⇒ Read Free A Life Lived Ridiculously Annabelle R Charbit Susan Malone 9780984642861 Books

A Life Lived Ridiculously Annabelle R Charbit Susan Malone 9780984642861 Books

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A Life Lived Ridiculously Annabelle R Charbit Susan Malone 9780984642861 Books

This book starts out giving the impression it's chick-lit -- a light improbable romance with silly misadventure thrown in. Maxine is odd, even seen from the inside (and since the book is written in first person, that's what we get). She keeps obsessing about her apartment, until she falls in love with Sam. The whole middle of the book had me wondering, so what does she see in him? He's unattractive, apparently has cancer, and eventually says he's dying of it. At that point, it seems like a combination to obsessiveness and a guilt trip holds them together - despite warnings from friends and family that Sam is a fake. It's at the end that the book turns truly dark.

Though I don't generally read chick-lit, and initially was tempted to put the book down, it was actually quite gripping. I recommend it to people who enjoy psychological thrillers. This one's written from the viewpoint of a potential victim.

What I didn't like about the book was that it started out as one thing - a comedic romance - and ends up as something quite different. It's like a Disney movie going Hitchcock. Had the framing been slightly different, with more foreshadowing of the end, I think it would have worked better. Neither the title nor the cover art actually do justice to the book. It gives the impression the book is going to be flippant and light-hearted.


Tags : A Life Lived Ridiculously [Annabelle R. Charbit, Susan Malone] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. <span>When a girl with obsessive compulsive disorder falls in love with a sociopath, she must fight for her sanity and her life.</span> <span> </span> <span>Maxine's brain is stuck. Everything around her feels wrong and the only way to fix it is to check,Annabelle R. Charbit, Susan Malone,A Life Lived Ridiculously,Firefly Publishing & Entertainment,0984642862,9780984642861,General,Literature & Fiction Contemporary,Contemporary Women,Fiction,Fiction - General,Fiction General,Fiction Humorous,Fiction : Contemporary Women,Humorous

A Life Lived Ridiculously Annabelle R Charbit Susan Malone 9780984642861 Books Reviews

The heroine of Annabelle Charbit's book is Maxine, a neurotic and intelligent Jewish Londoner who suffers from undiagnosed OCD and an unbearable family. Under pressure to settle down now that she's turned 30, Maxine finally succumbs to the attentions of Sam who, if she's not physically attracted to him, is at least Jewish, approved by her family (initially), also cerebral, and occasionally gregariously charming. But soon things go awry After winning Maxine's affections, Sam almost instantly begins to pull away, disappearing for long stretches. He also comes down with a variety of illnesses, tumors, and cancers; refuses to have sex with Maxine; and begins complaining incessantly of his "sad life," which includes no family and the tragic early death of his girlfriend. While a Debbie Downer like this would frighten most sensible women into running for their lives, Maxine isn't quite sensible. Sam may be a pain in the butt, but he is at least keeping her occupied with thoughts other than obsessing on her lighting, furniture, and strange desire to rid herself of personal possessions. While at points it is difficult to sympathize with Maxine's predicament, it's also somewhat understandable that she keeps falling for Sam's guilt trips, given that he is supposedly dying. I won't give away the unpredictable twists and turns of the plot, but Maxine comes to the conclusion that Sam is a classic sociopath. The author doesn't explore the more obvious notion that Sam suffers from Maunchausen Syndrome, in which the affected fake illnesses (often cancer) in order to gain attention and sympathy, but, either way, Sam is certainly a bizarre, unique, and emotionally dangerous character. Charbit writes with humor and aplomb and, as a real life expert in OCD, is especially adept at getting into the mind of a person suffering from this mental characteristic. Overall, an interesting read with finely drawn characters and a swift narrative.
Real find. Will make some women sigh with relief that they are not going mad and that there really are people like that around that can play with not only the protagonists feelings but mess with friendships. Beautiful and well written. Well done.
Maxine is your average psychotic basket case, obsessing over the light fixtures in her room, until Sam enters her life and turns it upside down. A Life Lived Ridiculously is a fun read as we follow Maxine's madcap thoughts and misadventures. It reminded me of Bridget Jones' Diary, but with darker humor. Annabelle Charbit could however use a better cover artist. I guess this is one of those examples of `don't judge a book by the cover'. And I do recommend this one! (The book, not the cover...)
This story kept me up reading all night and in the carpool. Smart, funny, exacerbating, and suspenseful, I couldn't wait to see what Maxine would do next. To say "this is the story of a woman with OCD who falls for a sociopath" explains the science but doesn't do justice to a brilliantly crafted story by a neuroscientist. This is a must read for people who are looking for something unpredictable and smart. Two thumbs up from me, Dr. Charbit!
Odd and uncomfortable book. Well written.
I thought the book was about her life living with compulsive obsessive disorder. Not so, it was fiction
I enjoyed reading this book. For me it was an eye opener. I believe I have come across 2 or 3 of these guys in my former dating life. This book was funny but thought provoking. It made me realize that if I have an uneasy feeling about someone, I should probably heed the warning. With 1 in 25 of the population being a Sociopath, it should make you aware to be on guard for these type of people entering your life.

Funny but insightful.
This book starts out giving the impression it's chick-lit -- a light improbable romance with silly misadventure thrown in. Maxine is odd, even seen from the inside (and since the book is written in first person, that's what we get). She keeps obsessing about her apartment, until she falls in love with Sam. The whole middle of the book had me wondering, so what does she see in him? He's unattractive, apparently has cancer, and eventually says he's dying of it. At that point, it seems like a combination to obsessiveness and a guilt trip holds them together - despite warnings from friends and family that Sam is a fake. It's at the end that the book turns truly dark.

Though I don't generally read chick-lit, and initially was tempted to put the book down, it was actually quite gripping. I recommend it to people who enjoy psychological thrillers. This one's written from the viewpoint of a potential victim.

What I didn't like about the book was that it started out as one thing - a comedic romance - and ends up as something quite different. It's like a Disney movie going Hitchcock. Had the framing been slightly different, with more foreshadowing of the end, I think it would have worked better. Neither the title nor the cover art actually do justice to the book. It gives the impression the book is going to be flippant and light-hearted.