What do you think?
Rate this book
Jemima J.
Jemima Jones is overweight. About seven stone overweight.
Treated like a slave by her thin and bitchy flatmates, lorded over at the Kilburn Herald by the beautiful Geraldine (less talented, but better paid), her only consolation is food.
What with that and her passion for her charming, sexy colleague Ben, she knows her life needs changing.
But can Jemima reinvent herself?
And should she?
Treated like a slave by her thin and bitchy flatmates, lorded over at the Kilburn Herald by the beautiful Geraldine (less talented, but better paid), her only consolation is food.
What with that and her passion for her charming, sexy colleague Ben, she knows her life needs changing.
But can Jemima reinvent herself?
And should she?
450 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
727 people are currently reading
51283 people want to read
About the author
Jane Green
95 books8,720 followersJane Green's twenty first novel, Sister Stardust, is out April 5th 2022.
She is the author of eighteen previous New York Times Bestselling novels, and known as one of the world's leading authors in women's fiction, with over ten million books in print, and translations in over 25 languages.
Previous novels have included The Beach House, Second Chance, Jemima J, and Tempting Fate.
She joined the ABC News team to write their first enhanced digital book— about the history of Royal marriages, then joined ABC News as a live correspondent covering Prince William’s wedding to Kate Middleton.
A former journalist in the UK, she has had her own radio show on BBC Radio London, and is a regular contributor on radio and TV, including as well as regularly appearing on television shows including Good Morning America, The Martha Stewart show, and The Today Show.
Together with writing books and blogs, she contributes to various publications, both online and print, including anthologies and novellas, and features for The Huffington Post, The Sunday Times, Cosmopolitan and Self. She has taught at writers conferences, and does regular keynote speaking, and has a weekly column in The Lady magazine, England’s longest running weekly magazine.
A graduate of the French Culinary Institute in New York, Green is bringing out her first cookbook: Good Taste , with Berkley in October 2016.
She is a storyteller for The Moth radio hour on NPR,
and lives in Westport, Connecticut with her husband and their blended family. When she is not writing, cooking, gardening, filling her house with friends and herding chickens, she is usually thanking the Lord for caffeine-filled energy drinks.
Jane's Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jane-Gr...
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
She is the author of eighteen previous New York Times Bestselling novels, and known as one of the world's leading authors in women's fiction, with over ten million books in print, and translations in over 25 languages.
Previous novels have included The Beach House, Second Chance, Jemima J, and Tempting Fate.
She joined the ABC News team to write their first enhanced digital book— about the history of Royal marriages, then joined ABC News as a live correspondent covering Prince William’s wedding to Kate Middleton.
A former journalist in the UK, she has had her own radio show on BBC Radio London, and is a regular contributor on radio and TV, including as well as regularly appearing on television shows including Good Morning America, The Martha Stewart show, and The Today Show.
Together with writing books and blogs, she contributes to various publications, both online and print, including anthologies and novellas, and features for The Huffington Post, The Sunday Times, Cosmopolitan and Self. She has taught at writers conferences, and does regular keynote speaking, and has a weekly column in The Lady magazine, England’s longest running weekly magazine.
A graduate of the French Culinary Institute in New York, Green is bringing out her first cookbook: Good Taste , with Berkley in October 2016.
She is a storyteller for The Moth radio hour on NPR,
and lives in Westport, Connecticut with her husband and their blended family. When she is not writing, cooking, gardening, filling her house with friends and herding chickens, she is usually thanking the Lord for caffeine-filled energy drinks.
Jane's Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jane-Gr...
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,835 reviews
February 3, 2015
This book actually made me mad when I read it, to the point that I stuck a post-it note warning in the book before I returned it to the library.
Five reasons why this book is dreadful:
a) The heroine, Jemima, is constantly described as being morbidly obese and too fat to function in society. Jane Green, the author, mentions several times that Jemima can't fit into chairs. Now, Jemima is 5'7 and 217 pounds. That may not be the size of a supermodel, but the way Jemima is described throughout the book, what with her zillions of chins and rolls of fat, you'd think she was easily triple the size of that picture.
b) Jemima is so fat that men aren't attracted to her and the only reason she lost her virginity was because it happened in the dark, where her lover couldn't see her hideous figure.
c) Jemima goes on a diet and loses 100 pounds in 3 months. Yeah. I swear, that's what the book says.
d) The "dreamy" love interest only likes her after she's lost 100 pounds.
e) It borrows every single cliche from The Big Book Of Lame Cliches. Internet dating gone awry? Check! Too good to be true love interest? Check! Forced separation of the heroine and the love interest? Check! Lots of humor? I'll give it half a check, as using "humor" to describe these "jokes" would cause a rift in the universe. "Shocking" twist? Check! It's like Jane Green got paid by the cliche or something.
Five reasons why this book is dreadful:
a) The heroine, Jemima, is constantly described as being morbidly obese and too fat to function in society. Jane Green, the author, mentions several times that Jemima can't fit into chairs. Now, Jemima is 5'7 and 217 pounds. That may not be the size of a supermodel, but the way Jemima is described throughout the book, what with her zillions of chins and rolls of fat, you'd think she was easily triple the size of that picture.
b) Jemima is so fat that men aren't attracted to her and the only reason she lost her virginity was because it happened in the dark, where her lover couldn't see her hideous figure.
c) Jemima goes on a diet and loses 100 pounds in 3 months. Yeah. I swear, that's what the book says.
d) The "dreamy" love interest only likes her after she's lost 100 pounds.
e) It borrows every single cliche from The Big Book Of Lame Cliches. Internet dating gone awry? Check! Too good to be true love interest? Check! Forced separation of the heroine and the love interest? Check! Lots of humor? I'll give it half a check, as using "humor" to describe these "jokes" would cause a rift in the universe. "Shocking" twist? Check! It's like Jane Green got paid by the cliche or something.
April 26, 2008
Dear Bridget Jones,
You really should meet up for a cappuccino and a chocolate croissant with Jemima Jones. I think the two of you have the potential to be great friends, as you have so much more in common than just your last names (distant, long-lost relatives, perhaps?).
After all, you’re both single women, journalists, Londoners, traumatized by eccentric mothers, habitual dieters, smartasses, Silk Cut smokers, and prone to sleeping with handsome bastards while waiting for Mr. Right to come along.
However, you have a much better sense of humor, I must say. And one would hope that would rub off on JJ. She has more poignancy about her than you do, which makes her lovable and empathetic, but too much melodrama is bad for the soul.
Take pity on her, Bridget. Jemima tends to be terribly lonely a lot of the time, and I truly feel that there is no one I know in more dire need of an extended urban Singleton family than she is. You could include her in yours with very little effort.
In return, she might bring some much-needed common sense to the group. I seriously doubt she ever would’ve encouraged you to break up with Mark Darcy the way Jude and Shazzer did in The Edge of Reason. Then again, given Jemima’s inexperience with men, I just know that she would eat up all your romantic advice with a spoon, so who knows what would happen?
But I suspect that whatever happened would be fun to watch. Give her a call, Bridge. You’ll love her. She’ll love you. It’ll be great.
Sincerely,
A Concerned Third Party
You really should meet up for a cappuccino and a chocolate croissant with Jemima Jones. I think the two of you have the potential to be great friends, as you have so much more in common than just your last names (distant, long-lost relatives, perhaps?).
After all, you’re both single women, journalists, Londoners, traumatized by eccentric mothers, habitual dieters, smartasses, Silk Cut smokers, and prone to sleeping with handsome bastards while waiting for Mr. Right to come along.
However, you have a much better sense of humor, I must say. And one would hope that would rub off on JJ. She has more poignancy about her than you do, which makes her lovable and empathetic, but too much melodrama is bad for the soul.
Take pity on her, Bridget. Jemima tends to be terribly lonely a lot of the time, and I truly feel that there is no one I know in more dire need of an extended urban Singleton family than she is. You could include her in yours with very little effort.
In return, she might bring some much-needed common sense to the group. I seriously doubt she ever would’ve encouraged you to break up with Mark Darcy the way Jude and Shazzer did in The Edge of Reason. Then again, given Jemima’s inexperience with men, I just know that she would eat up all your romantic advice with a spoon, so who knows what would happen?
But I suspect that whatever happened would be fun to watch. Give her a call, Bridge. You’ll love her. She’ll love you. It’ll be great.
Sincerely,
A Concerned Third Party
April 16, 2012
I've never been so thoroughly disgusted with a book. In Jemima J, Jane Green glorifies anorexia and then tries to claim that the main character is merely "obsessed" with exercising, even though she is clearly not eating. The result? Jemima loses a massive amount of weight (about 80 lbs.) in a short period of time, and all of a sudden, men can't keep their eyes off of her.
The plot is lame, even for Chick Lit. Fat girl falls in love with unattainable guy, chats with American hunk online, decides to lose weight to go visit said hunk, things go downhill from there, unattainable guy falls for the ex-fat girl, happily ever after. Oh, and by the way, the "shocking" plot twist is positively wretched.
