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)

Pathetic story, terrible voice

Banal and disappointing. Couldn't finish it. A waste of a download!

Painfully shallow

I was expecting a fun bit of fluff based on the reviews. Instead, this book was a series of negative gender and racial stereotypes. The main character lies and manipulates her way through her life. She mocks her good friend's physical shortcomings, and goes on about other hating other women's perfect bodies. She worries about being pretty and skinny, and likes having a strong man around. Every character is evaluated by their income and possessions. The story moves briskly along, but its one nails dragging across the chalkboard moment after another. She doesn't really learn, as much as she is finally backed into a corner. A nice corner. I can see how this might have been funny if she was balls out evil, but we seem to be supposed to believe, as she and her friends do, that she is actually a nice person inside. Yech! 12 hours of this was way too much!

Shallow

Disappointing and predictable. This is one book that I wish had been in an abridged form so that I would have wasted less time listening. The narrator did an excellent job of "sounding the Part" of the shallow and whiney Ivy Ames.

A fun read

Not to be taken seriously.Very funny

waste of money

This was terrible. I couldn't get through more than an hour. It is glib and not funny. And it's very dumb. Don't waste your money. Also, the reader's voice was kind of annoying. I was looking forward to this and highly disappointed.

Poorly written and badly spoken

How can anybody have even published this thing? The Ivy Chronicles is so low on the writing scale and so poorly edited that it can not be called a real book. Very often the main character Ivy will make a statement that will be totally contraindicated by the action. For instance, she says that she goes on a diet, proceeds to eat steak and cookies very soon thereafter, and then she is thin and gorgeous. Also she decides that public schools are good for her daughters, but then is thrilled when the gift of private school for life is given to her children. Many other instances. It is so poorly crafted it seems like it was written with a crayon. The narrator tries but her voice, combined with the constant whining that is considered conversation makes it trying to listen to. All in all, not worth the time or money.

Look elsewhere

Too many self absorbed, one dimensional characters ruin what could have been a good listen. The plot is weak and the ending is ridiculous, not one I would recommend.

Chick book without spine, character, or likability

I did find myself laughing here and there. However, I read up on Karen Quinn and she said that she is Ivy Ames. If so, YIKES!! That being said this book is so unrealistic and far fetched that it gives me hope that she isn't really like this character at all. Ivy Ames lies and cheats any way she can, all the while getting 4 year old's and their parents to go along with outrageous fabricated backgrounds to look more attractive to private Kindergartens. The children are asked to deny their skin color, religion, their biological parents and the fact that one child's parents are gay. One supposed feel good moment was when she treated a clients 4 year old's to get her uni-brow and mustache shaped, waxed and plucked for over 2 hours by "the best of the best", in hopes of making her look cuter for her application. I think it was supposed to be an ugly duckling turned swan moment. The author forgot to mention any hiccups that might have happened...like the 4 year old may have cried? I did actually laughed out loud more than once. OTHERWISE, I totally stopped rooting for the mother who is struggling to support her kids because she was sooooooo shallow and ugly on the inside!!! I just started part 2 and can not finish this book! I don't like this Author so much that I will stay clear of Karen Quinn...unless it's free! To Karen Quinn, pluck one hair off of any 4 year old's upper lip and see if you don't find a reaction worth mentioning!!!!

Not my cup of tea

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

I'm not sure that anyone would enjoy this book.

What could Karen Quinn have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

I typically enjoy books with substance, this was just too superficial for me.

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

she was ok.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

The base story line was good, about her having to sell everything and get back to basics. I liked that part, but the main character is a complete flake.

Ridiculas

The Nanny Diaries was good, this is just dumb. The characters are not credible. I lost sympathy very early on when the lady was going through her household budget. I listened longer, but ultimately gave up half way through, and I usually make it through even bad books. The whole thing is just silly. Don't waste your time.