What do You think about Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married (2007)?
Delicious. I can’t think of any other word to use other than delicious.Before this book, I would have declared myself a hardcore chick-lit fan. I can rattle of a list of writers from both the US and the UK. I can take pictures of my shelves showing rows and rows of chick-lit novels. I can preach to you about how I love the way Megan Crane speaks to women my age, the way Jennifer Crusie speaks to women my size, the way Jill Mansell makes me dream of the UK and all it has to offer. I was convinced I knew chick-lit inside and out.Ha. Silly me. Enter Marian Keyes.I had just finished Keyes’ Sushi for Beginners and, while it mildly entertained me, it left me…well, for lack of a better word, bored. After sharing this with one of my LitSnit ladies, Erin, she recommended Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married, stating that it was her favorite Keyes’ book. I almost turned it down but at the last-minute snatched it because I needed a book for the train.THANK GOD.From the first page Marian Keyes creates a world and cast of characters that you want to hold and never let go. Each character is complete, from the few appearances of a video rental clerk to Ms. Lucy Sullivan herself, with their own particular idiosyncrasies and stories. The author’s commitment to this cast and this world is so great that from page one your eyes are STUCK. There are no pages you want to skip. There is no part you struggle to get through. There’s no desire to put it down.I will admit…there are chick-lit novels that will skim the surface and focus on a life that seems to consist of nothing but shopping, romance and glamour with no actual problems or conflicts. What Keyes’ creates in this genre, is ART. While many moments of hilarity exist, this book is grounded in reality showing a great deal of emotional depth. Lucy is not your typical heroine. Sure, she is addicted to men who treat her wrong (who hasn’t been at one time? …don’t answer that), has a love for clothes and a desire to party a great deal BUT Lucy also has an alcoholic father, a somewhat broken relationship with her mother and extremely low self-esteem. What I love about this book is that Marian Keyes attacks both sides equally leaving no stone left unturned.I have read this book three times in the last two weeks. I have sat here for an entire week trying to figure out how to express how much I loved this book. From Lucy’s romances to her roommates and coworkers, I have laughed out loud on the train, at home, at the park. Every time, it has been a wonderful ride.Am I ridiculously gushing? Maybe. Am I serious? YES.
—Janelle
The title character of this book, Lucy Sullivan, is a 26-year old single Irish woman living in London. As the story opens, Lucy and 3 co-workers pay a visit to Mrs. Nolan, who is supposedly a "real" psychic. Initially, Lucy laughs off Mrs. Nolan's prediction that she will be married within the year (18 months at the outside), but when Mrs. Nolan's predictions seem to start coming true for her friends, she begins to wonder. When she meets Gus, an eccentric but fun partygoer, Lucy is almost certain that her fate has begun to change for the better.What follows is a romantic comedy with substance, wit, and intellect. At 400+ pages, the book is more well-developed than you will find in most books of this genre, although there were more moments when the story dragged just a bit. Some of the supporting characters (eg, the gay friend) and the outcomes (eg, girl gets boy) were a bit familiar, but this did not detract from the fact that the details were both original and entertaining. I found myself reading almost the entire book one lazy Sunday, becoming so engaged in the story that I couldn't put it down until I had finished. This was definitely an enjoyable read, and I'm looking forward to checking out the author's other works.
—(´*•.¸ღBexღ¸.•*´)
Aunque tenía bastantes ganas de reencontrarme con alguna de las disparatadas y divertidísimas historias de Marian Keyes, lo cierto es que la lectura de este libro me ha resultado francamente decepcionante. Lucy Sullivan se casa no es ni mucho menos una mala novela, pero en comparación con otros trabajos posteriores (que por suerte o por desgracia son los primeros que he ido leyendo) se nota que la escritora irlandesa aún tenía demasiadas cosas por aprender. Con su habitual pero poco pulido tono humorístico, mezclando grandes dosis de ingenio, chispa y picardía con algunas escenas de corte más dramático, Marian Keyes nos introduce en la piel de una mujer un tanto insatisfecha con el rumbo que lleva su vida, una chica joven, apasionada y algo falta de ambición, que en compañía de unas amigas acude a una vidente en busca de orientación existencial, buena fortuna y por qué no, unas cuantas risas. Sin embargo, las palabras de la adivina (quien le ha vaticinado a Lucy nada más y nada menos que una improbable boda) comienzan a hacer mella en nuestra protagonista cuando el resto de sus amigas irán viendo cumplidos sus respectivos augurios. A partir de ese momento, el lector se sentirá incitado a recelar de todo aquel hombre que aparece sin previo aviso en las páginas de la novela, participando sin quererlo en una alocada quiniela que tiene como objetivo averiguar con quién de los candidatos disponibles acabará casándose Lucy o si acaso el destino le tiene reservado otro tipo de futuro. Entretenida, incisiva, mordaz, pero un tanto irregular en su desarrollo y con un último tercio bastante prescindible (por la cantidad de vueltas y mareos que produce la trama), Lucy Sullivan se casa supone una buena opción para pasar el rato pero no representa ni de lejos el inmenso potencial narrativo de la autora.
—Sub_zero
