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Title: Until the Real Thing Comes Along by ELIZABETH BERG ISBN: 0-345-43739-X Publisher: Ballantine Books Pub. Date: 06 June, 2000 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.4 (75 reviews)
Rating: 3
Summary: Enjoyable, But Not Berg's Best
Comment: Warning for those who haven't read the book: spoilers.
I have been a huge fan of Elizabeth Berg's for years, ever since reading her novel "Durable Goods". She has an incredible ability to turn ordinary people into extraordinary ones through the gorgeous language and imagery she uses. There is no lack of that in "Until the Real Thing Comes Along." However, I must admit that I was disappointed with this book. I found Patty to be whiny rather than sympathetic. The plot seemed a little too convenient in too many places. How nice that Ethan, Patty's gay true love, eventually decides to get Patty pregnant. How nice that Patty's best friend Elaine and her former lover Mark get married and (almost) begin a family of their own and all three remained close. And how sad that Patty has another worry in her life with her mother getting Alzheimer's disease. All of these things are fine in and of themselves, but there was not explanation for them. They just sort of happened with too little warning to make the story really work, and often seemed almost clichéd as a result. Now, don't get me wrong. I love Elizabeth Berg's work, and I will anxiously await her next novel (and perhaps reread some of the old ones in the meantime). This was just not her best, and for an author with such a gift for stunning language, that's really disappointing.
Rating: 3
Summary: Painful
Comment: It's painful to read the book simply because, like Patty, I also feel so much of the longing and desire to have a baby. Sometimes I do feel I want a baby more than a husband. And it strikes true when the heart rules against the sensible mind - wanting so much for the perfect one (a perfect someone for me, not the perfect man). You want to kick her and knock her head, and yes I want to kick myself too. But OK, don't judge me for that.
Berg seems to know how it all feels and and she describes the emotions well. Her language is awesome and so very true.
However, I have to say the storyline could be better. Certain things seem to be too convenient making it much less interesting.
I'm thinking of reading her other books.
Rating: 2
Summary: A miss for Berg
Comment: I have read only one other Elizabeth Berg, Talk Before Sleep, and fell in love with her writing after this book. For my next Berg selection I chose Until the Real Thing Comes Along and have to admit I was highly dissappointed. I give the book 2 stars only because I was able to finish the entire book in a few days as it did keep something of my attention.
From the moment I started reading this book, though, I wanted to smack some reality into the main character, Patty. Patty was in love with her best friend and refused to even try to give love a shot with other men. This frustrated me as I found Patty whining more and more about her missing love life and her want for her best friend Ethan and I wanted to tell her you will never get him to marry you so stop obsessing!
I continued reading the book just to find out if Patty ever found her dream man or ever had a baby, but finished the book with a feeling of dissatisfaction. I felt the book ended with an ending that was empty. I feel Berg left us with a simple ending and characters that readers could not totally connect with. I am moving on to Range of Motion and hope this one is better than Until the Real Thing Comes Along.
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Title: Range of Motion by Elizabeth Berg ISBN: 0515119784 Publisher: Jove Pubns Pub. Date: December, 1996 List Price(USD): $6.50 |
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Title: What We Keep by Elizabeth Berg ISBN: 0345435028 Publisher: Ballantine Books Pub. Date: 02 January, 2002 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: The Pull of the Moon by Elizabeth Berg ISBN: 0515120898 Publisher: Jove Pubns Pub. Date: September, 1997 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: Talk Before Sleep by Elizabeth Berg ISBN: 0385318782 Publisher: Dell Pub. Date: 06 October, 1997 List Price(USD): $13.95 |
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Title: Joy School by ELIZABETH BERG ISBN: 0345423097 Publisher: Ballantine Books Pub. Date: 24 March, 1998 List Price(USD): $12.95 |
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