Babyville

I first read this Jane Green novel at least three years ago, when I was unmarried and without kids. At the time, I wrote a review of the book for my library's website. Having just finished it for my book group, I realize how my perspective has changed since the first read. Reading my old review made me laugh out loud at how I thought I knew what I was talking about when I said that having a baby changes your life. At the time, I had no idea about the scope of that statement. Oh, the folly of youth...

The book follows three British women--one who wants to get pregnant but can't, one who doesn't want to get pregnant but does, and one who is married and has a baby, only to become infatuated with a married male friend. On this second read, I was more sympathetic toward the woman who couldn't get pregnant, because I now know the true joy of having a baby. I could hardly get through the last third of the book which follows the infatuation storyline. I was very frustrated with that character's desire to leave her husband and start a new relationship--I just don't understand how she could get that annoyed and mad at her husband to want to leave him and her child for someone new. I just don't understand it now that I'm married; I'm sure it seemed much more plausible before when I was not involved with anyone.

I usually enjoy rereading books, and have a couple that I try to read every year, but this reread just wasn't the same.

K