LUCY SULLIVAN IS GETTING MARRIED, I continue to be thrilled at the biting edge of dark humor Marian Keyes brings to chick lit. She lifts these books up from a banal girl-looking-for-guy novel and gives then something more, namely unforgettable characters the reader truly comes to care about.

Who could be more vulnerable than Claire whose husband James tells her on the day she gives birth to their first-born that he is leaving her for another woman in their apartment building? Thus begins Claire's often sad, often comical, but always interesting saga. She grabs her newborn and flies from London to the safe harbor of her parents home in Dublin. There we meet her hilarious mother and father as well as two of her four sisters: the self-involved Helen and the lovably flakey Anna. (Guess Rachel was busy starring in RACHEL'S HOLDIAY and MAGGIE was caught up in her story as told in ANGELS.) The Walsh family is not a model family, but it is one that you'll love being a part of --- the fights, the squabbles, the sisterly ritual of stealing clothes from one another, the tension amidst the camaraderie, the freezer with frozen food and the mother's aversion to home-cooked meals---all make Claire's stay less than peaceful.

Will she ever come to terms with what has happened to her? Can she pull herself up from her quagmire of despair over losing James? Can she be a fit and loving mother to Kate? Will she stop toying with the idea of stealing her sister's boyfriend and just go ahead and do it? Will Claire come to her senses and tell James off for good or will she go back to him?

Claire will steal your heart as her easy, conversational tone speaks to you just as she would to her best friend, in a breezy, self-deprecating style that keeps you eagerly turning the pages.

I was looking forward to reading "Watermelon" as I have been in a similar situation to Claire myself. I found it to be a really good light (but not trashy) read. The book is written as if Claire is talking to you, which means you really identify with her and all her insecurities. It was great when Claire realized that she was fine just the way she was and that she didn't need anyone in her life who couldn't accept that. Claire's family were excellent secondary characters, I can't wait to read "Rachel's Holiday" to hear more about them. Adam seemed a bit too good to be true, or maybe I'm just looking in the wrong places! The only reason I gave this 4 stars instead of 5 is that I have also read "Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married" and it had quite a lot more plot and was heaps longer than "Watermelon". Marian Keyes' books are so enjoyable to read, it's disappointing to have them end as quickly as "Watermelon" did.

i LOVED this book! i was browsing thru barnes & nobles one day and came across this book. the cover is what caught my eye first. i read the back and decided it was worth trying-i LOVE reading and am always onthe lookout for fabulous reads. i picked it up and didn't want to put it down once i got started. this is by far one of the BEST books i have ever read. marian keyes writes in such a way that i was able to easily get into the characters emotions. i laughed out loud several times, one time to the point i had tears-which hardly ever happens. i finished the book in the span of 4 hours. some of the scenes are uproariously hilarious and i enjoyed the way the book was in first person. it makes you more able to get into the feelings of the person. funny, tender, sad, and a bit triumphant for those of us who go through losing a significant other to someone else. the book is in all a fabulous read! i can certainly sympathise with what claire goes through. her support network of family and friends are, themselves, a little off the wall sometimes, but isn't that what real life is in the first place? i wish they would get her books over to america faster. we are just now (aug 1999) getting lucy sullivan got married-in hardcover. those are the only two books of hers that we have over here. what's the hold up?

Loved it! Now I want to see a BBC/A&E telemovie version.

Although "Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married" was great, I was unsure about reading "Watermelon". A novel in which the herione gives birth and gets dumped by her husband on the first page seemed a little intimidating. It sat on my bookshelf for a few weeks despite my faith in Keyes' storytelling skills.

I wondered if it would be: 1)an "against all odds", "surmounting obstacles", "girlpower" book; 2)a male-bashing "can't live with them/can't live without them" book; and/or 3)a novel which reinforces the strategic/disaster recovery recommendations found in self-help books? Well, its all of these things; however, the "good for you" messages are delivered subtly and with humor.

This book is a great escape for the overwelmed. It's uplifting and fun.

PS-Read "Watermelon" before "Rachel's Holiday" to get a better sense of Clair and Rachel's family.

Watermelon is an excellent first novel. The main character, Claire, tells the story of how she learns to move on with her life after her husband, James, leaves her the day she gives birth to their daughter. Claire is a lighthearted character, and even when she's in tremendous pain over the deception and betrayal of her husband, she tells the reader all about it in a very comical manner. Claire's family, an odd and entertaining bunch themselves, are very supportive and loving while she heals from her pain and waits to see what will become of her marriage. And Adam, a handsome, younger man also helps Claire heal and see herself in a very different light. Claire has a witty, endearing voice that will make you love her immediately. The story itself is very interesting, and is told in a very comical manner, so you won't be able to put the book down. And the ending is very funny. Watermelon is an excellent summer read.

Although this is Ms. Keyes' first book, I have read four of her others before reading this one. Now I wish I would have read this one first so my expectations weren't so high.

The central characer of the book is Claire, whose husband whom she deeply loves annouces that he has been having an affair and is leaving her while she is still in the hospital after giving birth to their first child. Claire flees her marital home in London to return to her family home in Ireland where she has a total breakdown, manages to loose her"baby weight" and meet a new love interest just about the time her philandering husband decides to kiss and make up.

