Sideways: A Novel by Rex Pickett Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Sideways: A Novel
Book Review: I LOVED this movie..less so the book
Summary: 3 Stars
I loved the movie Sideways. I can't say the same for the book. I found the writing too artifically wordy (as if the author wrote with a thesaurus by his side). Sure, the character of Miles is a writer and supposedly very intelligent, but, come on, who really talks like that? Too Webster for me, as Jack would say. I also didn't find the information about the wine as well done as I saw in the movie.Book Review: I'm sure I won't be popular for saying this, but...
Summary: 1 Stars
"Sideways" is without a doubt one of the most overrated and underachieving books I've read in a long time. I haven't seen the movie, but I'd heard of it and thought it looked good from the previews. When one of my book groups picked Pickett as our current read, I was excited to have the chance to sit down and enjoy it. Unfortunately, I thought it was a pretty pathetic attempt at a topic that could have been very promising.
From the beginning, Miles and Jack both fail to turn into sympathetic characters. Yes, Pickett succeeds at portraying Miles as a sniveling and snobbish wine geek; yes, Jack comes across as a suave (not charismatic) and successful ladies' man. But that's it. The character development here rivals romance novels for its one-sidedness. I've seen more complexity in some children's books. By the end of the first chapter, I would have put the book down permanently had it not been for the book group... that stupid book group.
From there, I found it hard to care about the two protagonists and their "last hurrah". They drink too much, they lie, they cheat. They have surprisingly few morals and not much depth in their psyches. I'm not saying that depravity can't make a good book (read "Fight Club" or even "Cherry"), I'm saying that Pickett fails to turn it into one. The rare well-written scene (boar hunting, hot tubbing) fails to turn the majority of the book around.
The potential for success is there, but that's all. Pickett takes the wine-geek sub culture as a setting and fails to make it interesting. The brilliance of using wine as a metaphor is lost. Pickett's women are even more shallow than his protagonists. The comraderie of good buddy novels is merely hinted at; the epic quality of good journey novels is noticeably absent. The confession-oriented climax within the book is implausible to the point of laughability: Miles' entire thought process is omitted and the subsequent scenes unfold without any reason. I'm willing to suspend some reality in books or movies, but the lack of logic and development throughout the novel is apalling.
I suppose one of the greatest things about the book has also been noted by other reviewers: it is an incredibly easy read. If you can limit your own eye-rolling and expletives while reading, it is a simple text. Of course, it's even simpler to not read it too...
Book Review: Just like a fine wine ...
Summary: 5 Stars
Like most people I saw the movie, then went back and read the book. I loved the movie, but in some ways the book is better. Miles, the main character in the movie, is more lovable in the book. And he's funnier!! In the movie he comes across as a bit of pretentious snob, but in the book his passion for wine is totally believable. Jack, the other main character in the book, is a hoot in the movie, but I find he has more going on in the book. The book is a real complement to the movie, which owes a great deal to the book.Book Review: Merlot - Oh No!
Summary: 5 Stars
My girlfriend sent me this book because she knows how much I enjoy wine and she knows how much I love to read. She was right, what a wonderful combination!! This was an excellent, fun, quick read. I really enjoyed reading a book written by a man about male friendship. Being female, it's rare for me to read about male-bonding. It was a little disturbing for me to read about a man who's about to get married and all he can really think about is getting it on with the local girls. But other than that, it was entertaining, and I was sad when I turned the last page and realized it was over.
There was a lot of information on wines, especially Pinot Noir. I took to drinking Pinot while I was reading the book, and that actually made the book seem all the more real to me. I've spent a lot of time in Southern CA, so reading about the wine tasting and touring brought back a lot of memories to me.
I would recommend this to men and women alike. Wine-lover or not, this is a comedic, fast-paced, page-turner and I really hope Mr. Pickett is getting ready to release another book.
Book Review: More fun than the movie...
Summary: 5 Stars
Although I also enjoyed the movie version, the book was far more enjoyable for me. While the movie was mildly interesting and entertaining, the book was a page turner - read it in about a week. Improved character development, more exciting details, and more adventures (boar hunt, hot tubs) led to a more satisfying experience. The book really makes you care about the fate of the Jack and Miles, and especially about Miles and Maya. Highly recommended - good escape reading, sizzling 'romantic' interludes.