The writing is just as bad. Green has this obnoxious habit of switching from Jemima's point of view to that of an omniscient narrator. It makes for disjointed reading and is very distracting. I spent most of my time laughing, but not for good reason. Instead of implying that even though Jemima is heavy, she's still a good person, Jemima tells us that herself. Several times. Subtly is not Green's strong suit.
This was the second book I've read by Jane Green, and it was definitely the last. I know that I'm overly sensitive about eating disorders and weight issues, but I can't imagine that anyone would find the way Green presented this topic appealing.
The plot is lame, even for Chick Lit. Fat girl falls in love with unattainable guy, chats with American hunk online, decides to lose weight to go visit said hunk, things go downhill from there, unattainable guy falls for the ex-fat girl, happily ever after. Oh, and by the way, the "shocking" plot twist is positively wretched.
The writing is just as bad. Green has this obnoxious habit of switching from Jemima's point of view to that of an omniscient narrator. It makes for disjointed reading and is very distracting. I spent most of my time laughing, but not for good reason. Instead of implying that even though Jemima is heavy, she's still a good person, Jemima tells us that herself. Several times. Subtly is not Green's strong suit.
This was the second book I've read by Jane Green, and it was definitely the last. I know that I'm overly sensitive about eating disorders and weight issues, but I can't imagine that anyone would find the way Green presented this topic appealing.
March 16, 2008
Ugh. This book doesn't empower "ugly ducklings," it panders to them. The fat-phobia is so thick in this book I can't believe I got through it. The main character's obvious eating disorder is glorified, encouraged, and applauded. If I were a lesser woman here is the message I would've gleaned from this shitfest: "The only way to be happy, advance your career, find a hot man, and make your skanky roommates jealous is: eat lettuce and work out fanatically. Also, lying on the internet is ok!"
Southern California is portrayed as if the person writing has never stepped off a plane at LAX before. Apparently Barnes & Noble and Borders bookstores in LA don't carry anything but film industry books. Two characters at two different points couldn't find so much as a good fiction selection because there were "How to Write a Screenplay" titles floor to ceiling. Stereotypes about LA are so 80s, and this book is not that old.
The "twist" was insulting, cheap, and annoying. This book doesn't deserve a place on my chick lit shelf. I would give it 0 stars if I could.
Southern California is portrayed as if the person writing has never stepped off a plane at LAX before. Apparently Barnes & Noble and Borders bookstores in LA don't carry anything but film industry books. Two characters at two different points couldn't find so much as a good fiction selection because there were "How to Write a Screenplay" titles floor to ceiling. Stereotypes about LA are so 80s, and this book is not that old.
The "twist" was insulting, cheap, and annoying. This book doesn't deserve a place on my chick lit shelf. I would give it 0 stars if I could.
August 2, 2007
Maybe because I deal with literature every day in my job, I tend to pick books that are entertaining and easy to read while trying to wind down... and Jane Green's books fit that description for me. A lot of the other reviews I've read trash the "message" of this book about fat people, losing weight, etc.... but somehow I doubt that she wrote this as an attack on fat people of the world... or to promote eating disorders. I found Jemima to be pretty "real" -- most people don't initially go right for the "eat reasonably and exercise" theory of weight loss because of all of the quick fixes that are available. I also don't think this book promotes the idea that fat people have to lose weight to be attractive; what I do think is that Green does a pretty good job of illustrating the expectations of society as well as the ways social pressure/observations can affect a person. At any rate, I enjoyed reading the book. Fun read. Good summer/beach/lazy afternoon read. Not intended to be deep, philosophical, political, a social commentary, or a lifestyle manual.
May 5, 2019
Mental Health Read-A-Thon: Eating Disorder Rep
If I'm being 100% honest Jemima J is really a 1 Star read but I gave it an extra star for making laugh. This book was awful. Absolutely dreadful.
Jemima Jones is fat and depressed. She binge eats, hates her job, hates her roommates, hates pretty much all women, and most importantly hates herself. Jemima believes that if she loses weight than everything in her life will be perfect.
If she's thin, then she get a boyfriend.
If she's thin than she can get a better job.
If she's thin than she will have friends.
Important Note: Jemima J was published in 1999.
Enter Brad, the guy she's been chatting with on this new thing called THE INTERNET. Brad is an eligible California hunk who thinks Jemima is a thin workout obsessed glamour girl. After agreeing to meet in real life Jemima decides to lose weight fast.
Jemima becomes anorexic/bulimic, but the author never calls it that. In fact Jane Green seems to think not eating for days, binge eating, throwing up and obsessively working out is perfectly fine. This behavior isn't pointed out as extremely unhealthy and dangerous. Everyone constantly points how healthy and beautiful she's become. Her weight loss has made her a person of value.
Jemima J is extremely dangerous Eating Disorder Rep. The moral at the end of the book is being thin will make you happy. Jemima is never treated for her problems with food. In fact her binge eating and purging is magically cured by finding love.
1999 was a long time ago so maybe this was perfectly acceptable in the time in which it was written but....
WOW! JUST WOW!!
I don't recommend Jemima J to anyone unless you want to see how to badly write about weight and self esteem.
If I'm being 100% honest Jemima J is really a 1 Star read but I gave it an extra star for making laugh. This book was awful. Absolutely dreadful.
Jemima Jones is fat and depressed. She binge eats, hates her job, hates her roommates, hates pretty much all women, and most importantly hates herself. Jemima believes that if she loses weight than everything in her life will be perfect.
If she's thin, then she get a boyfriend.
If she's thin than she can get a better job.
If she's thin than she will have friends.
Important Note: Jemima J was published in 1999.
Enter Brad, the guy she's been chatting with on this new thing called THE INTERNET. Brad is an eligible California hunk who thinks Jemima is a thin workout obsessed glamour girl. After agreeing to meet in real life Jemima decides to lose weight fast.
Jemima becomes anorexic/bulimic, but the author never calls it that. In fact Jane Green seems to think not eating for days, binge eating, throwing up and obsessively working out is perfectly fine. This behavior isn't pointed out as extremely unhealthy and dangerous. Everyone constantly points how healthy and beautiful she's become. Her weight loss has made her a person of value.
Jemima J is extremely dangerous Eating Disorder Rep. The moral at the end of the book is being thin will make you happy. Jemima is never treated for her problems with food. In fact her binge eating and purging is magically cured by finding love.
1999 was a long time ago so maybe this was perfectly acceptable in the time in which it was written but....
WOW! JUST WOW!!
I don't recommend Jemima J to anyone unless you want to see how to badly write about weight and self esteem.
June 11, 2013
"Sometimes in life, you have to make things happen. That you can change your life if you're willing to let go of the old and actively look for the new. That even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.”
5 UGLY DUCKLING STARS.
This is my ultimate go to book, it's like comfort pages for my book soul. I fell in love with Jane Green's perfectly written novels some years ago in my late teens and I have read and re read the novel so much that my paperback version is lovingly creased and well worn. I can't fault this author and her effortlessly romantic tales of love. Jane Green has a special ability to write fiction in a way that's engaging but with a hint of reality that hits my emotion buttons.
So what's it all about ...
Jemima Jones is overweight, lonely, unhappy and to top it all off is badly treated by both her housemates and work colleges, as a consequence Jemima finds that her only comfort is food. Bring into the mix her long term crush on the charming, sexy, and unobtainable colleague Ben, and Jemima realises her life is in need of a Complete makeover. During her transformation Jemima has a chance encounter with health and fitness nut Californian hunk Brad and decides to take the chance to move to the states to start her new life. Along the way we go on a journey with this loveable character and we see lessons about the meaning of true love, addiction, friendship and ultimately learning to love yourself.
My final thoughts ...
I have a complete soft spot for Jemima J, a character who we see battle her way to find her true love. I can't express how much this book touched me, makes me laugh and fall in love, over and over. This book is true romance at its very best. A novel that lovers of chick lit will adore. This fast paced plot and quirky love novel is one of my all time favourites and if your a fan of Jane Green then you will fall in love as much as I did.
5 HUGE STARS.
5 UGLY DUCKLING STARS.
This is my ultimate go to book, it's like comfort pages for my book soul. I fell in love with Jane Green's perfectly written novels some years ago in my late teens and I have read and re read the novel so much that my paperback version is lovingly creased and well worn. I can't fault this author and her effortlessly romantic tales of love. Jane Green has a special ability to write fiction in a way that's engaging but with a hint of reality that hits my emotion buttons.
So what's it all about ...
Jemima Jones is overweight, lonely, unhappy and to top it all off is badly treated by both her housemates and work colleges, as a consequence Jemima finds that her only comfort is food. Bring into the mix her long term crush on the charming, sexy, and unobtainable colleague Ben, and Jemima realises her life is in need of a Complete makeover. During her transformation Jemima has a chance encounter with health and fitness nut Californian hunk Brad and decides to take the chance to move to the states to start her new life. Along the way we go on a journey with this loveable character and we see lessons about the meaning of true love, addiction, friendship and ultimately learning to love yourself.
