Book 346: Bridget Jones’s Diary (Bridget Jones #1) – Helen Fielding

I picked up a copy of this and the sequel, Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason, back in January 2014 because they were like $2 each. I knew I wouldn’t read it right away, but what I didn’t know is that when I read it would take less than six hours, including a two-hour walk in the middle of it! I grabbed it to read as it was a quick read. I remembered hearing things around Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, the third book released last year so I figured why not now.

Let’s start with the film adaptation: I LOVED it. The cast was perfect and what they changed was for a reason. It worked as a stand-alone, but even as an adaptation I felt it worked well. That being said, this book was hilariously funny and if you enjoyed the film you should definitely check out the book.

Now, on to the book! I wasn’t kidding when I say I read this in a day. I started it around 6AM was half-way through by time I went for my walk around 9AM, read a big chunk in the middle of my walk and I finished by 2PM. It just sucked me in and was so easily written that I couldn’t help but laugh my way through it.

“But if you are single the last thing you want is your best friend forming a functional relationship with somebody else.” (91)

How can you not laugh at that? And even when Fielding was incredibly morose, which they did a bit more of in the films, she nailed things on the head perfectly:

“You completely forget the fact that when you were twenty-two and you didn’t have boyfriend or meet anyone you remotely fancied for twenty-three months you just thought it was a bit of a drag. The whole thing builds up out of all proportion, so finding a relationship seems a dazzling, almost insurmountable goal, and when you do start going out with someone it cannot possibly live up to expectations.” (123)

There’s not really much else to add. I really enjoyed it and even though I found the list of things (calories, cigarettes, lottery tickets, etc.) at the start of each chapter a bit odd it added something to the book. Plus, Fielding made references to Jane Austen AND Wuthering Heights, so of COURSE I’m going to love it!

Recommendation: It was a great summer read and I’m glad I read it. I can’t wait to read the next and hope it goes by as fast! Check it out if you’re bored and if it’s not your cup of tea, check out the movie.

Opening Line: “I WILL NOT.”

Closing Line: “An excellent year’s progress.” (Whited out.)

Additional Quotes from Bridget Jones’s Diary
“It struck me as pretty ridiculous to be called Mr. Darcy and so stand on your own looking snooty at a party. It’s like being called Heathcliff and insisting on spending time in the garden, shouting ‘Cathy’ and banging your head against a tree.” (12)

“When someone leaves you, apart from missing them, apart from the fact that the whole little world you’ve created together collapses, and that everything you see or do reminds you of them, the worst is the thought that they tried you out and, in the end, the whole sum of parts adds up to you got stamped REJECT by the one you love.” (168)