Scan barcode
trin's review
2.0
Too much little black dress, not enough Mennonite. I wanted to hear more about Janzen’s childhood, what made her quit her faith, how she managed to still stay friendly with her family who still practice it (there’s no big dramatic rent here), how her Mennonite upbringing affects her life in the secular world. I wanted more of all of that, and less about her failed marriage. (Come on, failed marriages are a dime a dozen!) I also would have liked a clearer picture of Janzen’s journey: she jumps around in the story so much, I could never get a clear grasp of cause and effect. Her prose is pleasantly wry, and the book is readable, but when I finished it I felt the urge to ask way too many clarifying questions. It made me wish that instead of reading it, Janzen had related this story to me at a party, so I could pour her another drink and say, “Wait, wait—back up again...”
heathercottledillon's review
3.0
Janzen's biography is funny and also makes you think, but there wasn't enough happening to really catch my interest. And although it made me laugh, sometimes the humor seemed a bit over-the-top, or forced, to me. However, I thought it was really interesting to learn about Janzen's unique life experience as a "lapsed" Mennonite.
cdjdhj's review
3.0
I liked parts of this book...it was laugh-out-loud funny (not just chuckle out loud, but, hearty laugh-till-you-cry funny) in the first 30 pages or so and the last 20. The middle of the book was dark, however, as the author described her 15 year marriage to an abusive and mentally ill man. That is understandable, this is a memoir and her life was probably dark during that time. At paces in the book it seemed like she was mocking religious people, including her own parents and family members. She seemed more reconcilled to the faith she was raised in by the end of the book, but I still had to wonder if her parents had read the book and how they felt about it. Basically, this is the story of a woman who abandons the faith and culture she was raised in. I really couldn't see that she was any better off for her choices, however. Seems to me that her family and friends who stayed in the Mennonite community lead happier and more peaceful lives. One of the reviewers compared Rhoda to Anne Lamott or Elizabeth Gilbert. I think that is a stretch. I like both Lamott and Gilbert's writing better than Janzen's. There are some hilariously funny parts in this book to be sure, but I wish that Janzen could have maintained the warmth and humor of Lamott's and Gilbert's memoirs throughout hers. Warning, there is also some language and sexual references.
royalmq's review
Chapter 12 said it all. This book was this months book club selection. Beginning with chapter one clear through to the end I kept asking myself why am I reading this book only to find the author agreed with me. I don't know why anyone would read this unless you have given your word to do so.
brn's review
3.0
Very entertaining. A normal woman with a non-traditional upbringing. Her journey to discovery and awareness is one that any woman can relate to. It was a refreshing read.
book_concierge's review
3.0
Digital audiobook narrated by Hillary Huber
From the book jacket: Not long after Rhoda Janzen turned forty, her world turned upside-down. From the outside, it seemed that she had everything she wanted: a fulfilling job, a beautiful lakeside home, and a brilliant husband of fifteen years. But then her husband announced he was leaving her for Bob, a guy he met on Gay.com – and that same week a car accident left her with serious injuries. Under circumstances like these, what was a gal to do? Naturally, Rhoda crossed the country and returned to the land of Borscht, Zwiebach, and corduroy-covered Bibles.
My reactions
I’m not sure what I was expecting. I hadn’t read the book jacket blurb. I had noticed a few Goodreads friends had read and enjoyed the book, and I’m sure one or more of those reviews is what landed this on my TBR list. In any case, I’m not sure how I feel about the book.
One the one hand, Janzen is able to look at her life and the choices she made honestly and without (much) regret. She chalks things up to experience and moves on with life. She seems to genuinely like and cherish her family, though she has left behind the teachings and restrictions of her childhood faith. I particularly loved the relationship she had with her mother, who is cheerfully optimistic about everything.
On the other hand, I’m not so sure Janzen was truly over her husband’s having left for a guy he met on Gay.com. Why do I think that? Mostly because Janzen mentions this fact every few pages. Reminds me of a woman I know who left her husband some 20 years ago and STILL manages to bring him up every time I run into her with a not-so-casual, “Oh, what do hear from X lately?” She may have divorced him, but she’s never LEFT him.
In summary, I enjoyed much of it and found her sense of humor about her own situation refreshing, but I didn’t love it.
Hillary Huber does a marvelous job voicing the audiobook. She set a good pace and has just the right tone for the self-deprecating humor, and to convey the tender love Janzen finds in her family home and community.
From the book jacket: Not long after Rhoda Janzen turned forty, her world turned upside-down. From the outside, it seemed that she had everything she wanted: a fulfilling job, a beautiful lakeside home, and a brilliant husband of fifteen years. But then her husband announced he was leaving her for Bob, a guy he met on Gay.com – and that same week a car accident left her with serious injuries. Under circumstances like these, what was a gal to do? Naturally, Rhoda crossed the country and returned to the land of Borscht, Zwiebach, and corduroy-covered Bibles.
My reactions
I’m not sure what I was expecting. I hadn’t read the book jacket blurb. I had noticed a few Goodreads friends had read and enjoyed the book, and I’m sure one or more of those reviews is what landed this on my TBR list. In any case, I’m not sure how I feel about the book.
One the one hand, Janzen is able to look at her life and the choices she made honestly and without (much) regret. She chalks things up to experience and moves on with life. She seems to genuinely like and cherish her family, though she has left behind the teachings and restrictions of her childhood faith. I particularly loved the relationship she had with her mother, who is cheerfully optimistic about everything.
On the other hand, I’m not so sure Janzen was truly over her husband’s having left for a guy he met on Gay.com. Why do I think that? Mostly because Janzen mentions this fact every few pages. Reminds me of a woman I know who left her husband some 20 years ago and STILL manages to bring him up every time I run into her with a not-so-casual, “Oh, what do hear from X lately?” She may have divorced him, but she’s never LEFT him.
In summary, I enjoyed much of it and found her sense of humor about her own situation refreshing, but I didn’t love it.
Hillary Huber does a marvelous job voicing the audiobook. She set a good pace and has just the right tone for the self-deprecating humor, and to convey the tender love Janzen finds in her family home and community.
aubrey_the_explorer's review
5.0
Loved it! Chocked full of good humor and heartfelt stories. Every page of it was a joy to read.
whatzudoin's review
1.0
I know that that this book got mixed reviews, but I was compelled to check it out from the library. I read the book in one day. I'll be honest that I skipped around in the chapters after reading chapter six. Why you ask? It upset me the way she talked about the community and her family. If you left the Mennonite community so much that you left then don't go back! She chose to curse quite a bit, but I'm not offended by that. The part that offended me most was the way that she spoke about her parents. It made me curious what other deep rooted issues she had. The book gave you a tiny glimpse into their way of living, but not as much as I would've liked.