After the Rice: A Novel

by Wendy French

Megan Ismore's bungalow isn't big enough to house her problems---or her relatives.

Married just ten months, Megan's life with Matt would be grand if it weren't for a fast-growing secret she can't bear to share. As if that weren't enough, she's dealing with Matt's belching Uncle Tony, who is residing on an air mattress in the basement, and her sister Andrea, a roving hippie, who is nesting on their couch. Plus dueling mothers-in-law hell-bent on double-booking the newlyweds, an incontinent terrier, and a randy best friend. As midterm exams are about to begin, Megan's unweaned infant niece (a.k.a. The Pink Tyrant) is left in her care, and there's no time to spare for reexamining her life. Between the demands of her family and a gigantic decision only she and Matt can make, Megan finds herself in a state of marital chaos that she never imagined but must somehow manage.

Genres: Chick Lit, Fiction, Humor

252 pages, Paperback

First published March 21, 2006

About the author

Wendy French was raised in Vancouver, Canada, where she was certain her parents unwittingly cursed her writing career with a happy and stable childhood. In an effort to overcome her unfortunate beginnings, she sought artistic torment at the University of Victoria, but despair eluded her. Hoping for worse luck south of the border, she moved to Oregon with her husband, David, but happiness continued to stalk her, day and night. Finally, she conceded defeat, abandoned her quest for misery, and began writing humorous women's fiction.

Reviews

[Suzy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring. I chuckled maybe once. Not your typical chick lit happy ending story. Skip it.

[Rebekkila · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is not the usual chick lit. A happily married woman finds out she is pregnant and she and her husband don't want children. When she tells her husband they are hoping she has a miscarriage. In the meantime, their home is invaded with relatives needing a place to stay and that lightens things up a bit. I am surprised that I liked the book at all - I love children and this woman's anti-children stance is extreme. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who is pro-life or leads a baby-centric life.

[Gail]

Delightfully funny & poignant.

[Missmcintosh2012gmail.Com · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad

[Helen Geng · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read June 2020

[Evynn Maloney · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.3 ⭐️

I liked the style of the writing. The characters and plot 3/4 of the way in brought my original 3 stars down to 1. The last conversation with a family member brought it back up to 2 stars.

[Jennifer Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been lamenting ever since I got married the lack of novels out there with married charcters. So much of "chick lit" is focused on single girls finding love in big cities but come on- there are other stories out there too. Marriage isn't easy, (and if I ever say it is, you have my permission here to punch me in the face), and it would be nice to read a book that pokes a little fun at the 'institution'. After all, not all girls nearing their thirties are unwed!

Imagine my happiness when I stumbled accross Wendy French's After the Rice and it promised me just what I was hoping for- a story of a newlymarried woman who still has issues to deal with. (Memo to those who are curious: your life does not instantly become perfect once you say "I do".) The story follows Megan Ismore, newly married and freaking out on page one about a possible pregnancy. (Yes... just because one marries does not mean that one wants to become pregnant...) Not only does she have an unwanted pregnancy to weigh on her brain, but a couple house guests from hell, an older sister whose life is falling apart and a family that fights like champions. All of this adds to the stress Megan is facing and it wears thin on her sanity and her marriage.

This book had a few things going for it, a)a Canadian author and the setting that takes place in BC, b)a good sense of humor and c)an issue that faces married couples. (The not wanting a baby thing.) It began interesting but as the story continued... it became repetative. It was like every page the narrator chose to recap all of the insane things happening in her life as if we could not remember from the last page where she mentioned it. Also- there was so much happening in the book that the ending doesn't really resolve any of the issues facing the main character. (As mentioned here before I'm a stickler for an ending or resolution and when the story ends without one- I HATE that.) I wasn't necessarily left wanting more of the same novel... just wanting to know how the issues were resolved.

I was disappointed in this book. It had the potential to be much more than it was. I'm giving it a 5/10- just bedause at least it focused on a new kind of female character, it just didn't expand where I wanted it to.

[Slayermel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I found the characters very easy to relate too, and I actually found that some of them reminded me of people I know. :0)

The story Line was also great, because it dealt with very real situations. Pure pressures family can put on you, as well as differences in life style choices. It was refreshing to read a book that tackled Marriage and children from a different angle.

The book was written by a Canadian so there where a lot of little Canadian references that I enjoyed. The book moves at a very fast pace and I finished it in 2 days because I could not wait to see what was going to happen next to poor Megan, and the other members of her family.

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to read a light book with plenty of humor. Nothing complicated but with a decent plot and good characters. I borrowed this from the library and even though it was free, I feel like I want my money back....well, at least I want the time I spent on this book back. It started off ok but as I read further, I found myself caring less and less for the protagonist and the ending was so anti-climatic that I found myself saying, " Huh??? " Nothing more frustrating than spending time with a book and getting a lackluster ending.

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hated both the main characters - he was so petty and fussbudgety, she was passive-aggressive and mean. And then I hated every character that was introduced after that. Skipped to the end and discovered no growth for any of the characters (some of them even appeared to have become worse people by the time it was all said and done).

And, for the record, I have no problem with what some people might see controversial about this book. I didn't like it because the people were so odious.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was only okay for me. Nothing I'm too crazy about. She's got this unbearable secret she feels is a burden she can't share with her husband and she wants to tell him but she's got all these crazy family members bunking in her house and it's all chaotic. It's funny and makes you grateful you're not her!!

[Judith Yeabsley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I should have known by the cover that this was going to be bad. It was frustratingly silly and I would have given it one star less should I have not read the last paragraph. The author's bravery made me almost glad I finished it and gave her an extra star. Overcooked, one dimensional characters and lack lustre plot.

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this. It was quick, the characters were easy to like & somehow relate to....but the end. It left something to be desired. & NOT for the obvious reasons...or for a political or personal reason. It just all of a sudden ended and it was too complex to just well, end.

[Chelsea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wendy French missed the mark on this book according to me. Part of it was the subject matter. I guess it made me cringe a bit. I did like the characters and her style of writing. I just loved her book Full Of It and thought her other books would be like that one. Nope.

[Danielle · Rating 1 out of 5]

On first glance this looks like it'll be funny since it's about a couple who has been married for a few months. But it wasn't good after all. I only read 30 pages and I wasn't impressed. It was a little boring.

[Sasha · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm not even sure where this book came from, I found it when I was about to get in the bath and should have just given up when it was stressing me out. I didn't like the characters, the story seemed pointless, and the ending was completely ridiculous.

[Venessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall I liked it. I'm still digesting the story so my review will come later.

[Natalie]

funny, a quick and easy read

[butler.tess · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't finish this book so what does that tell you... it wasn't bad just not good enough to keep my attention. I gave it a shot though and read to the middle of it, no go.

[Jill · Rating 1 out of 5]

started out cute but hated the ending

[An · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very light read. I am interested to find out more about the characters and how they turned out.

[Eli · Rating 1 out of 5]

Self-indulgent, selfish heroine.

[Dona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really like this author. She is so sharp and sharky. Read this book with an open mind the ending isn't the way most authors would have ended it.

[Pat · Rating 1 out of 5]

thought this was funny but very disappointed in the ending. don't believe abortion is right ever!

[Sandra Durand · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it. I enjoyed this book very much. The ending left me wondering, though, but I guess it's really up to the reader to decipher it. I want to read more of Wendy French books!
Great read!

[Kim · Rating 1 out of 5]

The online reviews were correct. I was too bored to finish after pg. 30.