I'm Not Julia Roberts
by Laura Ruby
Published by Warner Books
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Reviewed by Pattie Reitz
This is not our mother's novel, and in spite of the aproned figure on the cover, this is not the story of June Cleaver, either. I'm Not Julia Roberts is a collection of interwoven stories chronicling the blended family.
The title alludes to Julia Roberts' character in the movie Stepmom. She is the unseen foil to Lu Klein, one of the stepmothers in this collection. Lu, along with her husband's ex-wife Beatrix, and Beatrix's husband's ex-wife, Roxie, are just a few of the women we meet in this oddly interconnected world.
If not for the "family tree" diagram in the front of the book, I might have gotten hopelessly lost! It was immensely helpful, not only for the marriages current and broken, but also for the children's names and their interconnections.
Laura Ruby's writing style is descriptive, yet straightforward. She tells the story in a circular rather than linear fashion--and in the case of one chapter, through emails and notes, entirely backwards. Occasionally her imagery is so poignant, so true, it made me stop reading and ponder.
One of the strengths of the book is that each story has a different point of view. By the end of the book, we've seen not only the main characters' own points of view, we've also seen these characters' views of each other. This adds a touch of reality because we get to see everyone's side of the story--wives, husbands, and children.
Overall, I'd recommend this book to those who are from intact families, because it gives the reader a glimpse into the world of blended families and the balancing acts therein. I also recommend this book to those in blended families, for they will understand even more of the nuances and subtexts, and perhaps even smile in recognition.
Armchair Interviews says: Unique view of blended families.