| Title | : | In Her Shoes |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0743495667 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780743495660 |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 537 |
| Publication | : | First published September 1, 2002 |
Maggie is drop dead gorgeous and irresistible to men. She's going to make it big as a TV presenter, or a singer...or an actress. All she needs is a lucky break. What she doesn't need is her uptight sister Rose interfering in her life. If only Rose would lighten-up, have some fun - and learn how to use a pair of tweezers. Rose and Maggie think they have nothing in common but a childhood tragedy, shared DNA and the same size feet, but they are about to find out that they're more alike than they'd ever believe.
In Her Shoes Reviews
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***Some mild spoilers ahead***
Typically, this isn't my kind of book and, if the rating system allowed for half stars, I would have more accurately given it a 2 1/2. This is one of those it was the right book for the right time scenarios. I had just finished reading Nineteen Eighty-Four and Fahrenheit 451 and, suffering a dystopian hangover, needed something light that didn't involve too much thinking. This certainly fit the bill.
From the get-go we have a stereotypical plot: two sisters (one pretty but dumb and the other smart but plain) who are insanely jealous of one another despite their bond. However, this stereotype exists because there is a component of jealousy in many same-gender sibling relationships. No matter how much the two love one another, siblings often feel as though they are being compared to one another by parents, family, friends, society at large, and examined for deficiencies that become obvious when compared against their genetic foil. The smart one always wants to be pretty; the pretty one always wants to be smart. The athletic one secretly wants to be a book nerd; the book nerd always wants to be able to dunk a basketball. The one with curly hair always wants straight hair; the one with straight hair longs for curly locks. We end up envying precisely what the other hates or loathes in himself or herself. Maggie and Rose are no exception. There's some rich material to work with here, and Weiner does realistically portray the root causes of the sisters' envy for one another. She also takes some chances: further complicating their relationship is their mother, whose mental illness leads to her death while the girls are still young; the beautiful Maggie suffers from a debilitating learning disability that effectively limits her chances at success in the entertainment industry (she can't read the teleprompter during an MTV audition that she would have otherwise had in the bag); Maggie betrays Rose's trust to such a magnitude that their relationship may be beyond repair (no one can hurt you like a sister and Weiner takes advantage of the opportunity to challenge the sisters' relationship). Oh, and thank heavens she didn't take the route of making the overweight Rose thin by the end.
Having said all of that, there were certainly some things I did not love. There's a subplot involving the long-lost maternal grandmother that slowed down the narrative for me. Also, Maggie and Rose just weren't likable characters. These are not two women I would ever want to know in real life. They're self-involved and often petty. I'm also not buying that Rose quit her job to become a dog walker, nor that Maggie lives in the Princeton library and miraculously becomes a literary genius (by the novel's end, Maggie's reading every great literary classic she can get her hands on and spouting poetry like a water fountain). I'm not saying that someone with a learning disability is incapable of doing this, only that Weiner never plausibly made me believe Maggie was capable of doing this. If there was one perk of the inclusion of Maggie's reading of One Art by Elizabeth Bishop, i carry your heart with me(i carry it in by E. E. Cummings, and several classic literary texts, it's that it reminded me that there are certainly better books out there and, even though Weiner's work was somewhat humorous and mildly entertaining, maybe my time would be better served reading some of those.
Cross posted at
This Insignificant Cinder -
This book is not the genre or type of book I typically read. I have not seen the movie.
So I was very surprised that this became a page-turning book for me.
At it's core, it is a book about family love and dysfunction due to tragedy, second marriages, betrayal between sisters, body-shaming, job changes, and restlessness while determining your passion and pursuit of life.
It's also about a grandmother who hasn't seen her granddaughters for about twenty years and how they reunite.
