Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs
Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs
hardcover 352 pages
published by Putnam Adult in 2007
ISBN-13: 9780399154096
Type: {Beach Read: fluffy, mindless, easy to read}
Rating: {Me Likey: Enjoyable! Particularly for fans of this genre}
Why You’re Reading It:
- You love knitting
- You enjoy stories about mother’s and daughters
- You are a fan of Kate Jacobs
- You want a comfort story with a twist
What I Thought:
I listened to this book on audio, and found the author’s voice to fitting for the narrative. For most of this book, the plot is a comfortable story about a single mother who is raising her daughter in an apartment above the knitting store she owns in Manhattan. Georgia Walker loves to knit and, with the help of a mentor, makes a career out of it as a single, pregnant woman eventually opening a shop just downstairs from her comfortable home she has created with her almost teenage daughter, Dakota. Splashed into the story are some lovable characters that help make Georgia’s knitting shop seem like a small town rather than a store in a massive city. Jacobs adds drama by bringing in a few characters from Georgia’s past, but the entire book is quite calm and predictable until the end.
Unfortunately, what was meant to be a bit of a tearjerker fell short. Jacobs didn’t do a great job of foreshadowing the ending. It seemed a bit like she tacked it on at a later date because she thought the book needed a little extra spice, which I don’t think was necessary, nor even fitting, with the light, fluffy feel of the rest of the book. Because I liked the book up until the end, it garners a better rating than it would have if the first half hadn’t been so enjoyable. As it was, this book held my attention, and I enjoyed listening to it on a long car ride over the holidays. I picked up the sequel and put it down within a chapter or two. So, this will be the only one (there are three of them) that I read. I will, however, be curious to see what Julia Roberts does with it on the big screen. Hopefully the screen writers will have smoothed out the seams.
I listened to this one on audio and enjoyed it. I found myself picturing Julia Roberts in the role. I didn’t love the book, but it was entertaining enough. I, too, picked up the sequel and only made it one chapter. It’s just not my thing, but I will see the movie:-)
I own this book even though it’s sooo different from what I’d normally pick-up. I own it because I’ve been wanting to learn how to knit and it just sounded so cozy.
They’re making this book a movie??????
I really loved this book until the end, and then I felt cheated. I was upset for like two days after reading it, haha.
Here is the movie page on IMBD, they used to have more info up, but it looks like they’re pushed the date back and it is private again: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0840327/
I completely agree with you on the ending. I felt a bit disconcerted by the abrupt change in tone and plot (though I still shed a few tears). I loved the friendships that formed in the group. I’ve been keeping an eye out for Knit Two at my library but haven’t seen it yet. I do want to check out the sequel.
I think you are exactly right that she didn’t do enough foreshadowing. Once the ending hit I thought back and remembered a few hints that she had made, but the whole tone of the book was just so different from where it ended up. Even with that, though, I was pretty enjoyable.
I have this one on my shelf, but haven’t read it yet. After this post, I’m thinking that I can wait a bit longer. I enjoy chick lit, so this sounds like it will be a good comfort read (except for the ending). Thanks!
Endings are so tricky and when they fail, the whole book can be brought down.
Hold up, they are making this into a movie? Are they making everything into a movie now? I listened to this on audio too and I liked it. Found it pretty enjoyable and agree with you on everything! Haven’t tried the others in the series yet.
See the link I’ve posted under Cass’s comment (about the movie).
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I read this book and really enjoyed it, until the end. When I saw there were sequels, I was initially excited and then it just fizzled out, and I didn’t feel inclined to read them. It was a good book, but the end felt so disjointed from the rest of the novel.