If You're Not Yet Like Me Paperback – 11 Feb. 2014

“If You’re Not Yet Like Me,” by Edan Lepucki, at 55 pages is either a short novella, or a long short story. If you can’t knock it out in under an hour, reading must not be your thing.The book is a collection of musing by Joellyn, the narrator to her unborn baby. Joellyn is young, lost, and makes poor life decisions. Hopefully her baby will learn from her mother’s mistakes.The narrator, Joellyn, is hardly loveable and difficult to relate to. The other two characters, Dickens and Zachary Haas, are not well developed, but how much can you develop a character in 55 pages.I would only recommend it if you have a spare hour available and absolutely nothing to do for that hour. It’s not a horrible book, but not that great either.

Another case of a brilliant writer publishing something -- I just don't understand why -- that is only mediocre and probably should have been held back and developed much more (or something). I loved her novel California so much that I had it sent to several other friends who are great readers (most of them also writers, like me). I was deeply impressed by her skill in that novel and it went on my "favorites" shelf.And so I ordered this one as soon as I saw it. First, it should have been made more clear that this is a short story published as a tiny pamphlet (not the best decision imho. Then, the story itself is rather juvenile. I wish she had kept it, submitted it to her brilliant imagination, and had the courage and stamina to develop into something surprising and wonderful, more like California. But hey, that's just me.

A novella and a short story, very different in style but both moving and beautifully done. Both a gut punch in different ways. So glad I picked it up.

This is a surprisingly deep story. Beneath the modern self-conscious patter (which works incredibly well!) Lepucki reveals her character -partly through confessions that keep bubbling through, but more importantly through the scenes she shares with us, the subtext inside them.It's a beautiful piece of work, and I look forward her new novel.

Delicious. Driven by sound as much as soul. Funnier than Sedaris, but softly painful, in the way only the most elegant of wits, the most sharply aching of voices, can dissect its own duplicitous actions. Gobble it in a sitting, and then return for a slower, better, second read. I took a random chance on this small gem, and I couldn't be happier.

Not sure what I expected here, but it was more than I got. If this had been a physical book instead of an electronic one, I would have turned it upside down and shook it, hoping some torn out pages would drop out. Just felt like something was missing.

I actually have no idea who decided to publish this "book". It was pointless and so random.

Loved this as a quick book club read - interesting and through provoking.

Fun short read. I was also pregnant when reading it, so it made it that much more fun. I'm going to pass it on to my friend for her baby shower next month!

I read this in prep for a sex scene writing workshop. Loved the narrators honesty, deluded as it was, and her vulnerability. Great novella.

The only complaint I have about this book is that it ended, so soon. Edan, I need more!! Buy it

Quick, good read.

There were some great moments in this book - the writing is honest, clear and engaging.

absolutely hated it. couldnt even finish it.

Horrible!