Jemima J

Jemima J written by Jane Green was difficult to read at first. I found switching from 1st to 3rd person difficult to keep my attention at the beginning. After a short time I became adjusted to the switching back and forth. I think most people can sympathize with JJ. We have all felt inadequate at sometime in our lives. Inadequacy can help us to mature if only we allow it to. JJ, like most of us, had an addiction that helped her through the tough times in her life. She was a much deeper person than most of the people that she was surrounded by not only in her personal life but at work as well. Maybe part of the reason was because she worked in a superficial industry. Looking back on my own personal life at that age I can see myself in her shoes. I remember my ten year class reunion. Everyone was still a bit like they were in high school. At the 2o year reunion many were trying to impress others by their looks, job, or possessions. There were some that were past that stage and it would be interesting to see if they are still trying to impress everyone at my 30 year reunion this summer. We all go through stages in our lives where we are unsure and insecure as JJ was. Her mother and the lack of a father figure played a big part in her insecurities as well. My own mother and father have always been a bit like JJ's mom. Appearances are always so important. I have found myself rebelling against that type of behavior as my own children have grown up and become adults. I have caught myself many times starting to say something judgmental about their choices or the way they look. Hopefully they will not experience some of the things that JJ has. JJ persevered and became the person of her dreams and was rewarded with love at the end. It was interesting that she did succumb to lust for a short time but realized how superficial it was in the end. I do wander if she had not lost the weight if Ben would have been as attracted to her or if she would have been so self conscious that she would not have allowed a relationship with him to happen. Her confidence definitely was appealing to him but her spirit and intelligence was what ultimately made him fall in love with her and she with him. They both realized that many of the people they met were not right for them but were not really sure why until they met each other again. Does this happen very often in real life or are we programed to take the first person that comes along that sparks that fire. I am definitely in favor of marriage but I think many times people marry too early (me for one) and then it ends in divorce when the two people do really grow up. I am going to recommend that my eighteen year old daughter read this book. She is very self conscious about her weight. She is beautiful and not overweight at all but like many of us does not have that perfect body. I look forward to discussing it with her.