Today is Christmas Eve and my daughter and I have been at my mom's house for nine days. Our flights were delayed for 48 hours due to winter storm Elliott, so my daughter and her grandmother (my mom) have been getting lots of time together for "girl talk." Maybe that's why this story resonated so deeply with me. -
This book was surprisingly enjoyable - a lot better than some of the other chick lit shit I've read. I would have given it another star, but the movie (which I've seen many more times than I should probably admit) did a much better job of building a story arc and tying up the various plot lines. To the point where it's like, that's so perfect and obvious, how did Jennifer Weiner not think of doing that herself? But still, thumbs up for the book.
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Pretty sure I didn't even like the movie so I'm kind of wondering why I wanted to read the book? Maybe I thought the book was going to be better? I have no idea why I did though because I didn't like either of them!
Okay, In Her Shoes has one dumb sister and one smart sister. A pretty common theme for some writers but not my favorite. I couldn't really connect to either sister, Maggie or Rose, because it just didn't seem that realistic to me.
Before I get any hate comments or rants from people who loved this book - let me explain! I'm the youngest in my family out of three children. I have an older brother and sister - we are about 4-5 years apart. My sister and I have never really been compared against one another. I mean, we both played soccer and piano. We both went to school. We both have hazel eyes. However, we have different hair colors (her's is a lighter brown while mine is darker) and we have different personalities. My parents (or relatives) never compared us against each other while we were growing up and still don't to this day. Our friends never compared us because we ran in different groups while growing up but now we all kind of merged. It's like all on big giant crazy family friendship kind of thing.
Now I'm not saying it isn't realistic to someone else because everyone grows up in different ways and deals with different situations. I'm also not saying you were loved less or more than me - because I honestly have no idea.
I just didn't like this book because I couldn't relate to either character. Or the story line. Pretty much the entire book did not agree with me.
I also didn't have any wine available near me and I was kind of lazy to go out and buy some while I was reading this book. If I had wine, I might have liked this book a lot more but I can't change the past nor can I predict the future.
I wish I liked it but I didn't. -
Jennifer Weiner can write funny passages. There's the 80-something woman who uses her new computer to print fake parking permits. The fussy pug that prefers more elegant surroundings. Maggie's attempt to get into the MTV VJ auditions. I did grin a few times while reading this book.
But glimmers of situational humor aren't enough to overcome the bigger problems with this novel. It's formulaic, even for chick lit. Two sisters don't get along - one's chubby and bookish, the other a wild party girl. They live together for awhile, then have a big falling out, then go through a period of personal growth, then once they've learned important life lessons, they live happily ever after.
So it's exactly what you'd expect. 500+ pages seems like a long march towards the inevitable. -
This is another fun novel from Jennifer Weiner. I was curious to read it because I had seen the movie version (starring Cameron Diaz and Toni Collette) and I liked the story about two sisters who were total opposites, and yet still found ways to love and help each other. It was a pleasant, enjoyable read.
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It's hard to believe that Rose and Maggie are sisters - it seems the only thing they have in common is their shoe size. Rose is the responsible sister; at age thirty, she's a lawyer at a successful firm, and she's finally found herself a good boyfriend. Maggie is twenty-eight; she is the attractive sister. Despite her looks, she has not held a job for very long at all. Flighty and irresponsible, she detests Rose's approach to life.
Unfortunately for the sisters, Maggie is forced to move in with Rose due to financial circumstances. Angry with Rose for nagging at her so much, Maggie decides to get even when Rose's boyfriend shows up at their door. Rose is heartbroken when she walks in on her boyfriend having sex with Maggie...and Maggie wearing her shoes. Rose kicks man and Maggie out of her apartment, yelling that she never wants to see either again.
So begins Maggie's journey to find herself, first at Princeton, and then on a mission to find the girls' maternal grandmother. Tired of living in Rose's shadow, she is determined to find her niche - and subsequently forgive herself for what she did to her sister.
Rose has a journey of her own - as her now-ex was one of her coworkers, she finds herself taking a leave from her job to follow her heart and decide what she really wants to do.
