PositiveThe Boston GlobeA Life of My Own, is two books in one, and unfortunately they are not equally compelling ... The writing in the first half tends toward monotone, with endless lists of friends (especially those with famous parents) ... There is a bit of a stiff upper lip to the writing, despite all the trauma ... But the banal story she describes takes a dramatic turn and at that point the writing begins to pick up. It is in the second half of the memoir that Tomalin comes alive as the details of both her personal and professional life feel propulsive ... Her grief melts on the page, and it is palpable ... perhaps the shift midway in the book is intended to mirror the two phases of the life. Certainly for all concerned the second half is more enjoyable.
Jennifer Weiner
PanThe Boston GlobeWeiner is, above all, a paradox with an acid pen, which makes her memoir a frustrating read. The book is a curious mix of autobiography along with parenting tips, self-help sections, previously published articles and essays, and selections from her Twitter feed ... Weiner wants to have it both ways: Pity the poor outcast, but watch her lash back with equal venom...That annoying snarkiness distracts from the real pain of a culture in which beauty is defined by Madison Avenue ... The memoir comes off as Weiner’s attempt to use her gift for language as a way to get back, rather than to reach deep understanding and resolution.
