Book Review – Heartburn by Nora Ephron

Heartburn follows the story of Rachel, a mother of one expecting her second child, who has recently discovered that her husband is in love with another woman. Rachel has a love of cooking and is the author of many cook books, and this is reflected in the number of recipes that are interspersed within the pages of the book. I was not inclined to try the recipes, but it was an unusual and welcome addition to the book.

The book has some amusing anecdotes, especially relating to Rachel’s Jewish background. It also includes some sharp insights with regards to the infidelity, such as:

“I think I was so entranced with being a couple that I didn’t even notice that the person I thought I was a couple with thought he was a couple with someone else.”

Rachel

It was an easy and quick read, being just over 100 pages. Aside from that I did not find Heartburn that enjoyable. There were a few funny moments that raised a smile, but no laugh-out-loud moments. I didn’t find Rachel a very engaging character and none of the other characters were very sympathetic either. The story felt a bit flat to me, like a body missing a heart.

Perhaps someone with a more cynical worldview might like it a bit more, perhaps the humour was a bit too dry for me to enjoy fully. I think someone who has had a similar experience to Rachel might have been able to resonate with her more. I’m not sure.

Have you ever read Heartburn by Nora Ephron?