Weiner has intertwined the stories of two very different women into a novel that is both humorous and dramatic. Readers will enjoy In Her Shoes and will be able to identify with both Maggie and Rose by the end of the book. -
It seems Weiner must have had a terrible jerk for a father and stuck up leech for a sister, because all her books seem to dance around this.
I read Weiner hoping to find a new stronger "Good In Bed" but never do. This book was entertaining but not good. I refused to watch the movie because the main character should be at lest a tad fat. Instead, in typical Hollywood fashiong, they just made a thin girl homely. -
Maybe there was too much sex or scandal, but I didn't find myself endeared to the characters. The story and writing are alright, about appreciating your sisters, but the inconsistencies of character, plot holes, and shock value ruined it for me. It did have good perspectives into the mind of the smart "fat" girl and the attractive "stupid" girl and how they clash. Plus, Weiner's formula for plot seem to follow to same consistent lines: fat girl who is funny and smart, incredulous twist of fate, way too nice guy who loves the fat girl, and happy love ending. I didn't dislike the story, it just wasn't my favorite.
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Bad. Just bad. Resisting the urge to burn it, but only to avoid accruing overdue library book fees.
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This book was recommended to me by a friend, and I'm gonna be honest, I was a little skeptical of it. I am not one to really get into girly books: books about shopping, and dating, and partying. I usually like the more dramatic fiction, but I fell in love with this one!
The story is ultimately about two sisters: the free spirit, partying, beautiful sister, and the uptight, chunky, plain sister. The only thing these sisters have in common is the death of their mother and shoes. So begins the story. Maggie and Rose are characters that anyone with a sister can relate to. After Maggie does something horrible to her sister, they each try to go their separate ways, and walking in the other sister's shoes (hence the title).
In the end, the sisters end up happily back together, in the most adorable ways possible, and each come out better for it. The poem that Maggie read at the end was heartbreaking, and really shows how tight the bonds of sisterhood can be. A definate tear-jerker (but in a happy way), and one of my new favorite books. Can't wait to read Good in Bed!
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This book was about 400 pages too long. They could have made it cute and fun. It never went anywhere ... it was totally predictable and I kept waiting for some twist. BORING.
I love girl books but this one took way to long and the book ended about half way through. -
Against my better judgement, I actually read and enjoyed Jennifer Weiner's "In Her Shoes". I realize it's "chick lit" (a term that I am not fond of due to its rather sexist implications but that I find myself using quite often involuntarily because 'feminist lit' just doesn't sound right, aesthetically. Sorry...), but when I picked it up and started reading it, I actually had a hard time putting it down. Weiner happens to be a decent writer and a good storyteller and also writes about real women, not the photo-shopped Barbie doll women one sees in much of the genre. She can be both funny and moving at the same time, and the book is nowhere near as cheesy and melodramatic as other "chick lit" authors I have read. There's also a pretty decent film adaptation of this book starring Toni Collette and Cameron Diaz.
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I think I’m coming to the realization that fluffy chick lit is just not for me.
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This book just really had everything I love in books. A messy sibling dynamic between Maggie and Rose. A messy family dynamic in general and drama and cheating and dogs..and basically this book was just a really good time.
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[3.5] I have to admit, I watched the movie adaptation more times than I should... The movie, starring Cameron Diaz as Maggie, Toni Collette as Rose, and Shirley MacLaine as their estranged Grandma Ella, gets me every time! It's about sisters, and those who know me know what my sisters mean to me, being the eldest myself.
So when I decided to finally read the book, I was expecting everything I saw in the movie... But I was wrong. There was far more depth, more storyline, more focus on each of the main characters, and a lot of character development.
I don't get why this is flagged as a Chick Lit / Romance. Although there was a bit of romance, the whole book was about the relationship between the two sisters and their grandmother.
I resonated a lot with Rose, with her watching over her younger sister Maggie, wanting the best for her, worrying about her and her life choices, and just wanted to be a sister & a mother to her. Yeah, same.
