Little Earthquakes: A Novel (Washington Square Press) (Paperback)

~ (Author) "I watched her for three days, sitting by myself in the park underneath an elm tree, beside an empty fountain with a series of uneaten..." (more)
Key Phrases: bouncy seat, diaper bag, Richard Towne, Amy Mayhew, Priscilla Prewitt (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Jennifer Weiner, whose novels Good in Bed and In Her Shoes earned her a place among women's book club aficionados everywhere, proves she still has the touch with Little Earthquakes, a tale of love, heartbreak, redemption, and friendship. Weiner's novel centers around four new mothers, all of whom must learn to adjust their lives and their marriages to deal with the challenges of raising children.

Ayinde is a beautiful, biracial newscaster who moves to Philadelphia after her husband, a star player for the NBA, is traded to the 76ers. She meets Becky, an overweight chef who plays the "pregnant or just fat" game every time she passes a mirror, and Kelly, an overachieving event planner who has her whole life mapped out down to the most minute details, after going into labor at a prenatal yoga class. The three become fast friends, and come to rely on each other for everything from burping techniques to intense emotional support. The group grows to include Lia, a semi-famous Hollywood starlet who leaves her husband and returns to Philly after a sudden tragedy.

While Little Earthquakes may leave little to the imagination, and some of the characters are laughably stereotypical (the Mama's boy Jewish doctor and the cheating ball player, to name a few), it is Weiner's gift for creating compelling characters with whom her readers can identify that make her such a successful storyteller. --Gisele Toueg --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Publishers Weekly

In her first and second bestsellers, Good in Bed and In Her Shoes, Weiner came up with female characters so smart, lovable and mordantly funny that they reminded readers that Bridget Jones wasn't the first single woman to light up a bestseller list or the big screen—there were Sheila Levine, Mary and Rhoda, the Golden Girls. Now, just as the star-studded movie version of In Her Shoes is about to be released, Weiner delivers the interwoven tale of four new mothers who come to form a tight posse in contemporary Philadelphia. The heart of this third-person narrative is Becky, an overweight but thoroughly appealing chef at a chic bistro. Married to an adoring doctor and living in a cozy row house, the warm, nurturing Becky is the latest incarnation of Weiner's previous protagonists, as Weiner's fans will recognize as she rushes to help another woman who collapses into sudden, crushing labor pains after a prenatal yoga class ("Being in labor all by herself —no husband around, no friend to hold her hand—was about the worst thing she could imagine," Becky thinks. "Well, that and having her midriff appear on one of those 'Obesity: A National Epidemic' news reports"). The woman whom Becky helps is Ayinde, the gorgeous wife of an NBA superstar. Picturesquely if improbably, she, Becky and another expectant mom, perky blonde Kelly (who was also at the fateful yoga class and lent a helping hand) become fast friends. Eventually, Lia, a beautiful young actress who has left Hollywood for her hometown of Philadelphia in the wake of a tragedy, joins the group. For much of the story, Weiner, a wonderful natural writer and storyteller, renders her characters and their messy, sometimes wrenching lives in details that resonate as the real deal. In the end, alas, she slips in a soapy Hollywood ending. Still, this is a rich portrayal of new motherhood and a fun ride. Weiner's readers will root for her to trust ever more her ability to float between comedy and pathos, leaving the shallows for true and surprising depths.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Washington Square Press (June 28, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743470109
• ISBN-13: 978-0743470100
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (262 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #13,019 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Girl, You Just Have to Read this Book!, September 23, 2004

By	Gracie Houston (Santa Cruz, California) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Little Earthquakes (Hardcover)

"Little Earthquakes" was the latest selection in my book group. I wasn't sure what to expect, but after checking out the cover, I had a feeling I was going to enjoy it. And enjoy it I did!

What we have are four friends that seriously bond during their pregnancies. Our main leading lady is Becky, who is married to a doctor and somewhat overweight. The other three women are Ayinde, who is married to a famous basketball player; Kelly the requisite perky blonde and Lia, an actress who has left Hollywood.

The characters were so well developed that I was able to identify with them and feel their pain, so to speak. "Little Earthquakes" shows the women in all their not-so-perfect glory. We experience the birth of their children, see first hand their lack of sleep and the struggles they face while adjusting to motherhood. All the while, we are laughing along with them, at them and for them.

I can't wait to discuss this book with my book group and see how much the other girls enjoyed it. I am going to thoroughly sing its praises to anyone who will listen. This is one great story!

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars well...it certainly makes motherhood depressing, July 5, 2005

By	Movie Watcher "MW" (North Carolina) - See all my reviews

I am a bit surprised by the amount of reviewers who feel this book would be perfect for new mothers. While it was realistic in the sense that motherhood isn't easy or fun ALL OF THE TIME, it certainly makes becoming a mother seem like one of the most miserable, marriage-wrecking experiences a woman can find herself in.
I just found all of the women EXTREMELY unrealistic. Kelly is a materialistic complainer, and can't even have a rational discussion with her husband? Instead, she gets bent out of shape because he gets laid off, and basically considers him one step above fungus? Please! No man (or woman) would stand around while their mate chastised them. The explanation of her "awful" childhood is supposed to make us understand, but instead, it made me sick to my stomach whenever it was her turn to speak in the book.
Becky, supposedly the funny one since she threw out the most sarcastic comments of the group, all of a SUDDEN changes her heart about her psychotic mother-in-law? Honestly, I was suffocating in the sugary-sweet sap this author was gagging me with here. Plus, she lets some freaky, creepy stranger into her home, etc? Way to watch out, Becky. How about we let the stalker babysit?
Ayinde....obvious character....takes her cheating husband back. I can't begin to tell you how realistic it is that she would want the other woman's phone number...sure, let's be a happy family after my husband nationally embarasses me.
Lia...ok, because so many men would just take their wives back after she ditches them for a year? Oh, and the mother is waiting with open arms after Lia selfishly leaves her for 11 years?
None of these characters were sympathetic or likeable. They complained constantly, and magically everything pulls itself together in the end. I would never recommend this book to a new mother...it would probably depress her too much.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Highly overrated, November 7, 2005

By	Winkie (Cleveland, OH) - See all my reviews

This book had great potential and at first I couldn't put it down. Unfortunately, the characters never developed and by the end I was sick and tired of their whining. The characters were very stereotypical and while much was made of the trials of motherhood, the author never really showed us the joys that make it all worthwhile. I'm a working mom who's also experienced the pain of losing a baby and I was extremely disappointed in the storyline for Lia. There was a better story there than the one that was written.