Julie Powell memoir is found less than satisfying so far

It's unlikely that Julie Powell -- blogger turned author turned media celebrity and played by Amy Adams in the film "Julie & Julia" -- is smiling over the early reviews for her new book, "Cleaving: A Story of Marriage, Meat and Obsession." The book chronicles her troubled marriage, her sordid affair with another man and her desire to learn the art of butchery. Some highlights:

From the Los Angeles Times, which calls the memoir vain and lacking insight and the author an "unreliable narrator": " 'Cleaving' is an ambitious undertaking. ... An entertaining writer, she almost pulls it off. ... Yet despite some fine writing about butchery, and some not-so-fine writing about romance, 'Cleaving' turns out to be not much more than a rambling recitation -- not to say defense -- of all sorts of bad behavior."

From the Village Voice, whose review includes some of Powell's more explicit language regarding her affair: "How much you'll enjoy the book also depends on how much you'll enjoy Powell's voice, which is by turns solipsistic, grating, endlessly self-indulgent, and, worst of all, boring."

So far, no word on whether this book will be turned into a movie.

-- Rene Lynch

Photo credit: Carlo Allegri / Associated Press 

Comments

[Natalia]

vvery interesting story!! listen, im writing a book on julie child, and julie powell. If you have any information or other articles on julie powell please contact me at hannahm51@yahoo.com

[matt]

BUT SHE IS NOT A BLOGGER! Please don't get it twisted!!!

(well that's what she says)