In browsing around GoodReads, I find I am not alone in being disappointed in The Friday Night Knitting Club, by Kate Jacobs. The premise is good--i.e., "everything I know about life I learned from knitting"--and the book is structured tightly to reinforce this point. I enjoyed the NYC setting but in the end, it really was simply a Hallmark version of a Mary Sue story that surprisingly enough didn't get me to shed even one tear during the parts designed to turn on the waterworks full blast.
I call it a Mary Sue story because the main character Georgia is typical Mary Sue - beautiful, creative, talented, nurturing, loving, smart, successful, etc. In other words, boring! Her daughter is the same, and the quirky cast of characters all work out their problems in a feverish worldwind at the end with one big exception which does nothing to redeem this essentially dull book.
Midway through the book I thought about ditching it, but I decided not to as I held out hope that it would redeem itself. Now that's done and I can offer it up on Paperbackswap.com and get something really good in exchange, like Little Dorrit, which I really want to get started on soon.
Thanks for the review. I was thinking about buying this one.
ReplyDeleteThis took my 'worst book of the year' title a few years ago. Hope you get something much better from paperback swap.
ReplyDeleteI was given this a few years ago and have still to read it. I'm sorry to see your thoughts about it and glad I haven't attempted it yet - maybe I won't.
ReplyDelete