My final thoughts ...
I have a complete soft spot for Jemima J, a character who we see battle her way to find her true love. I can't express how much this book touched me, makes me laugh and fall in love, over and over. This book is true romance at its very best. A novel that lovers of chick lit will adore. This fast paced plot and quirky love novel is one of my all time favourites and if your a fan of Jane Green then you will fall in love as much as I did.
5 HUGE STARS.
April 30, 2009
Okay, here's the thing: there is really no way I can write why this book is so awful without sounding bitter. You know how everyone says how only ugly girls hate beauty pageants? Well, I've heard it said also that only fat girls hate this book. And I am fat. So there's that out of the way right out of the gate.
Oh! But not as fat as the main character of this novel. At least, not according to Jane Green, the lady who wrote this book. I couldn't possible be, given the descriptions given of the character. The main character is five feet and seven inches tall and two-hundred pounds. Which, of course, sounds just awful if you have no actual understanding of what two-hundred pounds actually is. In the real world, that sized woman would wear about a size 16 (American sizing) dress and could still shop in most regular department stores. In the book, however, a woman of that size has twelve chins, waddles when she walks, is too fat to sit in a chair, can't fit into cars.... et cetera. I am that height and heavier than two-hundred pounds. I however can sit in chairs, do not waddle, and, while I do have that second chin, I still have a neck and fail to look as though my face were melting into flabby chins.
So there's that.
Then there's the idea that Jemima (the main character) is not and never will be loved by anyone until she is thin. Because her body is the only thing that matters about her. And not only must she be thin, she must become very thin. This book is pro-anorexia and proud of it, if you can believe it. Her sense of humor, her personality… her real name, even… it all means nothing. All she is is her body. Which, as mentioned before, will not matter until the man of her dreams can play a tune, xylophone-style, on her ribs. Just for full-disclosure, as with the first point, I've never had trouble dating, really. Not when I was thin, or athletic, or chubby, or even now when I am (the ugliest word you can call a woman) FAT. While human bodies are important, I assure you that having friends, having boyfriends, having sex, having relationships, having dates, or whatever else depends a great deal more on who you are than it does on what you are.
So there's that.
I suppose I hate this book not just because of the terrible negative stereotypes it reinforces, or the ugly way that everyone in this book acts towards each other and them selves, but because it teaches, by example, that lying as suffering are the only way to get what you want and that "what you want" is shallow and materialistic. And that's sad. I also think this book is awful because all of that awfulness I wrote about up there is packaged in a pink and cheerful bow. This is supposed to be, and is written as, a humorous chick-lit wish-fulfillment fantasy. We're supposed to find Jemima gross in the beginning and then applaud her lies and her anorexia and her unhealthy ideas in the middle. When the man she ends up with is a jerk in the end, we are supposed to forgive him. I just don't understand.
I'm probably being overly sensitive and over reacting, but I think... no, I KNOW I would have hated this book even if I was skinny. It's mean spirited and shallow and wrong.
I don't recommend it.
Oh! But not as fat as the main character of this novel. At least, not according to Jane Green, the lady who wrote this book. I couldn't possible be, given the descriptions given of the character. The main character is five feet and seven inches tall and two-hundred pounds. Which, of course, sounds just awful if you have no actual understanding of what two-hundred pounds actually is. In the real world, that sized woman would wear about a size 16 (American sizing) dress and could still shop in most regular department stores. In the book, however, a woman of that size has twelve chins, waddles when she walks, is too fat to sit in a chair, can't fit into cars.... et cetera. I am that height and heavier than two-hundred pounds. I however can sit in chairs, do not waddle, and, while I do have that second chin, I still have a neck and fail to look as though my face were melting into flabby chins.
So there's that.
Then there's the idea that Jemima (the main character) is not and never will be loved by anyone until she is thin. Because her body is the only thing that matters about her. And not only must she be thin, she must become very thin. This book is pro-anorexia and proud of it, if you can believe it. Her sense of humor, her personality… her real name, even… it all means nothing. All she is is her body. Which, as mentioned before, will not matter until the man of her dreams can play a tune, xylophone-style, on her ribs. Just for full-disclosure, as with the first point, I've never had trouble dating, really. Not when I was thin, or athletic, or chubby, or even now when I am (the ugliest word you can call a woman) FAT. While human bodies are important, I assure you that having friends, having boyfriends, having sex, having relationships, having dates, or whatever else depends a great deal more on who you are than it does on what you are.
So there's that.
I suppose I hate this book not just because of the terrible negative stereotypes it reinforces, or the ugly way that everyone in this book acts towards each other and them selves, but because it teaches, by example, that lying as suffering are the only way to get what you want and that "what you want" is shallow and materialistic. And that's sad. I also think this book is awful because all of that awfulness I wrote about up there is packaged in a pink and cheerful bow. This is supposed to be, and is written as, a humorous chick-lit wish-fulfillment fantasy. We're supposed to find Jemima gross in the beginning and then applaud her lies and her anorexia and her unhealthy ideas in the middle. When the man she ends up with is a jerk in the end, we are supposed to forgive him. I just don't understand.
I'm probably being overly sensitive and over reacting, but I think... no, I KNOW I would have hated this book even if I was skinny. It's mean spirited and shallow and wrong.
I don't recommend it.
May 1, 2007
It's been a long time since I've read this book. But I remember the pertinent details. Jemima, an "ugly duckling" (basically a woman who is plus-size, doesn't have highlights, and dresses comfortably instead of fashionably), is in love with her co-worker. Because she's an ugly duckling, of course, he doesn't notice her.
So Jemima starts online chatting with a hot guy from California who, for the obvious ironic twist, owns a gym and is hyper into fitness. After chatting for awhile, he wants a picture of Jemima. Jemima panicks, but not to worry--her friend does a photoshop touch-up of her that makes her face thinner and her hair blonder. In other words, her friend makes her hot. (Whatever happened to "you're great, just the way you are"?) And of course, the guy from California wants to meet her.
What does Jemima do, then? She starts going to the gym. And not just once a day four or five times a week, like most people who want to get into/remain in shape. No, Jemima goes for three hours a day, seven days a week, sometimes going twice a day. The only part where the author concedes that this is unhealthy behavior is a brief observation by one of the trainers at Jemima's gym. And that's it. So Jemima becomes basically emaciated, meets the hot guy in California, and they start a relationship. Even though something is off.
There are a couple of twists at the end trying to justify that Jane Green has created a character with hardcore eating disorders (first binge eating and then bulemia through exercising compulsively) and has barely acknowledged it. And as the story starts to wind down, she drops anvils as hints, so the reader has to be pretty dim to not see where she's going. Her POV is shaky and torn between being a preachy narrator and being the character. It's annoying to see one paragraph that is Jemima, and the next SPEAKING to Jemima.
On the plus side, it was fast and easy to read. But definitely a big, unhealthy ball of stereotypes.
So Jemima starts online chatting with a hot guy from California who, for the obvious ironic twist, owns a gym and is hyper into fitness. After chatting for awhile, he wants a picture of Jemima. Jemima panicks, but not to worry--her friend does a photoshop touch-up of her that makes her face thinner and her hair blonder. In other words, her friend makes her hot. (Whatever happened to "you're great, just the way you are"?) And of course, the guy from California wants to meet her.
What does Jemima do, then? She starts going to the gym. And not just once a day four or five times a week, like most people who want to get into/remain in shape. No, Jemima goes for three hours a day, seven days a week, sometimes going twice a day. The only part where the author concedes that this is unhealthy behavior is a brief observation by one of the trainers at Jemima's gym. And that's it. So Jemima becomes basically emaciated, meets the hot guy in California, and they start a relationship. Even though something is off.
There are a couple of twists at the end trying to justify that Jane Green has created a character with hardcore eating disorders (first binge eating and then bulemia through exercising compulsively) and has barely acknowledged it. And as the story starts to wind down, she drops anvils as hints, so the reader has to be pretty dim to not see where she's going. Her POV is shaky and torn between being a preachy narrator and being the character. It's annoying to see one paragraph that is Jemima, and the next SPEAKING to Jemima.
On the plus side, it was fast and easy to read. But definitely a big, unhealthy ball of stereotypes.
June 28, 2011
Clearly nobody that read this book read it to the end OR understood the authors intent.
Yes, Jane Green touched on every womans insecurities. She showe how far a woman will go and how much she will torment herself to be thin and beautiful...just to find out its never good enough. I felt that at the end of the book she made a HUGE statement. That societies idea of beautiful is created by a few people in the media. That not everyone loves this type of "pretty". I felt so empowered and inspired when I finished the book that I have read it 4 times. People say you should love yourself EXACTLY how you are, but for some thats not possible because what you look like ISNT who you are (fat, thin, transgendered, etc) and you must work to become the person on the outside that you feel like on the inside. As a whole, I feel this book speaks to those people. Inspires them to not let anything hold them back from who they really are. This story is fun, witty, heartbreaking, and awesomly written. Definatly recommend to EVERY woman I know!
