Bridget Jones's Diary

So I just finished reading Bridget Jones's Diary. I know, I know, it was only published like 17 years ago.. Anyway, Having never seen the first movie, or the second, and with the 3rd movie in the works, I thought I should really read this book and see what all of the fuss and weight gain is about.

First off, let me say that I adore the British. I find their jolly accents pleasant. British female characters always seem to get themselves into pickles of wildly entertaining antics. Kind of like Lucille Ball with a British accent. Sounds like a recipe for perfection to me. So, with my admiration of British female characters, it came as quite a surprise that I didn't fall in love with the character of Bridget Jones. I fell quite annoyed actually. I found her to be rather... clueless and dare I say whiney.

The story starts out with 30 something Bridget having to attend another one of her family parties. It's awkward, uncomfortable, and totally relatable to be thrown into a family party where people are asking "why are you still single?!" Her family is kind of kooky, because what family isn't? With a lost puppy dog type father and a flimsy, mid-life crisis of a mother. Throw in some girlfriends who like to booze it up and a gay best friend and you get the gist of the crew.

Things start to get "interesting", and I use that term loosely, when Bridget starts up a flirtation with her charming, cocky, ladies man of a boss, Daniel Cleaver. Half of the book is dedicated to the back and forth of this relationship and the "are they or aren't they a couple" question. It's pretty obvious where their fate is headed.

The second half of the book spirals with a job loss, family legal troubles, and help from eligible bachelor Mr. Mark Darcy, Who just happens to be one of the chaps who attended the family party from the beginning of the book. Several awkward but nice encounters with Mr. Darcy ensue. Can you see where this is leading?

I wont spoil the ending for you but I will tell you that the most entertaining part of the book was the reference to Hugh Grant, who plays womanizing Daniel Cleaver in the movie. "I'm thinking Hugh Grant. I'm thinking Elizabeth Hurley..... How does a man with a girlfriend with looks like Elizabeth Hurley have a blow job from a prostitute on a public highway and get away with it? What happened to hell hath no fury?" Hahaha. Now THAT was an amusing tribute to Mr. Grant.

 

I also found it humorous that Colin Firth , who plays the kind Mark Darcy, was also referenced, "The actors who play Darcy and Elizabeth? Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle... are an absolute fucking genius".
Of course, the book was published before the casting and filming of the original movie. So I found those little tidbits of trivia to be my favorite part of the entire book. The rest was very well... predictable and errr British for lack of a better word. Overall I wasn't a fan of Bridget Jones's Diary. Nor will I be seeing the movie adaptation part 3. Which I can predict without reading that Bridget still hasn't gotten her act together.