Cause Celeb

After reading the Bridget Jones novels, I couldn't wait to read another Helen Fielding novel. What an incredible surprise! This book does have it's Bridget-esque moments, but I found it to be much more mature and touching than Fielding's later efforts (Cause Celeb was published in '94). People who are wanting a romantic, funny romp like the BJD books will be very surprised. While the book has it's funny moments, I was more moved by Fielding's harrowing descriptions of what Rosie, the workers, and refugees go through. I found Rosie's trip to the capital of the African country horrifying and touching at the same time. As much as I love Bridget Jones, I would have to say that this story is much more engrossing and touching, and I hope that many people check out this well-written first novel by Helen Fielding.

Helen Fielding's debut novel, published recently in the US after the smashing success of Bridget Jones's Diary, is sure to enchant any reader. Rosie Richardson, the heroine of the book, begins life as a typical 20-something Londoner. She works in marketing, and is dating Oliver Marchant, a local television personality and member of the "famous club." However, Rosie's life changes dramatically when she visits an African refugee camp for her job. She finds that she cannot live in London knowing of the poverty she left behind, and changes her life dramatically when she becomes a relief worker in Nambula, Africa.Things in Nambula, however, are certainly far from idyllic. Rosie finds out that even the best of the camp workers retain their everyday insecurities and ideosyncracies, making life difficult at times. Things take a dramatic turn for the worse when a plague of locusts and influx of refugees threatens to tip the camp of refugees into a famine of the kind not seen since images of Ethiopia flooded television screens.Not recieving help from her employer or the governmental agencies, Rosie puts it all on the line and journies back to London in a mad-dash attempt to solicit the help of the famous club. The celebrities journey to Africa, and see some startling contrasts and yet are surprised by some similarities.The way Fielding portrays both the celebrities and the refugees is brilliant. The scenes are all touched with humor, but are bittersweet as they portray a world in need of attention and help. The reader comes to know Rosie, the refugees, and celebrities, and cheer for all of them to meet with success.

I bought this book as I just LOVED the Bridget Jones' books and movie. While it is funny, it does not have all the side-splitting humor of Bridget Jones. It chronicles a period in the life of a 30-something woman named Rosie and her misadventures in love and adventures in life. It tells the story of her rollercoaster relationship with one man while simultaneously telling of her adventure in Africa being a relief aid worker. She ran to Africa to get away from her prior relationship and in turn found meaning in her life and learned a lot about herself and others. While I was not crazy about the ending, (it wasn't bad I just would have liked to have seen something different/more), I really enjoyed this and I recommend it to any woman who would want to read about someone having the same kind of experiences that we can all relate to.

too many people think that this will be like bridget jones' diary. it's not. it's better. my aunt lives in london and brought me this book. i couldn't put it down. the story is not like anything i've ever read. but it is a love story in the truest sense of the word. i have since bought copies as gifts for lots of friends and they have all enjoyed it as much as i did. just don't expect bridget jones and you'll love it.

I absolutely enjoyed this book and just could not put it away. It does have some similarities to 'Bridget Jones's diary', but the changing settings makes this story different and in some ways more interesting.