Yes, Jane Green touched on every womans insecurities. She showe how far a woman will go and how much she will torment herself to be thin and beautiful...just to find out its never good enough. I felt that at the end of the book she made a HUGE statement. That societies idea of beautiful is created by a few people in the media. That not everyone loves this type of "pretty". I felt so empowered and inspired when I finished the book that I have read it 4 times. People say you should love yourself EXACTLY how you are, but for some thats not possible because what you look like ISNT who you are (fat, thin, transgendered, etc) and you must work to become the person on the outside that you feel like on the inside. As a whole, I feel this book speaks to those people. Inspires them to not let anything hold them back from who they really are. This story is fun, witty, heartbreaking, and awesomly written. Definatly recommend to EVERY woman I know!
February 23, 2020
“Amazing how spending some money, especially when you haven’t got it, can perk you up.”
― Jane Green, Jemima J
So. This book.
First off..this review maybe kind of long.
I have read some of the other reviews. I do not usually read as many reviews as I did for this book But I wanted to know what others thought.
I do agree this book maybe terribly dangerous to the wrong reader. If I had a daughter I would not want her to read this.
First the good. I liked Jemima. She was a well written character and I felt for her.
That's it.
I do not believe the writer had any bad intentions writing this. I really do not. BUT..here's the thing..And please stay with me on this:
The Mueller report.
So Robert Mueller seems to assume that many if not most people will read his whole report. When in reality..they will not.
Likewise the writer assumes that the message in this book will be obvious.
But it wont be.
Not to teenagers. Not to people to young to have developed critical thinking skills..the ability to use them while reading. So if even a few girls misinterpret the message..that's what makes this book dangerous.
Not just that "fat is bad". Not just that all one's problems will be solved if one loses weight. But also..that one will look like a super model when they are thin. Which is frankly nuts.
Yes I will echo many others. 217 Pounds is not obese..far from it. But beyond that error, Jemima..loses the weight and suddenly is the most beautiful woman in the world. I mean she must be right? CARS ON THE ROAD STOP FOR HER, PEOPLE STOP TALKING MID SENTENCE. IT IS A BIT OBSCENE.
The bottom line IS THAT MOST PEOPLE DO NOT AND WILL NOT LOOK LIKE SUPER MODELS BECAUSE SUPER MODELS ARE GENTIC FREAKS OF NATURE AND LESS THEN ONE PERCENT OF THE POPULATION LOOKS LIKE THEM.
So she loses the weight and suddenly mere mortals are running up to her everywhere. Even in LA, where beauty is everywhere in the form of movie stars and models, Jemima surpasses all of them.
Obscene message and completely unrealistic.
I think I know what the writer intended but intentions are different from the finished product. I know what it is like to be lonely. I know what is like to feel like a plain Jane. Ans then..not feel that way anymore. I went through this crap in my youth. No weight issues but serious issues all the same. I related to Jemima. I think most women can.
If I had read this book when going through my issues it would not have made me feel empowered. It would have made me feel like shit. Sorry but..its the truth.
Now. Add all the other things about this book:
Anorexia is OK it seems in Jemima's world.
Plot issues..why was Jenny following JJ? That is never addressed.
Brad has done this before says the narrator. When and why? That is never addressed.
Why, if Brad needed a trophy girlfriend would he pick someone from half the world away? He is in LA and he works at a gym..he OWNS the gym..are there no trophy girlfriends in California? It doesn't make any sense.
And I must say..I Despise book snobs. I do not care if one knows who Earnest Hemingway is. You are not stupid if you don't. I have never turned down a date with someone because they do not like to read. More assumptions.
Just..terrible blanket generalizations. And yes dangerous. To much so. I did enjoy the book at times. I adored Jemima. Even at her most superficial, I get that she was drunk on power. It happens. I think at her core she was a good person.
And finally that is NOT reality. That overweight people can't find love. And it is not just that. It seems the message is: nobody, even if you are average, can have a happy life unless you are super model perfect. But since that is less then one percent of the population..No. Just no.
I thought it was going to go in a different direction. When Paul;, the trainer was so concerned about her. But alas it did not.I am happy Jemima found love at the end. I would urge people to know this book has no basis in reality.
Not recommended.
― Jane Green, Jemima J
So. This book.
First off..this review maybe kind of long.
I have read some of the other reviews. I do not usually read as many reviews as I did for this book But I wanted to know what others thought.
I do agree this book maybe terribly dangerous to the wrong reader. If I had a daughter I would not want her to read this.
First the good. I liked Jemima. She was a well written character and I felt for her.
That's it.
I do not believe the writer had any bad intentions writing this. I really do not. BUT..here's the thing..And please stay with me on this:
The Mueller report.
So Robert Mueller seems to assume that many if not most people will read his whole report. When in reality..they will not.
Likewise the writer assumes that the message in this book will be obvious.
But it wont be.
Not to teenagers. Not to people to young to have developed critical thinking skills..the ability to use them while reading. So if even a few girls misinterpret the message..that's what makes this book dangerous.
Not just that "fat is bad". Not just that all one's problems will be solved if one loses weight. But also..that one will look like a super model when they are thin. Which is frankly nuts.
Yes I will echo many others. 217 Pounds is not obese..far from it. But beyond that error, Jemima..loses the weight and suddenly is the most beautiful woman in the world. I mean she must be right? CARS ON THE ROAD STOP FOR HER, PEOPLE STOP TALKING MID SENTENCE. IT IS A BIT OBSCENE.
The bottom line IS THAT MOST PEOPLE DO NOT AND WILL NOT LOOK LIKE SUPER MODELS BECAUSE SUPER MODELS ARE GENTIC FREAKS OF NATURE AND LESS THEN ONE PERCENT OF THE POPULATION LOOKS LIKE THEM.
So she loses the weight and suddenly mere mortals are running up to her everywhere. Even in LA, where beauty is everywhere in the form of movie stars and models, Jemima surpasses all of them.
Obscene message and completely unrealistic.
I think I know what the writer intended but intentions are different from the finished product. I know what it is like to be lonely. I know what is like to feel like a plain Jane. Ans then..not feel that way anymore. I went through this crap in my youth. No weight issues but serious issues all the same. I related to Jemima. I think most women can.
If I had read this book when going through my issues it would not have made me feel empowered. It would have made me feel like shit. Sorry but..its the truth.
Now. Add all the other things about this book:
Anorexia is OK it seems in Jemima's world.
Plot issues..why was Jenny following JJ? That is never addressed.
Brad has done this before says the narrator. When and why? That is never addressed.
Why, if Brad needed a trophy girlfriend would he pick someone from half the world away? He is in LA and he works at a gym..he OWNS the gym..are there no trophy girlfriends in California? It doesn't make any sense.
And I must say..I Despise book snobs. I do not care if one knows who Earnest Hemingway is. You are not stupid if you don't. I have never turned down a date with someone because they do not like to read. More assumptions.
Just..terrible blanket generalizations. And yes dangerous. To much so. I did enjoy the book at times. I adored Jemima. Even at her most superficial, I get that she was drunk on power. It happens. I think at her core she was a good person.
And finally that is NOT reality. That overweight people can't find love. And it is not just that. It seems the message is: nobody, even if you are average, can have a happy life unless you are super model perfect. But since that is less then one percent of the population..No. Just no.
I thought it was going to go in a different direction. When Paul;, the trainer was so concerned about her. But alas it did not.I am happy Jemima found love at the end. I would urge people to know this book has no basis in reality.
Not recommended.
July 10, 2019
Boring writing style, jumping viewpoint, predictable ending. And I didn’t like the romance at all.
June 3, 2008
What's difficult about any book like this - wherein an unhappy person changes and becomes happy - is that we as the reader are tempted to assume that the "message" is meant for us. In this case, if you are fat, you should become skinny if you want to be happy. You should turn yourself into an exercise fiend, get cute clothes, learn to do makeup (because fat chicks don't know how, obviously), and you'll land yourself the man of your dreams.
The thing is, though, that's not what I think this story was about. It's not intended to be a moral lesson for those of us who are Size Zero Challenged... It's a STORY.
Jemima was a generally sympathetic woman, who, at the start of her story, is very unhappy. She makes some power moves to rectify that situation and hits some speed bumps along the way. In general, the story was engaging and amusing and fun, lighthearted reading. The lesson that I took away from the thing was not "Hit the Gym and Win" but figure how who you are and what makes you happy - go for that.
The thing is, though, that's not what I think this story was about. It's not intended to be a moral lesson for those of us who are Size Zero Challenged... It's a STORY.
Jemima was a generally sympathetic woman, who, at the start of her story, is very unhappy. She makes some power moves to rectify that situation and hits some speed bumps along the way. In general, the story was engaging and amusing and fun, lighthearted reading. The lesson that I took away from the thing was not "Hit the Gym and Win" but figure how who you are and what makes you happy - go for that.