There were a lot of anger, betrayal, and emotions; yet there was forgiveness, love, and change.
A lot of reviews have addressed body image and stereotypes: a fat, smart girl who is a bookworm and career-oriented; and a hot, dumb girl who makes shit choices in life and has learning difficulties. It might hit you at first, but the character development as the story progresses, and the changes that happen without someone having to go thin to be accepted is refreshing for a change. If that still offends you, then you are probably missing the point of this book.
Well-written and enjoyable. I was able to finish it quickly as it was easy to follow and had funny moments. I won't say it's the best book in town, but it's worth picking up if you want something light to read. Watch out for the stepmother tho... She is horrendous!
And if you love poetry, there is a lot of material here for you... especially the last poem by E E Cummings... It's the reason why the book & the movie makes me cry. Just this poem!
PS 19 - A book that discusses body positivity.
PS 47 - A book from your TBR list you associate with a favorite person, place, or thing. -
RATING: 4 STARS
I picked up this novel while browsing at the library. Often I would just stroll down the aisles and if a cover or title spoke to me, I would take it home. What I love about the library is that you can take a book home for any reason - cover, title, author, hype etc and not worry about the expense. If the book doesn't work for you, you can just return it. I probably take out 5-15 books at one time, and maybe only read eight. It allows me to try new genres and authors I may not normally try. When you are spending money on books, or at least when I am, I stick to favourites.
As I started this novel, the humour of the story, and specifically Rose and Maggie just struck a cord with me. I related to both characters in some ways, but it was Rose who I was rooting for. Rose who is the responsible sister, was also the sister longing to find that special person who would love her back. Maggie lives day to day, and knows her sister will be there to help her out. I started to become really invested in the both characters as well as their grandmother (and senior village). I loved the way Weiner portrayed both Maggie and Rose with compassion and humour. The way the two sisters started out in the novel to where they ended up, there was a lot of growth in the journey.
I saw the movie when it came out in theatres, and while there were differences, it did capture Maggie and Rose well. Toni Collette and Cameron Diaz brought those characters to life. I did reread the novel after seeing the movie, and it's still a favourite read. -
olvidé agregarlo, pero esta buenísimo 😫
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Actually really enjoyed the writing style- nice and light read with witty humour. Loved Rose and her character- development was good and her romantic progression was sweet. The only issue is the relationship with these sisters- Maggie is unbelievably selfish and toxic from the beginning and treats her sister so poorly when she gives/does so much for her. Although the undergoes this “character development” and “changes” I don’t find this character development believable- shes trash and nobody who would so purposely hurt her sister by sleeping with her boyfriend deserves to be forgiven. She had the intention to hurt her sister and honestly even more disappointed that Rose forgives her. Would have liked this book better if Rose dropped her sister and never talked to her again and learned to live without her and her constant hurt and disappointment!!! And that’s on night shift thoughts!!! Stay tuned on movie review
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This was my first time reading a Jennifer Weiner novel, and I think I will read more in the future. I chose this book because it met the requirements for a reading challenge- book with unlikable character. This book delivered on that! I liked the dynamic relationship of the sisters, and I really enjoyed that the story was told through different points of view. I am interested in watching the movie to see how it will portray the characters.
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Clearance book sales are my enemy. I am the proud owner of 9 more paperbacks that I have zero room for (but at a total bargain!) I loved the movie version of this. Toni Collette is amazing in everything ever and I think I love her a little bit? Like she may have been 90% of the reason I bought this.
Long story short I have it so I suppose I'll read it at some point. -
This was a fun, funny read. Not much substance but really fun nonetheless 😄
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A solid 3.5 stars from me! A story that will connect with you for sure if you have a sister. I definitely saw a lot of myself in Rose and a lot of similarities in our lives. Rose & Maggie had my tears flowing by the end! I’m excited to watch the movie.
