The Seven Year Itch - Surely It's Less Than Seven Years These Days! (The Seven Year Itch - Emlyn Rees)

Member Name: LAURALILIA

Product:	The Seven Year Itch - Emlyn Rees
Date:	31/08/09 (118 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easy to read - some very funny dialogue

Disadvantages: The ending is a little cliched.

The Seven Year Itch - Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees

I don't often get chance to read that many books - even chick lit - but a friend of mine gave me this book to read on holiday, when you have time to relax and read something easy and not too serious.

***What's it all about?***

I feel like I have come to the party late with this book, as it seems there are many more books that have been written by this duo (who are partners in life also) about the same characters to boot. So the first thing I will say is that I easily got into this book, without knowing anything about what had happened previously.

Amy and Jack are a couple with a small child, and have slipped onto the domestic merry go round, bogged down by routine and wondering if anything exiting will ever happen to them again. Jack has given up his career as an artist to become a landscape gardener and Amy has took the decision to be a stay at home mum for the time being. Of course, they love each other and their child, but wonder if this is as good as it gets.

The book uses the title 'The Seven Year Itch' and in the introduction ponders as to whether this phenomenon exists and if it does, will Jack and Amy act upon it.

***Opinion***

The first thing I liked is that this book is very easy to read and get into. Chapters alternate between Jack telling the story and then Amy continuing from her perspective. I would say that this book would appeal to many women, but in particular there is alot to identify with, when it comes to describing life at home with a small child. There are many anecodotes which perfectly encapsulate the types of feelings that I had at the time.


It is witty and I like the description of The Vipers - that is the group of competitive young mums who on the face of it seem to be Amy's friend, but are really underneath it all, just out to score points and play the game of perfect parent. This I could identify with - perhaps too well...

There is a fair bit of swearing in it - so if this puts you off, then I would suggest that you steer clear. For example one morning, Amy is struggling to put her son in his pushchair and calls him 'A Little f***er', which I though was a bit strong. Some of the description of what it feels like to be a new mun is spot on though. I am not sure if many men will read this book, but it would be interesting to know if this is how men really think too!

One really funny part is when Jack and Amy finally get an evening together and just at a vital part, their son wakes up. Jack implores Amy to "Hold the line", in a Russell Crowe type quote from Gladiator.

For an easy read I can recommend it, the chapters are a nice length and I will probably look up some of the older titles.

***Availability***

It is available from Amazon for £5.49 and has 419 pages. It is published by Random House.

Summary: If you fancy something easy to read and get lost in, then this would be it.