September 25, 2011
Let me preface this by saying I was exactly Jemima's size (as described in the book, only a few inches shorter) when I first read this book. So, to state the obvious, I was fat.
I LOVED this book - and here's why.
1) If you've ever struggled with weight (and everyone from a size 2 to a size 20 has), you can identify with Jemima J's character. Her thoughts, feelings, lies about who she really is and why she eats, and her dislike for her beautiful (if somewhat shallow) roommates. Because you relate to her, you want to cheer her on as she takes steps toward living a healthier lifestyle.
2) Who doesn't enjoy a good love story? Especially one where the girl has it all, it just takes the guy a while to figure it out. Love at first sight isn't always the way it goes. In fact, more often then not, love over time is how life plays out.
3) The biggest reason of all, THIS IS HOW REAL LIFE IS. Everyone who hates the story because the "fat" girl has to lose the weight for the "dreamy" guy to notice her is fighting a losing battle. This is reality, whether we like it or not. I've lost the weight, I speak the truth. For example, let's call him B, would never have spoken to me 60 pounds ago. Now, he flirts with me incessantly, he makes it a point to see me once a day, and I feel like this could go in the direction I dream for it to.
If you are struggling with any kind of self-worth issues, this is the book for you. It will be that one thing that will make you look in the mirror and say, "I am fat, but I can fix it and life will have so much more to offer me." And that's what every person needs to make that change.
I LOVED this book - and here's why.
1) If you've ever struggled with weight (and everyone from a size 2 to a size 20 has), you can identify with Jemima J's character. Her thoughts, feelings, lies about who she really is and why she eats, and her dislike for her beautiful (if somewhat shallow) roommates. Because you relate to her, you want to cheer her on as she takes steps toward living a healthier lifestyle.
2) Who doesn't enjoy a good love story? Especially one where the girl has it all, it just takes the guy a while to figure it out. Love at first sight isn't always the way it goes. In fact, more often then not, love over time is how life plays out.
3) The biggest reason of all, THIS IS HOW REAL LIFE IS. Everyone who hates the story because the "fat" girl has to lose the weight for the "dreamy" guy to notice her is fighting a losing battle. This is reality, whether we like it or not. I've lost the weight, I speak the truth. For example, let's call him B, would never have spoken to me 60 pounds ago. Now, he flirts with me incessantly, he makes it a point to see me once a day, and I feel like this could go in the direction I dream for it to.
If you are struggling with any kind of self-worth issues, this is the book for you. It will be that one thing that will make you look in the mirror and say, "I am fat, but I can fix it and life will have so much more to offer me." And that's what every person needs to make that change.
January 20, 2025
This is a good chick lit that deals with body issue. With so many headlines saying love yourself, this book is actually telling just that. love yourself. Throw in a good looking Ben does not hurt either.
For me this book is about self confidence. Trust yourself and love yourself. Cause everyone is unique.
For me this book is about self confidence. Trust yourself and love yourself. Cause everyone is unique.
November 10, 2007
In the beginning of the book, I thought that Jemima J was going to be another one of those overweight girl bashing books in which the girl is forced to conform to what society defines as beautiful in order to find acceptance. Needless to say, this book definitely didn't disappoint, but the one thing which disturbed me the most was the manner in which it was done.
Being overweight myself, I saw lots of myself in the character of Jemima J, from people who are only your friends as long as you're "ugly" to having a crush on someone who will be forever unobtainable to you because of how you look. I was somewhat irritated by the way in which Jemima reaches her goals and I personally think that she did'nt need to go to such drastic measure to lose weight in order to become comfortable with herself. True, by losing weight, it did allow her to experience things she would'nt have by being overweight,however I feel very offended that Jane Green would assume that in order to find love and happiness, one has to find a combination of starvation and excessive exercising.
The other problem I had with this book has to deal with the sudden changes in narration. One minute, we're hearing the story for Jemimia's point of the view, the next minute, we're seeing things the second person, then we see things from the eyes of an complete outsider. My whole thing is this: if you're going to write a book, pick one type of narration;either did it first person, second person, or third person.Don't think that by mixing narration styles, this will make you appear clever, it actually makes it appear as if you are trying way too hard to be unconventional.
All in all, I liked the book because of how well Jemima J was presented as a character. I saw her as the type of person that everyone has known or know of. I liked the way in which her transformation from an "ugly ducking to a swan" was illustrated. Although I wasn't completely comfortable with the ending message love and happiness await you if you lose weight, I enjoyed the book very much and I would definitely read it again.
Being overweight myself, I saw lots of myself in the character of Jemima J, from people who are only your friends as long as you're "ugly" to having a crush on someone who will be forever unobtainable to you because of how you look. I was somewhat irritated by the way in which Jemima reaches her goals and I personally think that she did'nt need to go to such drastic measure to lose weight in order to become comfortable with herself. True, by losing weight, it did allow her to experience things she would'nt have by being overweight,however I feel very offended that Jane Green would assume that in order to find love and happiness, one has to find a combination of starvation and excessive exercising.
The other problem I had with this book has to deal with the sudden changes in narration. One minute, we're hearing the story for Jemimia's point of the view, the next minute, we're seeing things the second person, then we see things from the eyes of an complete outsider. My whole thing is this: if you're going to write a book, pick one type of narration;either did it first person, second person, or third person.Don't think that by mixing narration styles, this will make you appear clever, it actually makes it appear as if you are trying way too hard to be unconventional.
All in all, I liked the book because of how well Jemima J was presented as a character. I saw her as the type of person that everyone has known or know of. I liked the way in which her transformation from an "ugly ducking to a swan" was illustrated. Although I wasn't completely comfortable with the ending message love and happiness await you if you lose weight, I enjoyed the book very much and I would definitely read it again.
April 22, 2011
*cue dramatic drumroll*
Why am I drumrolling? Well, I am drumrolling because this book was something very 'special'...something that offended me on a MORAL LEVEL.
*cue horrified gasps*
I'm kidding, and I'll stop this stagey formatting. It must be pissing off anyone who's reading it.
I appreciate that weight is an extremely difficult thing to talk about. Partly because everyone understands the important of being comfortable and confident, regardless of the weight that you are, but many people (myself included) feel that this is somewhat damaging because being grossly overweight is very bad for your health. Thus, it's all about balance. And that balance is a very hard thing to strike.
Jane Green managed to piss me off on both sides of that coin.
My personal summary of this book:
1. Jemima Jones is very fat, and she's depressed. (This sounds like it would be very offensive, but it's actually the only part of the book that Green handles well. She makes Jemima sympathetic and actually focuses on how being overweight like Jemima can impact on other things, like job prospects. It felt a little overegged, but I can understand how this would happen, and I felt comforted that she was focusing on something other than how being overweight impacted on love/sex lives. That feeling of relief did not last long.)
2. She has a crush on Stereotypical Romance Novel Hunk Ben, who appears to have no real flaws, considered that he's apparently both intelligent, sensitive, dedicated and brilliant in bed. Green reinforces this by relating every tiny thing Ben does back to these posiitve characteristics, so we could never imagine that we are dealing with a three-dimensional love interest. It doesn't take long to see that Jemima is The Perfect Man for Ben, but Green leads us on another route for a while as Ben leaves their dead-end job and Jemima begins cybersexing with an LA hunk called Brad, although the degree that we follow Ben around his BRILLIANT SUCCESS as a journalist indicates that we're not done with him. As if we needed a hint.
3. Jemima begins to talk to LA hunk Brad on the Internet. She immediately perpetuates the image that she is blonde, slim and successful. Knowing that he will find her unspeakably repulsive, she begins to work out and diet obsessively. It's around this point in the novel that Jemima becomes completely and utterly unsufferable. Not deliberately so, either. Judging from the irritating and preachy last line, we are supposed to find Jemima "pure of heart." Pardon my language, but what is this shit? Jemima was so annoying that I wanted to hit her over the head with something heavy and sharp.
4. Now thin and blonde (it turns out she's gorgeous under all that fat! Who knew?!), Jemima goes to LA to meet unspeakably hunky hunk Brad. And it's obvious that something is not right with Brad immediately, if only because we are still reading about Ben, who is starting to get on my nerves as well by this point. And Jemima keeps making sneaky comments about finding Brad a teensy bit boring, but of course she dismisses it because he's a) blonde b) gorgeous and c) the sex is great. Remind me again why we want such a shallow and insufferable woman to succeed? Also, her atttitude towards Jenny, Brad's Grossly Fat Assistant, WAS extremely patronising and even taking out the twist, no wonder Jenny was bitchy to her. Her supposedly kind and sympathetic thoughts about Jenny made my skin crawl.