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Atpalaiduojanti, įtraukianti, lengva. Tokia kasdieniška ir paprasta, pasaldinta puikiu humoru ir ironija.
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I absolutely loved this book! With every word that I read from the figurative pen of Miss Jennifer Weiner the closer I feel I become to her. In Her Shoes is, in my opinion, her best literary work, with perhaps the exception of Good In Bed.....Eh, all right, it's a tie.
In Her Shoes is the totally relate-able tale of two sisters whom don't realize that they have as much in common as they really do. On one side is Rose --- responsible, dependable, kind of vanilla Rose whose only great passion is shoes and ice cream and who makes the mistake of dipping her pen in the company inkwell (if ya know what I'm saying --- and on the other side is Maggie ---- beautiful, vivacious, troubled, misunderstood Maggie whom has never gotten a real chance out of life and struggles to prove herself more intelligent than everyone has ever told her she was. These two sisters rarely get along, barely tolerate each other, and know exactly how to push each others buttons --- in other words, they're completely believable characters --- and when Maggie pushes Rose for the last and final time, Rose is ready to throw her only sister out of her life forever. It's during the time that they're separated, however, and forced to move through the slow-moving tides of their equally difficult lives without the familial support of a sisterly shoulder that they realize how important they have always been to each other.
Don't let the thickness of this book scare you. YOU HAVE TO READ IT! It's only one of the best contributions to the chick-lit genre since Rebecca Wells took a break from churning out Ya-Ya stories. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll call up your sister and apologize for pulling her hair twenty-something years ago, you'll go out and buy a new pair of ridiculously expensive yet oh-so-worth-it shoes, and more than likely, run out and buy every other word that Jennifer Weiner has ever thought, much less written.
Oh, and *spoiler alert* I have to talk about this certain part in the book, because it is perhaps my most favorite thing ever to be written. About halfway through the book, after Maggie and Rose get into it, Maggie runs off to the train station and decides to hop the track over the Princeton University, where she proceeds to spend the next three or four months living in the basement of the library! How friggin awesome is that! I mean, maybe I'm just that kind of person, one who would love the opportunity to just sit around and read books all day and night, but that was just, like, the neatest thing that I've ever heard of in my life. If I thought I could get away with it, I would totally be hopping a train to Princeton right about now. -
Great story about family and changing your life.
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Ok ~ Well I almost burned the book! I was half way through it and one of the most despicable things happened and I felt like it was the last straw! I didn't burn it, even though the rage was definitely there! I just can't do that.
I decided to give the book 1 more chance after I read a few reviews on it proclaiming that it was all going to get resolved... among other things ~ yes there were a few spoilers out there, but they helped me to come back to the book, so I was grateful.
After starting the book up again, after the rage, it immediately started to get better. There was really only one incident after that, that bothered me a lot ~ Ok 2 ~ but the 2nd was very small.
Anyways. I rated the book like I did because the book did end well. And over all I would have to say it was a good book. I however think that there could have been A Lot less details on somethings and A Lot more details on others. The last 1/4 of the book definitely needed to be examined much more. And the last part of the book did feel rushed (just like so many others had warned).
I don't think I will read any of her other books, as through others reviews, it sounds like her books have a cookie cutter shape. And I really really did not enjoy the first solid part of this book, and I really don't wish to relive that in another. -
This story is about two sisters , Maggie and Rose, who lost their mother when they were young and grew up with a cantankerous wicked stepmother . Their father broke all ties toward their mothers side of the family after her car accident but eventually the girls are reunited with their grandmother in the course of the book . It was supposed to be a tearjerker which is why I thought to read it , but it didn't affect me that way .I liked following Maggie , the younger of the two who was more of a rebel and problematic for everyone. I guess I could relate to her easier, as she took us on her quest(s) to find her dream job; from acting to dog watching to clothes designer . It was easy enough to read and for the most part it grabbed my attention. Rose was the older one who had a good head on her shoulder and more educated .
