HEART OF THE MATTER de Emily Giffin

Title: Heart of the Matter
Author: Emily Giffin
Country: USA
Year: 2011

I didn't like this book. This is going to be short.

The story's about two very different women, Tessa and Valerie. When Valerie's little son Charlie gets badly injured, Dr. Nick Russo attends him. Nick gets attached to Charlie and Valerie, ultimately having an affair with her. Nick is Tessa's husband.

This is a very realistic story and I think that's actually why I didn't enjoy it. There's enough drama in real life as it is. By that I don't mean that my life's filled with it, just that I believe nobody's life is absolutely free of drama, whether they acknowledge it or not.

Yet, I can see how many people can find this book appealing, many (and I mean, MANY) women can relate to either of the characters quite easily. (Personally, I found myself siding with Tessa the most.) And just as in real life, there are no absolute good or absolute bad characters, just different ones. One weaker, one stronger, on different levels and undergoing different situations.

Although I do admit I didn't like Valerie for most of the book. She's such a victim. They try to portray her as succesful, but actually she is unhappy. I felt the author "gave" her a successful job only to prove that she was strong, smart and independent, but her actions and character prove the opposite. She's constantly finding herself doing things she tells herself she won't do. Not only things like having an affair with a married man, but as trivial as answering a phone call, allowing Nick to visit her late at night, or even calling him, among many others.

Infidelity is not the only moral (or rather, immoral) issue here. There's also the fact that Nick abused his "position of power" as Charlie's doctor and Valerie's "vulnerable" position. It is addressed in the book, but only lightly so. Forgiveness and friendship are also two important "themes" in it.

This is the first book by Emily Giffin that I read. I can see why she's so popular, her books (from what I gathered from their reviews) are about situations and people we can very easily relate to. Combined with her good writing skills, the story flows fast and easy, making it a light read.

If you're in for it, go for her books (and movie). They are all independent stories but all her characters seem to makes cameos in all her books (which I think is pretty cool).


Other books by Emily Giffin:
- Something Borrowed (now a major motion picture! hooray!)
- Something Blue
- Baby Proof
-  Love the One You're With