5. Now we are introduced to another completely insufferable character, Vogue columnist Lauren, who has been ditched in LA following the breakdown of her relationship. He was an extremely nice man, but as the supposedly insightful and intelligent Lauren informs us, the sex was awful. And that was a dealbreaker. So much of a dealbreaker that she couldn't stand it for even one more day. (I am not saying that it wouldn't be a dealbreaker; I know very little about such things, but as a novel whose parable is supposed to be about judging by inner beauty, I couldn't help but feel that Jane Green was buying into the awful judging that her characters appeared to shirk. Also, their comments about Charlie's *cough* endowments was just cruel.) The introdcution of Lauren also means that Green forgets about the most likeable character in the book, JJ's best friend Geraldine. Goodbye, Geraldine. We hardly knew ye.
6. Then JJ finds out the HORRIFYING truth about Brad -- he's sleeping with Jenny! Yes! Fat, awful Jenny! Honestly, what could he ever see in her?! However, when JJ confronts Brad, cue the most disgusting moment of the entire book. Brad claims that he needs JJ as a trophy girlfriend - he loves Jenny, and always has, and Jenny loves him, but they cannot be together because otherwise he will be ostracized from the beautiful land of LA. Yes. Fat people are so hated in LA that a gorgeous man like Brad wouldn't be seen as looking past her exterior (or heaven forbid, LIKING her exterior - which he appeared to, judging by the pornography Jemima found.) By this point, I felt just about sick to my stomach. Not only can you not hope of love as a fat person, but if, by some miracle, you find them, they can never be with you because you are just THAT disgusting.
7. Some other shit happens, but I'm angry all over again, so I'll just say that, in the epilogue, JJ and Ben get married, live Babies Ever After and Lauren gets her a job with Vogue. So the pat and awful happy ending that none of them deserve, basically.
Bonus crap about Jemima J:
The omniscient third-person narrator. How irritating was this? It didn't bug me at first, but by the time we got around to that sanctimonous last line (which glorified its superficial and insufferable narrator as some kind of angel for losing weight and being unable to make up her mind about anything), I wanted to throw it against the wall. But I love my Kindle. It's just a pity that I hated this book.
Why am I drumrolling? Well, I am drumrolling because this book was something very 'special'...something that offended me on a MORAL LEVEL.
*cue horrified gasps*
I'm kidding, and I'll stop this stagey formatting. It must be pissing off anyone who's reading it.
I appreciate that weight is an extremely difficult thing to talk about. Partly because everyone understands the important of being comfortable and confident, regardless of the weight that you are, but many people (myself included) feel that this is somewhat damaging because being grossly overweight is very bad for your health. Thus, it's all about balance. And that balance is a very hard thing to strike.
Jane Green managed to piss me off on both sides of that coin.
My personal summary of this book:
1. Jemima Jones is very fat, and she's depressed. (This sounds like it would be very offensive, but it's actually the only part of the book that Green handles well. She makes Jemima sympathetic and actually focuses on how being overweight like Jemima can impact on other things, like job prospects. It felt a little overegged, but I can understand how this would happen, and I felt comforted that she was focusing on something other than how being overweight impacted on love/sex lives. That feeling of relief did not last long.)
2. She has a crush on Stereotypical Romance Novel Hunk Ben, who appears to have no real flaws, considered that he's apparently both intelligent, sensitive, dedicated and brilliant in bed. Green reinforces this by relating every tiny thing Ben does back to these posiitve characteristics, so we could never imagine that we are dealing with a three-dimensional love interest. It doesn't take long to see that Jemima is The Perfect Man for Ben, but Green leads us on another route for a while as Ben leaves their dead-end job and Jemima begins cybersexing with an LA hunk called Brad, although the degree that we follow Ben around his BRILLIANT SUCCESS as a journalist indicates that we're not done with him. As if we needed a hint.
3. Jemima begins to talk to LA hunk Brad on the Internet. She immediately perpetuates the image that she is blonde, slim and successful. Knowing that he will find her unspeakably repulsive, she begins to work out and diet obsessively. It's around this point in the novel that Jemima becomes completely and utterly unsufferable. Not deliberately so, either. Judging from the irritating and preachy last line, we are supposed to find Jemima "pure of heart." Pardon my language, but what is this shit? Jemima was so annoying that I wanted to hit her over the head with something heavy and sharp.
4. Now thin and blonde (it turns out she's gorgeous under all that fat! Who knew?!), Jemima goes to LA to meet unspeakably hunky hunk Brad. And it's obvious that something is not right with Brad immediately, if only because we are still reading about Ben, who is starting to get on my nerves as well by this point. And Jemima keeps making sneaky comments about finding Brad a teensy bit boring, but of course she dismisses it because he's a) blonde b) gorgeous and c) the sex is great. Remind me again why we want such a shallow and insufferable woman to succeed? Also, her atttitude towards Jenny, Brad's Grossly Fat Assistant, WAS extremely patronising and even taking out the twist, no wonder Jenny was bitchy to her. Her supposedly kind and sympathetic thoughts about Jenny made my skin crawl.
5. Now we are introduced to another completely insufferable character, Vogue columnist Lauren, who has been ditched in LA following the breakdown of her relationship. He was an extremely nice man, but as the supposedly insightful and intelligent Lauren informs us, the sex was awful. And that was a dealbreaker. So much of a dealbreaker that she couldn't stand it for even one more day. (I am not saying that it wouldn't be a dealbreaker; I know very little about such things, but as a novel whose parable is supposed to be about judging by inner beauty, I couldn't help but feel that Jane Green was buying into the awful judging that her characters appeared to shirk. Also, their comments about Charlie's *cough* endowments was just cruel.) The introdcution of Lauren also means that Green forgets about the most likeable character in the book, JJ's best friend Geraldine. Goodbye, Geraldine. We hardly knew ye.
6. Then JJ finds out the HORRIFYING truth about Brad -- he's sleeping with Jenny! Yes! Fat, awful Jenny! Honestly, what could he ever see in her?! However, when JJ confronts Brad, cue the most disgusting moment of the entire book. Brad claims that he needs JJ as a trophy girlfriend - he loves Jenny, and always has, and Jenny loves him, but they cannot be together because otherwise he will be ostracized from the beautiful land of LA. Yes. Fat people are so hated in LA that a gorgeous man like Brad wouldn't be seen as looking past her exterior (or heaven forbid, LIKING her exterior - which he appeared to, judging by the pornography Jemima found.) By this point, I felt just about sick to my stomach. Not only can you not hope of love as a fat person, but if, by some miracle, you find them, they can never be with you because you are just THAT disgusting.
7. Some other shit happens, but I'm angry all over again, so I'll just say that, in the epilogue, JJ and Ben get married, live Babies Ever After and Lauren gets her a job with Vogue. So the pat and awful happy ending that none of them deserve, basically.
Bonus crap about Jemima J:
The omniscient third-person narrator. How irritating was this? It didn't bug me at first, but by the time we got around to that sanctimonous last line (which glorified its superficial and insufferable narrator as some kind of angel for losing weight and being unable to make up her mind about anything), I wanted to throw it against the wall. But I love my Kindle. It's just a pity that I hated this book.
January 3, 2008
After reading this book I came up with a pretty mathematical formula.
Chick lit = crap
I employ this equation whenever I'm browsing for books and it saves me time and money.
Chick lit = crap
I employ this equation whenever I'm browsing for books and it saves me time and money.
December 3, 2008
I don't have a whole to say about this book. I enjoyed it enough that I read the whole book and I did want to find out what happened at the end - but I thought the message of the book overall was pretty dreadful. I can't decide if the author has never been seriously overweight and just assumes things in her writing - or has been overweight and has such a bad case of body dysmorphia that her self loathing distorts her writing to the point where you stand back and go HUH?
I think this book was a disappointment in part because it didn't live up to it's potential. It could have been really good. It could have been empowering. It wasn't.
I think this book was a disappointment in part because it didn't live up to it's potential. It could have been really good. It could have been empowering. It wasn't.
September 14, 2025
Jemima J by Jane Green was my favorite book in 9th grade, so I’m keeping it at 5 stars. Now, as an adult 20 years later, I’d probably rate it around 3.5. The main character struggles with a lot of self-esteem issues, but I loved the twist in the story! The book does date itself with its references to computers and technology of the time. The story follows Jemima, a young woman navigating love, career, and personal growth, as she learns to assert herself and discover who she truly wants to be.
October 9, 2022
Now that I have read this book, I can't remember why I was so determined to find it, which I finally did at a used bookstore during my recent vacation. I think it's because I have enjoyed others by Jane Green and several reviewers noted this was their favorite by her.
Jemima J was written at the tail end of the 90's and it shows. Early on, Jemima Jones (JJ) takes a class about how to "get on the world wide web" with her colleagues at the small London newspaper where they work. (How excited they are when they hear the dial up connection, how new and wonderful everything about it is to them! It was wistfully nostalgic to revisit a time when there were small newspapers that people could work at; a time before smartphones turned everyone into screen-obsessed zombies and when we thought the internet was the answer to everything.)
A key thing about JJ is that she is fat. Really fat. In the 90's you were allowed to write a book that operated on the premise that being really fat was not a fabulous thing to be celebrated. So, Jemima wants to lose weight hoping the object of her unrequited crush, the unbelievably handsome Ben, will fall in love with the skinny version of herself.
