Title: I’m Glad About You, Theresa Rebeck
Print Length: 375 pages
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Publication Date: February 23, 2016
Rating: 4/5 Stars
How much of yourself are you willing to sacrifice for your dreams and to what end?
This is the underlying theme in a story about two people who despite the love between them just can’t seem to get it right.
Alison is a sharp tongued, clever, green eyed beauty who will do whatever it takes to become the actress she’s always dreamed of becoming. She moves to New York, leaving her family and high school boyfriend, Kyle, for a life of endless auditions, sleazy directors and tiresome agents. But as she navigates New York City and the cut-throat world of show business, Alison begins to realize the high cost of success that accompanies a life in the limelight may not be what she wanted after all.
Years later Kyle who once aspired to join Doctors Without Borders is caught in a rebound marriage and settled into a career as a pediatrician. Without his dreams realized, he's suspended in a hellish cycle of everyday monotony - living a day to today existence in upper middle class suburbia. Observing Alison’s career from a far, he dutifully carries out his role of husband and father, but all the while is never quite able to shake memory of the one who got away.
A story of a first love that cannot be forgotten, I found I’m Glad About You to be a witty, yet harsh portrayal of a young woman who sets out to chase her dream, the choices she makes and the effects they have on the man she leaves behind.
Rebeck’s starring characters are relatable, but unlikeable and flawed as humans so often are. Her cast of supporting characters is equally complex, and at times just as relatable as the primaries. A celebrity reporter who despises his job, a conniving best friend, and a vindictive wife who individually serve to shape the lives of the two main characters - I felt that these characters really added dimension to the story though they were players in the background.
The depictions of Alison's struggle are well written, being some of the strongest parts of the novel. I found the best to be when everything comes crumbling down and the sudden realization that fame is not all it's cracked up to be sets in.“And now here she was, trapped not by her own dreams, but by the dreams of something else, something weird and inhuman but generally accepted as the truth.” This was one of my favorite passages, as how often do we become ensnared by our own ambition only to find that what we sought was not the reality we found? All too often I believe.
Overall I found this to be a quick read, entertaining and I was happy with the ending that Rebeck wrote. I didn’t feel that I needed more to the story and was satisfied with the outcome for both Kyle and Alison.
You’ll Probably Like this If:
You’ve enjoyed these titles:
- The One & Only, Emily Giffin
- Where We Belong, Emily Giffin
- The Expatriates, Janice Y K Lee
Have you read this? What were your thoughts?
Did you enjoy the novel? What would you have done differently if you had been either Alison or Kyle? How did you feel about the main characters’ actions throughout the novel?
As always I welcome feedback and would love to know your thoughts on this book.
As always I welcome feedback and would love to know your thoughts on this book.
-Whit
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