Something Blue by Emily Giffin Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Something Blue
Book Review: A poignant story of friendship and love
Summary: 4 Stars
This was a great story. While the first half of the book was a little hard to get through, the second half more than made up for it. I have not read Something Borrowed and I was therefore unfamiliar with the other side of Rachel and Dex's story. It is hard to like Darcy in the first part of the book but you cant help feeling a little sorry for her. She is extremely self centered. She reminded me of a three year old and I remember thinking that she had some serious growing up to do. In the second part of the book, Darcy comes to realize some of her character flaws and begins trying to become a better person. Ethan was one of the sweetest characters Ive met in a long time. The dynamics of his relationship with Darcy, evolving from friendship to a steadfast love, was down right poignant. It makes you think about life, friendship, and love. That what you think you want for yourself in life is not always what will make you happy.Book Review: A surprisingly good followup
Summary: 4 Stars
The Good: I picked this book up, without even looking at the flap, because I so loved Something Borrowed. I had no clue what it was about. When I began the book and realized that the same characters were in this one, I got excited. Then I promptly got un-excited when I realized that the central first-person character of this book was Darcy -- the lying, cheating, spoiled brat "best friend" from Something Borrowed. I was immediately concerned that this book, being told from Darcy's perspective, would taint my fondness toward the Rachel and Dex characters from the first book, and I did not want that. It's always nice to look back fondly on characters you really like and/or identify with from a book you truly enjoy. I thought that Giffin might use this book to make you feel sympathy for spoiled Darcy and shed light on why she did the things she did. But to my surprise and delight, she did not. What's more, Darcy is still the annoying, shallow character that she was in the first book. You would think that would make for an annoying read, but it does not. Giffin pulls it off somehow and keeps it intriguing. And if ever there was a story of positive character evolution, this is it. Darcy does change over time, for the better, but not at the expense of the characters you may have grown to love. The ending of this book, too, is worth noting. Few really good books have really good endings in my opinion, but this one does. The final pages of the book are poignant, poetic ... perfect. And without being fairy tale saccharinized.
The Bad: There really isn't anything bad about this book. I can only say that I missed Rachel and Dex in this book -- they have few appearances on the pages of this book -- but they weren't really the point of this one. And all in all, it still doesn't compare to Something Borrowed -- likely to be Giffin's best work.
The Summary: First, if you haven't read Something Borrowed, you must. These books are not to be read out of order. Assuming you have ... The beginning of the book sheds light on Darcy's antics leading up to and including what happened in Something Borrowed. Darcy is still with Marcus at the start of this story. In fact, she gets pregnant. Unfortunately, Marcus and Darcy are no more a match made in heaven than Dex and Darcy were. After Marcus and Darcy break up, things fall apart for Darcy. Her parents are upset with her, she is alone, she is abandoned by her new best friend Claire, she's of course without Rachel in her life, and she's pregnant to boot. She ultimately takes a leave of absence and goes to London to visit Rachel and Darcy's childhood friend Ethan -- her absolute last resort and desperate escape. Darcy continues her shallow, self-centered ways for quite a bit of the book, until some harsh words and circumstances help Darcy to see the error of her ways. The remainder of the book has Darcy evolving into a new and better person. It's quite a journey to get there, but definitely worth it in the end.
Book Review: A unlikely but likeable tale of an unlikable character
Summary: 4 Stars
The follow-up to Emily Giffin's book Something Borrowed gives a new meaning to the phrase "two sides to every story". In Something Borrowed Giffin told the story of a fairly average woman named Rachel who was sick of being in the shadows of her best friend Darcy's glow. After Rachel accidentally (sort of) sleeps with Darcy's fiancee, she ends up falling in love with Dex, who admits he has feelings for Rachel as well. If you're looking at this page then you'll have figured out by now that Rachel succeeds in winning her man - while Darcy finds out a few moments afterwards. This book...is Darcy's tale.
At first I was surprised to see Giffin wanting to put a character she portrayed as such an unlikeable, vapid, robotic person at the centre of a chick lit book - which are generally designed to make you RELATE to the main character. Indeed, at first, Darcy is every bit as despicable as she was portrayed in Something Borrowed, seeking shallow comforts, using people to make herself feel better, and launching venomous attacks in her mind against friends and family.
However, the book does give insight into Darcy's OWN affair - with a friend of Dex's, which has resulted in her being pregnant with the friend's baby. Bit by bit the book also divulges how many of the characters from the first book are faring in this one - including Rachel & Dex. You also learn how clueless Darcy was to the whole Rachel/Dex affair, in fact the truth doesn't come out till six months or so after Darcy catches them in bed together. In all fairness, Giffin paints a realistic portrait of the agony Darcy goes through seeing her friends together - happy - and just why it's so hard for her.
THe plot is essentially Darcy loses everything she once held so dear - friends to lean on, her prize of a fiancee, respect of her co-workers, closeness with her family. Panicked and frustrated after the father of her child breaks up with her, Darcy flees sto London to live with hers and Rachel's childhood friend Ethan. Although things are just as rocky in the UK as they are back home at first, eventually Darcy learns that life is full of surprises - including some about her family, friends, baby, and everything she ever thought she wanted.
By the end of the book you maybe aren't starting to root for Darcy, and you're certainly relating to her. She becomes a softer, sweeter person with real emotions that looks back on her 'old life' with shame and disgust. Although the book is filled with a ridiculous amount of unlikely moments of luck and ignores some basic mechanics when it comes to living & working in London, it is an honest, and most importantly, enjoyable read.
Book Review: A very cute read
Summary: 4 Stars
I almost didn't pick up "Something Blue" due to my lack of interest in the characters and dialogue in "Something Borrowed"; yet, I did. What started out with me giving Emily Giffin a second chance turned into me actually enjoying this book; so much so that I read it from cover to cover in hours.
While I wasn't fond of Darcy in "SB", I at least found her characterization more interesting (far more interesting than Rachel). I was interested to see how she would be expanded upon in her own book, and was glad to see there was more to her than just being a vapid, self-involved party girl. I found her growth from the start of the book to the person she becomes in the end very natural and even compelling; I absolutely adored her budding relationship with Ethan (which may I add was a pleasant surprise once realized the plot was going in that direction). I found myself cheering for her in the end and thoroughly enjoying this book.
Book Review: A waste of time and money.
Summary: 1 Stars
After I read this book all I wanted was my money back. The lead character is a jerk and the book is predictable. I usually love the author but this is one book to skip.