After finding the World Wide Web, the discovery of those primitive chat rooms is not far behind. JJ meets a guy online, Brad from Los Angeles. Soon they are chatting daily, then progress to phone calls. He sends a picture, and wouldn't you know he is even more handsome than Ben, impossibly fit, and dying to meet her. That's because JJ sends a doctored-up picture of herself where she looks slim and fit and gorgeous.
JJ decides to forget her impossible dream of Ben, and instead plans to fly to LA to meet Brad - after, of course, her transformation from obese to slim and fit and gorgeous. The metamorphosis was fun, as these things always are, but it happens in an unrealistically short period of time. I think dropping almost 100 pounds would not be that quick and easy or free from excess skin, no matter how young you are.
Once in LA, the now breathtakingly beautiful JJ has men tripping over themselves at the sight of her. She initially falls in love with California, and her relationship with Brad seems perfect. But it all takes a turn that is unexpected and ironically funny. What happens next: Does she stay with Brad? Does she return to London? You can probably guess.
I was closer to the target audience age when Jemima J was initially published, so that probably colored my view of it as mildly amusing while also silly and dated. The author used a gimmick of switching from the first person to the third person, often from one paragraph to the next, that annoyed me. In summary, if you like Bridget Jones-ish chick lit, you would probably like this, but I wouldn't go out of your way to find it.
Jemima J was written at the tail end of the 90's and it shows. Early on, Jemima Jones (JJ) takes a class about how to "get on the world wide web" with her colleagues at the small London newspaper where they work. (How excited they are when they hear the dial up connection, how new and wonderful everything about it is to them! It was wistfully nostalgic to revisit a time when there were small newspapers that people could work at; a time before smartphones turned everyone into screen-obsessed zombies and when we thought the internet was the answer to everything.)
A key thing about JJ is that she is fat. Really fat. In the 90's you were allowed to write a book that operated on the premise that being really fat was not a fabulous thing to be celebrated. So, Jemima wants to lose weight hoping the object of her unrequited crush, the unbelievably handsome Ben, will fall in love with the skinny version of herself.
After finding the World Wide Web, the discovery of those primitive chat rooms is not far behind. JJ meets a guy online, Brad from Los Angeles. Soon they are chatting daily, then progress to phone calls. He sends a picture, and wouldn't you know he is even more handsome than Ben, impossibly fit, and dying to meet her. That's because JJ sends a doctored-up picture of herself where she looks slim and fit and gorgeous.
JJ decides to forget her impossible dream of Ben, and instead plans to fly to LA to meet Brad - after, of course, her transformation from obese to slim and fit and gorgeous. The metamorphosis was fun, as these things always are, but it happens in an unrealistically short period of time. I think dropping almost 100 pounds would not be that quick and easy or free from excess skin, no matter how young you are.
Once in LA, the now breathtakingly beautiful JJ has men tripping over themselves at the sight of her. She initially falls in love with California, and her relationship with Brad seems perfect. But it all takes a turn that is unexpected and ironically funny. What happens next: Does she stay with Brad? Does she return to London? You can probably guess.
I was closer to the target audience age when Jemima J was initially published, so that probably colored my view of it as mildly amusing while also silly and dated. The author used a gimmick of switching from the first person to the third person, often from one paragraph to the next, that annoyed me. In summary, if you like Bridget Jones-ish chick lit, you would probably like this, but I wouldn't go out of your way to find it.
June 25, 2015
So here's the thing. Before I purged all of my Amazon reviews I think most people would have realized that I used to be a huge fan of Jane Green. I loved Jemima J, Mr. Maybe, and even loved Bookends. Then I started to really not get many of Jane Green's later books and after a while just stopped making them my always have to buy books. However, I still re-read Jemima J, Mr. Maybe, and Bookends once every year or so. Jemima J holds a special place in my heart just because it was my first Jane Green book and though there are problems galore with the entire story-line and ending. I loved the character of Jemima so much that I always over look it. And up until now I would have probably have still given it 5 stars. However, I actually read this book with an offline friend of mine at the same time and we later on discussed it. And I didn't realize until she pointed some things out, how seriously messed up this entire story is. So I can say that this book is probably going to come out of my rotation for future use.
Told in the third person, we follow Jemima Jones. Overweight by 100 pounds (apparently she is obese), Jemima feels despair that her crush on coworker Ben is never going to realize how perfect for him she could be. Due to being sent off to a computer course with Ben and their colleague Geraldine, Jemima gets to know more about Ben and even becomes his confidant. However, due to the three of them talking on chatrooms on the internet, Jemima starts an online relationship with a guy named Brad in California. The only problem is that Jemima has lied about her job, her hobbies, and oh yeah about how she looks. Jemima uses this lie to push herself to being the thin woman that she has always wanted to be.
As I said above, I can't help liking Jemima. Maybe it's because part of me wanted to give her a hug and tell her that her weight isn't her problem, it is her crippling self esteem.
So below you will see my comments on the book and my friend's comments which seriously had me wondering if I just have really bad taste in books when I don't see some of the problems that she did.
Most of this book is following Jemima being treated horribly by people until her weight loss transformation. Jemima does start getting treated differently by people around her and she is still focused on being what she considers a "hardbody" and losing so much weight that someone will practically be able to see her ribs.
My friend thought this book was pointing out the wrong things to women and she got worried that if someone younger read it, they may try some of the same things that Jemima did to lose weight. For example, somehow Jemima loses almost all of her extra weight in 3 months. And I kid you not, I don't know how in the world I overlooked that detail all of the times that I read this book previously. It took my friend pointing it out to me that this was something that Jane Green had included in this book. I kept wondering as I re-read this how in the world did she not have any loose skin anywhere.
Second, Jemima has really bad self esteem. I think things would have been better in the book if Jemima acknowledge she had some issues to work through, and saw a therapist. I guess it doesn't make for a chick lit type of book though.
My friend loathed the character of Ben. Her exact words were and I quote:
For goodness sake! Every woman I know has some idiot like this in their past. You just become the guy's sounding board and you think to yourself if only I lost some weight, or were more funny, or something that he would be into you. The only problem is that Ben doesn't even start to think about Jemima until he realizes he doesn't have someone to listen to his shit! Ugh! I hate him!
Yeah...up until talking to her I always thought how romantic it was that Jemima was secretly in love with Ben.
The writing I always thought was quite good, though in parts I remember initially not understanding what a lot of terms means (British chick lit novel) and I thought the pacing was quite good.
My friend thought the writing was not as advanced as she would like it, and she thought the pacing was all over the place.
Apparently my friend booed the ending.
I stupidly said, well come on. I mean look at how in the end she realized that she needed to stop trying to force herself into being someone she was not. And she responded, that whole part where she went to California was awful and I wanted to scream throughout it.
So there you go. A book I used to keep on my comfort read list is now going on my shelf of shame.
Told in the third person, we follow Jemima Jones. Overweight by 100 pounds (apparently she is obese), Jemima feels despair that her crush on coworker Ben is never going to realize how perfect for him she could be. Due to being sent off to a computer course with Ben and their colleague Geraldine, Jemima gets to know more about Ben and even becomes his confidant. However, due to the three of them talking on chatrooms on the internet, Jemima starts an online relationship with a guy named Brad in California. The only problem is that Jemima has lied about her job, her hobbies, and oh yeah about how she looks. Jemima uses this lie to push herself to being the thin woman that she has always wanted to be.
As I said above, I can't help liking Jemima. Maybe it's because part of me wanted to give her a hug and tell her that her weight isn't her problem, it is her crippling self esteem.
So below you will see my comments on the book and my friend's comments which seriously had me wondering if I just have really bad taste in books when I don't see some of the problems that she did.
Most of this book is following Jemima being treated horribly by people until her weight loss transformation. Jemima does start getting treated differently by people around her and she is still focused on being what she considers a "hardbody" and losing so much weight that someone will practically be able to see her ribs.
My friend thought this book was pointing out the wrong things to women and she got worried that if someone younger read it, they may try some of the same things that Jemima did to lose weight. For example, somehow Jemima loses almost all of her extra weight in 3 months. And I kid you not, I don't know how in the world I overlooked that detail all of the times that I read this book previously. It took my friend pointing it out to me that this was something that Jane Green had included in this book. I kept wondering as I re-read this how in the world did she not have any loose skin anywhere.
Second, Jemima has really bad self esteem. I think things would have been better in the book if Jemima acknowledge she had some issues to work through, and saw a therapist. I guess it doesn't make for a chick lit type of book though.
My friend loathed the character of Ben. Her exact words were and I quote:
For goodness sake! Every woman I know has some idiot like this in their past. You just become the guy's sounding board and you think to yourself if only I lost some weight, or were more funny, or something that he would be into you. The only problem is that Ben doesn't even start to think about Jemima until he realizes he doesn't have someone to listen to his shit! Ugh! I hate him!
