The Ivy Chronicles

By: Karen Quinn

Narrated by: Julia Gibson

Length: 12 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

Fans of New York Times best seller The Nanny Diaries will rejoice in this wickedly hilarious novel, which acclaimed author Katharine Weber says is "much funnier and darker". Optioned for a major motion picture starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, The Ivy Chronicles skewers the twisted priorities of America's well-heeled elite.

Ivy Ames, 40-something mother of two, loses her high-flying job (to downsizing) and her husband (to their neighbor) in the same day. To pay for her daughters' private schooling, she starts a new business helping wealthy Manhattanites get their resume-toting youngsters into the best kindergartens. Soon her clients include media moguls, mob bosses, and a lesbian couple that believes their adopted African-American disabled son is "the triple crown of diversity" who schools will clamor to enroll.

Prepare to laugh uncontrollably, and possibly be a little frightened, by this witty look at our sometimes preposterous society.

©2005 Karen Quinn (P)2005 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"A guilty pleasure worth indulging." (Booklist)

Probably Better as an Audiobook then in Print

If I had picked this book up in print form, I probably would never have finished reading it. The main character, Ivy, is rather unappealing and the story is filled with lots of improbable happenings. However, it worked well as an audiobook and I enjoyed listening to it while working out on the treadmill at the gym. It had humorous moments with some interesting characters. The main problem with the audio was the narrator's voice, which was rather high pitched and whiny.

The Ivy Chronicles

Definitely a "Chick Lit", and enjoyable if you want something that's funny and easy to listen to!

Good, but not great

The book was entertaining enough to listen to through to the end, but I found myself cringing from time to time because I found some of the language (overly simplistic and lude) and mistakes made by the main character, a Manhattan executive, implausible.

A Guilty Pleasure :)

The Ivy Chronicles is the guilty pleasure you're expecting it to be! The antics pulled by most of the characters are so shallow and crazy that you can’t help but laugh at them. Karen Quinn's writing style is sprightly, and her humor is witty. However, and I have to say this, Quinn's reliance on stereotypes often comes across as, at best, ignorant. For instance, Ivy befriends and helps a woman named Ollie. Ollie is a maid, originally from Jamaica. Her English is so broken, it sounds like a second rather than first language. She frequently uses the phrase “I had was to.” What language does the author think Jamaicans speak? Otherwise, I think that for the most part this is an easy, enjoyable read/listen.

Entertaining

This book was a fun read. I can't say it was memorable though. I read this on a 20 hour trip and found it good enough to eat up the miles, but not good enough to want to savor the story a bit before listening to the next audiobook.

Eh

This book definitely had its funny moments and is probably worth reading if you're in the mood for something light that doesn't require you to think much. I just wish I could have sympathised with the protagonist. She is completely willing to do horrible things to get what she wants and doesn't really feel bad about it until someone calls her on it. Even worse, she is extremely quick to judge the actions of those around her even as she does things that are, at times, far worse.

I think it's worth mentioning that there are a couple of semi-graphic sex scenes in this book. I'd avoid it if that sort of thing offends you at all. I wasn't offended myself, but did think it was a bit out of place in this type of book.

The reader is a bit whiny though does a pretty good job on the female characters' voices. The men, however, all have the exact same voice, speak very slowly for no apparent reason, and sound clinically depressed. It reminded me of British actors portraying American characters. They typically seem to believe that speaking in the flattest tone possible produces an American accent. This reader seems to have a similar view on men's voices.

entertaining

I laughed out loud many times and really enjoyed the narrator's range of character voices. This was a fly on the wall view of the craziness associated with NYC private kindergarten admissions. It's light and a good beach "book".

Cute, fun, light

What did you love best about The Ivy Chronicles?

Cute story- perfect for an audiobook for me.

Did Julia Gibson do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

I did think the narrator did a good job. My only real critique may have been in the editing? Quite often throughout this book I'd hear the narrator swallow, pages turn etc. I've never heard this on any other book I've listened to and I am a frequent listener. Definitely distracting and unappealing.

Enjoyable light read...

This book was enjoyable..I've bought so many duds lately and was glad this wasn't one of them!

hmmm......

Is there anything you would change about this book?

got to be a bit predictable, and far fetched after awhile, so i would get to the point sooner, or else add some dimension to the characters

Would you recommend The Ivy Chronicles to your friends? Why or why not?

nah - too far out of the realm of the real world we live in

What aspect of Julia Gibson’s performance would you have changed?

it was ok

Could you see The Ivy Chronicles being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

it doesn't surprise me that this would be a hollywood consideration - but i wouldn't go farther than the lifetime movie network. the fact that this question is posed, actually reinforces for me, the negative reaction i had to the story - it cheapens the delight that was dangled here and there in the book, when it stuck to clever, and away from cutesy. this seems the type of movie for a washed up sitcom type to relaunch their career -- someone left behind in the 70's or 80's - or one of those real housewives of beverly hills. ugh.