Title: Babymoon
Author: Melanie La’Brooy
Publisher: Piatkus
Publication Date: 3rd Sept 2009
ARC: 372 pages
Genre: Chick-lit
Source: Review Copy
Reviewed by: Carolyn
RATING: 3/10
BACK COVER SUMMARY:
Isabelle Beckett and Jack Boyd are expecting their first child, and on the surface Isabelle is the very model of a calm Earth Mother to-be. Or she would be if she wasn’t consumed by anxiety about finding her pelvic floor, watching birthing videos or deciding on an uber-trendy or dreadfully practical pram. But can she make it through pregnancy and childbirth with her dignity, her relationship and some more private bits intact? Hmm… maybe not.
REVIEW:
This is a story following Bella and her partner Jack as they live through the months of pregnancy. I expected humour, scenarios of funny situations that pregnancy and childbirth puts you in. Although this books tries very hard to do these things, it fails miserably. This book is neither funny nor heart-warming.
Bella is a very irritating and unlikable character. In the first chapter we find that she had a one night stand while in a long term relationship. I had no sympathy for her after this and it set the tone for the rest of the book. This woman panicks over everything in an over-the-top manner and winges far too much. And as a grown woman trying to get pregnant, she should know a few things about her body and how it functions. Unfortunately, she does not and instead of it being funny it made the character look completely stupid and uneducated.
“What does the placenta do again?”
And
“The pregnancy test shows three stripes. Does that mean I’m having triplets?”
And her answer to the question:
“Would you like a DVD?” (asked by the nurse when having an ultrasound)
Was:
“…but what’s the DVD?” I floundered.The receptionist looked at me as though I was mad.“Your baby,” she enunciated very slowly.“Yes, I realise that, but it won’t actually be doing anything will it?” I mean it’s not like the foetus was skulking around the womb carrying on like Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver.”
And after the relentless ultrasound appointments, doctor appointments, reading about pregnancy, Belle stills asks the question:
“What does my cervix do again?”
Sadly, there are many quotes such as these as this is how the book continued until the very. bitter. end. There is nothing likable about this book. If it irritated me as much as it did, then I can only imagine what it will do to someone thinking about getting pregnant, is pregnant or has been pregnant and given birth.
Belle also meets up with her ex-boyfriend Charlie, after not seeing each other for years and while she is six months pregnant with Jack’s baby. There is nothing in the story, other than Jack having to work a lot of hours as he’s a doctor, that really made me understand why Belle would start looking to Charlie for comfort and support. This just rang warning bells for me as I knew she had already been unfaithful. It added to my feelings of indifference to this character and really didn’t help me connect with her at all.
Jack, the boyfriend, is okay, but he isn’t a particularly strong character. He isn’t really featured much in the story other than to argue with about names to call the baby and the fact that he isn’t at any of the birthing classes due to working all the time. A valuable point at a vulnerable time, but not enough to secretly see your ex-boyfriend and to question your current relationship.
VERDICT:
I’m sure many of the situations in this book do happen, especially with the stress that pregnancy brings but it just wasn’t executed in the right way. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t recommend this book.
You can find out more about the author here:
4 Comments
Pregnancy in general is the perfect thing to write about, as it is 9 months full of the nutty, the bizarre, the humiliating and the disgusting. (Also the miraculous.) Still, the thought of an idiot character giving birth to a dependant creature curls my hair. I think I would end up angry by the end of this one! Love the candid review!
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I can definitely see why you didn't like the novel, hehe, can't say I blame you. I appreciate the honest review though!
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I actually thought some of those quotes are quite funny – perhaps this just isn't your sort of read?
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From those quotes you posted, the character does seem a bit dumb. I think I'll pass on this one. Thanks for the honest review.
–Anna
Diary of an Eccentric
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