Orange is the New Black

Name: Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison
Author: Piper Kerman
Date of publication: April 6th, 2010

Synopsis: With a career, a boyfriend, and a loving family, Piper Kerman barely resembles the reckless young woman who delivered a suitcase of drug money ten years before. But that past has caught up with her. Convicted and sentenced to fifteen months at the infamous federal correctional facility in Danbury, Connecticut, the well-heeled Smith College alumna is now inmate #11187–424—one of the millions of people who disappear “down the rabbit hole” of the American penal system.

This book was a gift... I'd probably wouldn't have gotten it otherwise. I'm not into memoirs, but if I get a book in my hands I read it, no matter the type of book.
OK, so before I start comparing with the only episode of the TV show I've seen... Let me say that I don't understand what the deal is with putting movie/TV show posters on books! Book covers are beautiful and the posters are made for other reasons. Like have you seen the book covers for The Book Thief?!

The book one is wonderful! and the other is nice, yes...but for a movie! (Guess which one I have ¬¬')
My copy of OITNB has the TV show cover and I don't hate it, but I don't feel particularly excited about it. I think it is because the actresses are scary-looking.
Right, I finished my ranting!
The book is interesting. 1. Because it portrays a reality we don't really get to see (and gods I hope I never live through that! :S) and 2. Kerman can write. She might actually be a good novelist, who knows...
The thing is that since I don't know much about that 'life' I couldn't relate very well to it. I enjoyed it, but if you ask me now I've forgotten some of the details (like names and situations... is that bad?)
Also, it might be because of all of the TV and movie influence I have but everything seemed to be very light and happy. Not like I wanted it to be dark and sad and terrible... but I guess it was OK. Now, at the end of the book, in this Q&A, she says that she went through that experience trying to be optimistic about everything. There were some nasty and depressing moments, but (according to her recollection) she was super cool about it. And I wonder if we don't tend to sugarcoat bad experiences we had in the past... I tend to just forget them, but if I were to write my autobiography (gosh, that sounded lame!) I'd probably reduce the amount of bad moments. Because who wants to read about that? Who would want to write about that?
Hmm...thinking about the memoirs I've read, all of them portray this really, REALLY brave person. Is it because only brave/strong people survive? I'm giving myself a headache here!

Is that the reason why I liked it, because I didn't really believe everything? I just thought about it as fiction? Huh, interesting... I read this book back on May, and I just now think about this. It seemed to me that everything went suspiciously well.
Anyway, the TV show. I watched the first episode and I was just grossed out! The book does not have that many sexual moments... and I guess that is why people prefer to watch TV than to read books. Did they really have to be so explicit? Also, it makes me mad when they add things or change things (not only with this, but also with movies-that-were-books-first). For example, she doesn't see Nora until the very end of her year when she goes to declare against the main drug dealer (can't remember his name). Nora is NOT in the same prison as her!!! Ugh!!! That's not what happens in the book!!!!!

I might give the series another chance and see the second episode whenever I have time (which is not gonna be anytime soon...sadly, or luckily, don't know)

Rating: ★★★
Favorite character: Hmm... Piper? No... I think it was her friend/bunkie Natalie (was that her name? I think I should start to worry about my memory :S)
Favorite secondary character: Yeah... I don't really remember the names of all the women who were nice to her while she was in Danbury... and no, I'm not going to say Larry (he seems too good to be true :P)
Favorite part: Obviously when she goes home!!!
Favorite quote: Can I say what the person who gave me the book wrote on the first page? xP
OK, here's my fave quote from what the author wrote: "When you are deep in misery, you reach out to those who can help, people who can understand"
Least favorite character: Nora?? Or that guy she worked for while she was in prison, and she kept trying to change because the other guy was nicer (what is wrong with me, I don't remember any names!!!!) Least favorite part: When she was saying bye to Larry (yeah, I don't really like him, but hey, I still have a heart...or part of it)

From a corner in the library

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