She's Come Undone

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Rebekah: "I was wondering if you were gonna say hello or keep ignoring me." Matt: "I was working. I see you compelled the bartenders again." Rebekah: "I'm celebrating. My brothers and I have parted company. Elijah and Nik ran off to New Orleans to chase God knows what, and I am finally free." Matt: "Yeah, I heard about that." Rebekah: "Did you hear I lost the cure, too? I was this close to the life that I always wanted and then poof, gone in a heartbeat." Matt: "I'm sorry. I know how much you wanted it." Rebekah: "Please. I know you were planning to steal it for Elena. I never had a chance did I?" Matt: "I meant what I said, but if you want to feel sorry for yourself, go ahead."

At first things were working out for her and it seemed she had the life she always longed for. We all know that it never happens that way, there is always a snafu, and things do go south for Dolores. But you know what, it just raises her higher. She finally finds herself and makes peace with her past. I decided to read it because it kept featuring on lists of peoples favourite books, so I thought it would be a good story, alas, I was wrong! She's Come Undone follows Dolores from early childhood as her father leaves her with her mentally ill mother, through college, up to her middle age. Nearly 200 titles into my audiobook habit, I'm still trying to figure out what makes for a good listen vs. a traditional read, especially within my favorite genres. I've grown somewhat wary of audio editions of literary novels -- they are almost always character-driven and light on plot, and therefore difficult in some cases to follow in audio. But it's still my favorite style of fiction, so I keep trying.

Wally Lamb has written his first novel in the arresting voice of Dolores Price, a 40-year-old woman who recounts in scrupulous detail her harrowing progress into adulthood. Dolores is both adored and loathed for her unconventional appearance. How is body image treated in the novel and how does it affect Dolores' growth and placement in society? Is her problem with social assimilation unique to her experience or a symptom of our society's definition of beauty?

The storyline is heartbreaking, but I did not find it depressing (except one chapter when the main character was thinking of suicide). Wayne from Erie, PaI had always assumed the songwriter was referring to Art Linkletter's unfortunate daughter who, in the late 1960s, dropped acid, found a mountain that was far too high (a high-rise) and, believing she could fly, leaped to her death. This was a news item about six months before the appearance of the song. Coincidence, I guess. "Too many churches, not enough truth.." Eloquent, Randy. Steefe from Suburb Of DcI agree with Wayne (from PA) about the connection with the song Undun and the tragedy of Ms. Linkletter. Four men who meet as college roommates move to New York and spend the next three decades gaining renown in their professions—as an architect, painter, actor and lawyer—and struggling with demons in their intertwined personal lives.John Cavaquinho from UsaNO! It is not about Diane Linkletter. She died after the song was released. "Too many people, not enough brains". I absolutely wanted to listen to it all in one sitting, it was that good. But I didn't opt for the abridged version, which I could have listened to in one sitting because I didn't want to miss any of the story. I'm glad I didn't. It was a book club selection, and I wanted to be able to fully participate in the discussion..

I’ll give you what I learned from all this,” he said. “Accept what people offer. Drink their milkshakes. Take their love.”I bought the unabridged audio version, so I didn't miss a thing from the print version, which we were reading as a book club. It was a long book, so being pressed for time, I needed to be able to be able to get through it while doing things that I wouldn't be able to do while "reading" and vice versa. A heroine to cheer for … This supremely touching journey to adulthood may remind you of "The World According to Garp" and other sagas of emotional liberation."

In "She's Come Undone," an ambitious, often stirring and hilarious book, Mr. Lamb gives his vociferous heroine truly heroic proportions, in both the physical and the psychical sense.Meet Dolores Price. She's 13, wise-mouthed but wounded, having bid her childhood goodbye. Beached like a whale in front of her bedroom TV, she spends the next few years nourishing herself with the Mallomars, potato chips, and Pepsi her anxious mother supplies. When she finally rolls into young womanhood at 257 pounds, Dolores is no stronger and life is no kinder. But this time she's determined to rise to the occasion and give herself one more chance before really going belly-up.