Yeah...up until talking to her I always thought how romantic it was that Jemima was secretly in love with Ben.
The writing I always thought was quite good, though in parts I remember initially not understanding what a lot of terms means (British chick lit novel) and I thought the pacing was quite good.
My friend thought the writing was not as advanced as she would like it, and she thought the pacing was all over the place.
Apparently my friend booed the ending.
I stupidly said, well come on. I mean look at how in the end she realized that she needed to stop trying to force herself into being someone she was not. And she responded, that whole part where she went to California was awful and I wanted to scream throughout it.
So there you go. A book I used to keep on my comfort read list is now going on my shelf of shame.
September 18, 2017
Loved this one as a teen when it came out.. but reading it as an adult..not so much. Jemima basically works out, and becomes anorexic. And the characters are pretty one dimensional. Lack of depth and substance basically. I also hated the girl-on-girl hate, the judgemental thoughts about each other were terrible. I also didn't understand the third point of view that would pop up every now and then, it was quite annoying. I also didn't realize how similar this is to CINDERELLA, so yep proceed with caution while reading this one..or you know, you can throw it against the wall to vent out your frustrations lol
December 30, 2008
This is a train wreck, which I, of course, couldn't put down.
October 27, 2011
I'm opposed to books being labeled as "beach reads" - why should your brain go down a few levels in intelligence just because you're on the beach? I don't want to waste my time on something that sucks so badly I can only handle it when I'm only half-paying attention due to screaming little kids, threats of sun-poisoning and hot lifeguards. Thus, this is not a "beach read" (although I don't see why you couldn't read it on a beach, provided you have the above distractions removed). Rather, I'm just going to call it quick, breezy fun, and I'm unashamedly giving it four stars for being absolutely perfect in the chick lit category.
Yes, I know I'm supposed to hate this sort of book, and I usually do,* but while every other Jane Green book has followed the crappy, uninspired chick lit formula, Jemima J is essentially the book version of comfort food. Totally the sort of book that, after reading it through, you can come back to it on a bad day, open it up to any page and just start reading - you'll feel better. You know what's going to happen about six pages in, but um who cares - it's so much fun to read! A grown-ups' Cinderella, if you will.
Perfect for when you want to enjoy the book equivalent of cozy pjs and milk and cookies.
*I say "usually" because every once in a while, you come across a Bridget Jones's Diary or a Jemima J. The category has become such a joke, though, that I'm unwilling to sift through the formulaic drudgery in hopes of uncovering something wonderful.
Yes, I know I'm supposed to hate this sort of book, and I usually do,* but while every other Jane Green book has followed the crappy, uninspired chick lit formula, Jemima J is essentially the book version of comfort food. Totally the sort of book that, after reading it through, you can come back to it on a bad day, open it up to any page and just start reading - you'll feel better. You know what's going to happen about six pages in, but um who cares - it's so much fun to read! A grown-ups' Cinderella, if you will.
Perfect for when you want to enjoy the book equivalent of cozy pjs and milk and cookies.
*I say "usually" because every once in a while, you come across a Bridget Jones's Diary or a Jemima J. The category has become such a joke, though, that I'm unwilling to sift through the formulaic drudgery in hopes of uncovering something wonderful.
August 3, 2016
The first 50 or so pages were dreadful. I only continued reading because it's not easy to find English language books in Japan.
I guess what I hated is how the author keeps switching back and forth between first and third person. Maybe if I hadn't majored in English in college I wouldn't have been driven nuts by this, but it really got on my nerves. And I hated some of the theatrical comments. Some of the things she wrote would have fit well for a TV show narrated by a third party, but to write these comments in there as the author was just weird. For instance, she'd say something like, "We don't need to check in on Jemima at the gym because as we know, there is nothing there but ..." Or she'd write something to the effect of, "We know that when Jemima does this she just ..."
However, I really liked the story. I didn't like how the author got from A to Z, but I liked the actual story. There were some graphic parts in there I could have done without -- and then there's that traumatic event that happens to Jemima that is so ... I don't know. WEIRD. I won't tell you what happens in case you want to read it. Maybe it's a British thing and I just wouldn't understand.
I guess what I hated is how the author keeps switching back and forth between first and third person. Maybe if I hadn't majored in English in college I wouldn't have been driven nuts by this, but it really got on my nerves. And I hated some of the theatrical comments. Some of the things she wrote would have fit well for a TV show narrated by a third party, but to write these comments in there as the author was just weird. For instance, she'd say something like, "We don't need to check in on Jemima at the gym because as we know, there is nothing there but ..." Or she'd write something to the effect of, "We know that when Jemima does this she just ..."
However, I really liked the story. I didn't like how the author got from A to Z, but I liked the actual story. There were some graphic parts in there I could have done without -- and then there's that traumatic event that happens to Jemima that is so ... I don't know. WEIRD. I won't tell you what happens in case you want to read it. Maybe it's a British thing and I just wouldn't understand.
January 21, 2009
Hmmm....
I started this book and then put it down over two years ago. Last December, seeing my bookshelves sagging and this being one of the few that I had not read/finished reading, I picked it back up.
I, like most of the reviewers here, am not a fan of the switching from first to third person. That is annoying to no end. And that is the major thing that frustrated me about this book.
I'm a larger girl, and while yes, I see the points made about this book having problems with fat-phobia and eating disorders, I think it was more about loving yourself. Granted JJ went through a lot to get to that point, and none of it was realistic, but towards the end she saw what she was doing to herself and attempted to fix it by adding ten pounds back on.
All in all, not my favorite book that deals with this type of thing, but it was an alright and easy read.
I started this book and then put it down over two years ago. Last December, seeing my bookshelves sagging and this being one of the few that I had not read/finished reading, I picked it back up.
I, like most of the reviewers here, am not a fan of the switching from first to third person. That is annoying to no end. And that is the major thing that frustrated me about this book.
I'm a larger girl, and while yes, I see the points made about this book having problems with fat-phobia and eating disorders, I think it was more about loving yourself. Granted JJ went through a lot to get to that point, and none of it was realistic, but towards the end she saw what she was doing to herself and attempted to fix it by adding ten pounds back on.
All in all, not my favorite book that deals with this type of thing, but it was an alright and easy read.
January 30, 2023
I have changed my opinion on this book. Looking back from years ago, I guess I was caught up in the romance, however it was based on an over-weight girl who was in love with a guy at work, but they were just friends, he wouldn’t look at her twice. She loses a drastic amount of weight and must have been away from work during the weight loss because she comes back and is so outstanding and beautiful, this loser doesn’t even recognize her!!!! Oh, come on!!!! So stupid.
March 31, 2018
Not gonna lie.. I was super hesitant about this book. It featured another MC that was "overweight" and I just didn't want to have that character constantly complain about that.
After reading this book.. I can safely say that I was right to be hesitant. UGH! Jemina Jones was such a frustrating character to like. She reminded me a lot of Bridget Jones and I hated that bitch so freaking much. They were like the same person.. but in two different and super horrible books.
I wish I was blind right now.. or had amnesia so that I could forget that I ever read this book.
Things I hated about this book:
I get it.. she's overweight.. but don't glorify anorexia. Then there's the whole working out thing.. okay the girl was obsessed with it. But still.. it's not exactly healthy. It's good to work out like 3-4 times a week.. but hot damn, it was just getting annoying. Then the unrealistic and unhealthy way of losing so much weight... and Jemina is all of a sudden a hot piece of ass. She probably was the whole time.. but hey, could just be me.
Overall, I hated this book. I will never ever EVER dive into this ever again. I never want to hear about Jemina.. or meet a Jemina. I hate my life right now after reading this. I need a donut and some wine or SOMETHING.
After reading this book.. I can safely say that I was right to be hesitant. UGH! Jemina Jones was such a frustrating character to like. She reminded me a lot of Bridget Jones and I hated that bitch so freaking much. They were like the same person.. but in two different and super horrible books.
I wish I was blind right now.. or had amnesia so that I could forget that I ever read this book.
Things I hated about this book:
I get it.. she's overweight.. but don't glorify anorexia. Then there's the whole working out thing.. okay the girl was obsessed with it. But still.. it's not exactly healthy. It's good to work out like 3-4 times a week.. but hot damn, it was just getting annoying. Then the unrealistic and unhealthy way of losing so much weight... and Jemina is all of a sudden a hot piece of ass. She probably was the whole time.. but hey, could just be me.
Overall, I hated this book. I will never ever EVER dive into this ever again. I never want to hear about Jemina.. or meet a Jemina. I hate my life right now after reading this. I need a donut and some wine or SOMETHING.
January 26, 2012
This is one of the worst books I've ever read, if not the worst book I've ever read. As someone who has read over 600 books, this is not something I say lightly.
I was at the beach with no book for the weekend and my sister had this, there's no way I would have finished it otherwise.
I was at the beach with no book for the weekend and my sister had this, there's no way I would have finished it otherwise.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,835 reviews