Product Description

Julia and Mark are stuck in a loveless relationship. Julia thinks a baby will help, but perhaps that isn't the answer to her problems. Maeve is totally allergic to commitment - she breaks out in a rash whenever she passes a buggy. A one-night-stand results in an unwanted pregnancy. But just how unwanted is it? Samantha is besotted with her new-born baby. But how is husband Chris coping with his suddenly unavailable wife, and is Samantha's obsession as healthy as it seems?

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #31142 in Books
• Published on: 2002-05-30
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 464 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
To have a baby or not to have a baby, that is the question that's facing Jane Green's heroines in her fifth novel, Babyville. Julia, Maeve and Sam are pondering the pros and cons of procreation; the effect that it could have on their careers, partners and lives.

The novel opens with Julia, a successful TV producer, with her legs straight up in the air, encouraging her boyfriend Mark's sperm to reach their destination. Julia thinks she wants a baby to fill the huge gap that has suddenly appeared in her life. But Mark thinks:

We don't make love anymore. We make babies. And we're failing.

Maeve, who also works in TV, is adamant that she doesn't want a baby or a relationship; she's happy as a single, ambitious, career girl: "The togetherness. The cosiness. That coupledom that is pure anathema to me." But she finds herself pregnant after a one-night stand and finds that her preconceptions turn out to be misconceptions. And finally there is Sam; voluptuously, glowingly pregnant at the beginning of the book, but near the end screaming at her beloved partner Chris: "You haven't been stuck in all day with a screaming baby. You have absolutely no idea what it's like for me." Chris feels "neglected. Abandoned . Unwanted."

Babyville is played out in the present tense, with a staccato style delivery, with beats of humour between the emotional labour. The emotions may be powerful and universal, but the prose style may need a longer fermentation period. --Eithne Farry

Mirror Magazine
'It's ... spot on. Once you pick up Babyville, it's unlikely you'll be able to put it down.'

Hello! Magazine
'This is a warm, lively, wise and distinctly unputdownable novel.'

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Customer Reviews

quite good beach book
As many others have, I've read all of Jane Green's books, & it's become kind of a compulsion to buy every new one coming out. I just finished "Babyville", which I read in just one day: finishing a book in one day is always a good thing!

You all probably know that this book deals with babies: having babies, dreaming about babies, raising babies, bonding with babies, being jealous of other peoples' babies...Through 3 different stories (Julia, Maeve & Sam are the main characters), Jane Green looks at 3 different aspects of the same life-changing experience. All 3 stories are quite good, light, easy reading. I found it quite original that the "baby-issue" was introduced in this "chic-lit" genre, as it's called. I've read countless stories of "boy-meets-girl" so it was a relief to have something a little different to read at the beach.

I won't go into more details, just that in my opinion Maeve's story was the most appealing, since she's a character that I find true to life: independent & funny, & a person that learns a lot through loss of control. Julia I liked less, she seemed unreal & very self-centered. As for Sam, I have to say that her story didn't ring true to me, especially the infatuation part. But I'll let you discover the rest for yourself.

All in all, an easy, fun, quick book, made for summer vacations at the beach.

very enjoyable, well done
I was a bit dubious when I began reading this book as I don't have any children and thought Jane Green and babies? But after reading this book twice, I would highly recommend it to anybody. It's based on three women, Julia Maeve and Sam whose lives are all affected in some way by baby making and each other. I found it hard to warm to Julia, as she seemed to be a misery and definately stuck in a rut trying to have a baby and being unhappy with her partner Mark. She leaves the story early and we move on to Maeve.
Maeve, I could easily identify with and have as a friend, as she comes accross as independent, sassy and fun! She finds herself in the predicament that she falls pregnant totally unexpectantly and have to learn to cope with whatever decision she makes re the future.
The third subject is Sam, whose character I loved. Sam's story starts after she has her baby the wonderful George, who is the apple of his mother's eye, and she is fusses over constantly and makes tonnes of baby food and freezes it in ice cube trays.....(madness!) She finds mothermood so difficult, coping with other mothers, and stays in her pajamas all day. Her husband doesn't understand where his outgoing fun loving wife has gone, and their frustration with each other starts to take it's toll until.... I won'tgo any further but I'd highly recommend this read. I enjoyed how Jane Green gently brushes their three lifes against each other.
If this hasn't convinvce you, here's one last attempt to convert all those who actually have had babies. I watched my best friend reading this who has a two year old, with tears of laugher rolling down her face, and hearing her say, I went through that, or I know how she feels, so it is realistic and to the point.
Well done Jane! Five stars

Best book I've read in ages
I've read all of Jane Green's books and enjoyed them all so when I saw this new one I bought it fast. I wasn't disappointed. It is by far the best she has written and I was sorry to finish it. It was very realistic and reflected different women's feelings and thoughts about having a family extremely well: women who have had children will relate to it, as will those that prefer a career. I could relate to all of the characters in some way and it was just amazing how true to life they all were. I think it showed that life isn't always a bowl of cherries and there are ups and downs in any relationship, sometimes they that can be worked through and sometimes they can't. I don't want to give anything away so I just suggest you go out and read it!