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BABYVILLE, Audio
by Jane Green
Random House Audio, May 1903
abridged audio pages
$29.95
ISBN: 055371354X


Buy in the UK | Buy in Canada

Jane Green is known for her best-selling chick-lit featuring women with problems. BABYVILLE is no exception as far as subject matter goes. Julia is a well-paid British television producer, a single woman used to the high life and getting her own way. Having snagged handsome Mark, she's living with him even though they share little in common. Julia prefers touring the bars with her friends at night, while Mark is just as happy to stay home. Their romance wears thin before long, but Julia believes she can resurrect it if only she has a baby. Fortunately, this is one time Julia doesn't get her way. Mark complies with her wishes, but her body doesn't. Months go by, and the relationship between Julia and Mark disintegrates as pregnancy evades the couple. Eventually they part when Julia takes a leave of absence and accompanies British producer friend Stella to New York. Mark is depressed and lonely, but one night he meets Maeve in a bar. Maeve has replaced Julia at the television station. Single and aiming to stay that way, Maeve becomes pregnant when she and Mark share an intimate moment in an alley behind the bar. She moves in with Mark and discovers that pregnancy suits her quite well. She also finds herself falling in love with Julia's boyfriend.

Intertwined with the stories of Julia and Maeve is a third tale featuring Sam, Julia's married girlfriend. Sam is pregnant at the beginning of the book and delivers baby George midway through the novel. Her interest in Chris, her husband, takes a nose-dive after the birth of her son. Sam attends meetings with other new mothers and discovers that she's not the only one uninterested in sex with her husband. After listening to the other women, she begins to wonder if the answer to her problem is an affair with another man.

Green's book deals with three women who appear to put themselves first in everything. Their decisions and choices are based on what makes them feel good and what makes them happy at the moment. The characters are representative of the "Me" generation, and while not always likable, these women are believable. There was a little too much whining by Sam for my liking -- you'd think she was the first woman on earth to go through pregnancy -- and Julia selfishness grated on me after awhile. Young fans of Green will probably disagree with me, though, and make this another bestseller.

Reviewed by Mary V. Welk, June 2003

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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)


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