Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding

Title: Bridget Jones's Diary 
Author: Helen Fielding
Page Count: 271
Rating: A
Format Read: Paperback
Genre: Chick Lit
Keywords: Self, Love, Humor
Kid Appropriate: No

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Meet Bridget Jones—a 30-something Singleton who is certain she would have all the answers if she could:

a. lose 7 pounds
b. stop smoking
c. develop Inner Poise

"123 lbs. (how is it possible to put on 4 pounds in the middle of the night? Could flesh have somehow solidified becoming denser and heavier? Repulsive, horrifying notion), alcohol units 4 (excellent), cigarettes 21 (poor but will give up totally tomorrow), number of correct lottery numbers 2 (better, but nevertheless useless)..."

Bridget Jones' Diary is the devastatingly self-aware, laugh-out-loud daily chronicle of Bridget's permanent, doomed quest for self-improvement — a year in which she resolves to: reduce the circumference of each thigh by 1.5 inches, visit the gym three times a week not just to buy a sandwich, form a functional relationship with a responsible adult, and learn to program the VCR.

Over the course of the year, Bridget loses a total of 72 pounds but gains a total of 74. She remains, however, optimistic. Through it all, Bridget will have you helpless with laughter, and — like millions of readers the world round — you'll find yourself shouting, "Bridget Jones is me!"

My Review:

I will fully admit that my high rating is a bit biased by the fact that the movie adaptation is my go to movie to watch whenever I need cheering up or am just home for the day. There is just something so incredibly relatable about Bridget and her awkwardness that I find endearing.

When I picked this book up originally I began to feel a bit panicked. It is so incredibly slow to begin with but the longer you read the more you settle into the diary format of the tale and begin to at the very least smirk at the ridiculous antics of Ms. Jones. It is easy to compare your own inner monologue with the worries and desires of Bridget as she is scrambling to find herself when it seems everyone around her has their lives figured out. That sentiment alone makes the story easy to connect with and enjoy.

I certainly would not describe it as "screamingly funny" the way it is on the cover but it is addictive and light enough to keep your attention when you're needing just to unwind. I will admit though that I did have one issue with the diary. I knew from reading interviews and trivia about the movie that Bridget Jones is usually described as not being stick thin. However, when I picked this book up she records her weight which fluctuates between 119 lbs and 130 lbs. The upper range is constantly referred to as being overweight. It was definitely not what I was expecting and left me a bit confused.

As far as its similarity to the movie, the main cast of characters and various occupations are kept constant but there are enough differences that it wasn't overly predictable and repetitive. Some key differences are the character of Bridget's mother, her brother, and the love triangle plays out a bit differently than in the movie. From that I can assume that there will be key differences form the other movies and their corresponding books.

If you're looking to reminisce about the 1990s, enjoy a lighter read, or are just a fan of the movies I would definitely recommend giving this one a chance.

As of 9/6/18 the Kindle book is only $1.99! Click here to check out the deal.