Had I not read those other four Keye's novels I would have probably given this one five stars instead of four, but after reading about Claire's sister Rachel in Keyes' Rachel's Holiday and other stronger characters in subsequent books I found Claire to be rather lackluster. She's missing the "oomph" of Lucy Sullivan, the pizazz of Tara in Last Chance Saloon and the spark of Lisa in Sushi for Beginners, all also by Keyes. Claire's family members, however, are dazzling jewels from her clueless father to her nasty sister Helen (who I just LOVE!) and they alone are enough to make this a good read. I can't WAIT to read more about this amusing family in Keyes' upcomming new novel.

My advice is if you are new to Keyes this is a great jumping off place - it only gets better from here.

I loved this book - first of all because it's such a good story, but still a very easy read. I got it myself from a friend and I've already passed it along to another friend and I highly recommend it to most readers.

The book is written as if the "hero" Claire is talking to you, which means you really identify with her and all her insecurities. Claire's family are excellent secondary characters, and the male hero "Adam" was maybe a bit too good (and to good looking) to be true, but I have meet men that was quite much like that! Claire comes out as a belivable and interesting person, someone it would be nice to know. She is funny and warm and and also brave, so I found it quite inspiring in many ways. I specially liked the way the story changes your impression about Claire (and the way she also learned more herslef about who she was or had been.

Sometimes single women type books can be quite irritating, but Marian Keyes' are fabulous. Claire is funny I read Watermelon in almost in one go, which is quite something as it's not a short book. I read it late into the night, until I could read no more, and finally finished it early next morning. Marian Keyes has also written Rachels Holliday which I also liked very much (even better) and which is about one of Claires sisters!

Some people compare this to "Bridget Jones", and they have something in common, but mostly that they are about women and the frustrations of life and love. Others may feel this is not an intelligent enough book. So, its easy reading, what so? It is very well written, funny and makes life a bit more fun. A very good read for a vacation or for travelling. Highbrows who do not like "feel good" books are hereby warned - stay away.

I've heard so much rave reviews about this book, I can't wait to read this. Unfortunately, I ended up disappointed.

The narrator Claire and Ally McBeal have plenty in common. Both are funny people that make me laugh when I'm watching or reading about them. At the end of the day, however, I can't help but to be aware that Claire, like Ally, is a rather spineless, whiny woman, comfortable with her whinings and complaints but the inertia of inaction, never to change for the better until everyone else has to yell it down her throat and then some, is too great at times.

Make no mistake, I love many things about this book. The easy narrative style as if an old friend has just called me up to reminisce and gossip about everything. Claire's eccentric family is a hoot to read about. In fact, Claire was beginning to shine on me with her quirky, painfully honest and wry outlook about life. "This girl got guts," I said when she shaped up midway through the book.

Then someone threw out Claire and replaced her with Ally McBeal. I began to feel painfully aware that I have read this story many many times. Jilted-wife-finds-new-love-and-discover-herself, explored in countless women's fiction and movies. And yes, the slimy husband MUST make a come-back (the back tells you that, so no, I'm not spoilng the story). Guess what Claire does? If you're read enough of these stories, you know the answer. The author never stray from the formula. Worse, Claire lost her spine and ends up a spineless wimp, makes silly, unreasonable decisions, and this book flies across the room to hit the wall with a satisfying THWACK.

At the end of the day, I enjoyed this book. I laughed, yes, but unfortunately, while I first laughed with Claire, I ended up laughing AT Claire. And I ended up feeling rather sad for her, and guilty at myself. It's like laughing at that neurotic, whiny neighbor whose life is so bad, so miserable, and she is so used to feeling down that I can feel better at myself in comparison to her. Yeah, like the way I laughed at Ally McBeal too.

What a disappointment! *sigh* I had a better time reading the other jilted-wife story, the one where, unapologetically, they got back at their exes, "The First Wives Club".

Ok, simply put...I picked up this book at the perfect time. I had just found out my recently divorced husband already had a new girlfriend, fished through my ever expanding book collection & picked up a Marian Keyes because I needed a good chuckle & I depend on her for that. I could not have known how close to home Watermelon would hit. I'm telling you that a paid shrink couldn't hope to come close to offering the truth, humility, and certainly not the laughs that this novel provided at a much needed time in my life. This book hit home in every way, I kept finding myself saying "Oh, how true that is". In short, what I'm trying to say is this is the best Marian Keyes I've read so far & I love all of her novels. Even if you're not dealing with a slime ball ex, you will adore this book...I promise!!

"February the fifteenth is a very special day for me. It is the day I gave birth to my first child". Upon reading these first lines in "Watermelon", I was hooked!!!! The reason being that February the fifteenth is also the day that I gave birth to my first child!!!

I feel in love with the book and couldn't put it down. Marian Keyes was able to portray a pretty sad situation in an extremely humourous and witty manner. All of Claire's emotions, trials and tibulations are so real and expressed in such candor that you can't help but identify with her totally. I found myself laughing outloud at 3 A.M. in the morning, waking my husband, and having him tell me, "Go to sleep already!!!". But "Waremelon" is just such a gift to every women who has ever been wronged, who has every been made to feel inadequate, who has ever had the guts to pick up the pieces and become whole once again.

Thank you Maian Keyes. I wish I would have had this book near me 7 years ago when I went through my divorce from my first husband. He, just like James, was a professional manipulator. And I, like Claire, are both survivors and no longer feel like "watermelons"!!!!!!