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The Ivy Chronicles

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About this listen

 A Richard and Judy Summer Read Selection.
Fans of New York Times best seller The Nanny Diaries will rejoice in this wickedly hilarious novel, which acclaimed author Katharine Weber says is "much funnier and darker". Optioned for a major motion picture starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, The Ivy Chronicles skewers the twisted priorities of America's well-heeled elite.

Ivy Ames, 40-something mother of two, loses her high-flying job (to downsizing) and her husband (to their neighbor) in the same day. To pay for her daughters' private schooling, she starts a new business helping wealthy Manhattanites get their resume-toting youngsters into the best kindergartens. Soon her clients include media moguls, mob bosses, and a lesbian couple that believes their adopted African-American disabled son is "the triple crown of diversity" who schools will clamor to enroll.

Prepare to laugh uncontrollably, and possibly be a little frightened, by this witty look at our sometimes preposterous society.

Click here to see all the titles in our Radio & TV Book Clubs collection.©2005 Karen Quinn (P)2005 Recorded Books, LLC Literature & Fiction Satire Women's Fiction Witty Funny

Critic reviews

"A guilty pleasure worth indulging." ( Booklist)
All stars
Most relevant
This is good fun and well plotted. The central character is likeable. Elsewhere I read a review where the reviewer criticised the narrator's voice - I did not mind it at all and it is the right voice for the story but perhaps listen to a sample.

Very entertaining

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annoyingly whiny tale of life in NY when you fall from the glamour of the Upper East side to life in the middle.

Not my cup of tea

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Was so looking forward to this - but narrator is unlistenable to. I shall have to read it instead - cannot get past the narration. Ignore the star rating on the story - I wasn’t able to listen to enough to judge. Lesson learnt - listen to sample first!!!

Big miss

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I found some of the character descriptions offensive rather than funny, it felt like cheap shots badly written rather than comedic

Off the mark

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