Orange is the New Black - Piper Kerman

[bookworm_by_night]

So, I must be honest: I decided to read this book simply because of all of the hoop-lah surrounding it. I just wanted to be "in the know" and be able to intelligibly speak about this book when it inevitably came up in social circles. The other reason I decided to read the book was morbid curiosity.

First and foremost, I was very relieved to find that the stereotypical, graphic sexual scenes were left out of the book. What was included was one woman's perspective as she entered the overwhelming new environment that is a prison. It describes her acclimation process when she first arrived - from learning the new language, to learning routine, and survival rules. It grows into her learning to survive on a day to day basis by creating goals and finding accomplishment in routine.

It was interesting book, but nothing overwhelmingly exciting. If you're simply curious like I was... it's worth a read!

[WhynottBlog]

The book is completely different from the series. If you're expecting similarities beyond the main character's first name, you'll be disappointed. It is, however, an intriguing peak into the realities of the female jail experience. I haven't actually finished it yet, but I'm loving the connections I'm making between the real people Piper meets and their fictional counterparts.

[amybo82]

Maybe this is a book I need to give another chance. I remember seeing the title when the book was first released and rolling my eyes because I'd been hearing a lot of "x is the new black." I forgot about the book until the TV show came out and the book shot up to the NYT bestsellers list. I enjoyed the show, so I decided to give the book a go. I got through the first few sections, and I just couldn't take it anymore. I thought Kerman sounded like a whiny brat in the book. To me, she was saying, "Oh, why did this happen to me?" instead of saying, "Why did I do this?" I was just really annoyed with her and her lack of taking responsibility for what she'd done. After reading the reviews here, it sounds like maybe I didn't give the book enough of a chance. I guess I should've kept reading!

[Courtney Whittamore]

Thank you so much for your review! FINALLY someone who agrees with how I feel about the book as well! I had to be in the know about the show when it first hit Netflix as, let's be honest, I might be a Netflix addict, and thought that the premise was original but wished the shock value had been left out from it. When I heard it was based on a book, I immediately picked up the book and was so refreshed and relieved to find it was a truthful account of a woman who has lived a very extraordinary life, and further a life that most people would most likely be ashamed of if they wanted to be successful. I love that this intelligent woman who made a few choices that most wouldn't has found a way to turn around the stigma that once you have a record, you are doomed to work at McDonalds forever. Thank you for this review. And as a book lover, the books is ALWAYS better than the movie.

[nannyluvscmu]

I'm reading this right now and I've got like 4 chapters left. It's very interesting. I like how she includes facts about the penitentiary system, because I didn't know a lot of them. I like her narrative voice.

[Dando]

I love the show!! I would like to read the book too. Of course I know it won't be similar, but the subject matter is very interesting. I have hesitated in reading it thus far because I have heard mixed reviews about the writing.

[Tanaya]

As someone mentioned above, the book is a major departure from the show. The most major surprise to me was her friendships with the other prisoners. On the Netflix series, the prison is portrayed as a very racially segregated and often inimical environment (though that has lightened in the most recent season). But Kerman's personal narrative account tells a story of love, acceptance, and support from both in and outside of her temporary prison home. Despite a mentality of utter despair that would be easy to adopt, these extraordinary women still got up every day, showered, ate, worked, and even managed to laugh. It'd be easy to dwell on the mistakes of their past, but they still had to go on living. Even in prison, one still has control over one's attitude, which determines everything else. To put it simply, I was left inspired.