Then She Found Me

by Elinor Lipman
Read April 2009

Julie told me about a movie called Then She Found Me based on a book by Elinor Lipman. The movie had Helen Hunt and Colin Firth.

I know I had read an Elinor Lipman book before...it was The Inn at Lake Devine, an excellent book. I also read or read part of The Pursuit of Alice Thrift.

The plot of Then She Found Me sounded good. A woman named April Epner is found by her birth mother. April had casually wondered about her "real parents" but had never thought of pursuing their identity. Suddenly, Bernice Graverman comes into her life, claming to be her birth mother. Bernice is a larger than life local tv talk show host. Bernice desperately wants approval and love from April, but she's such a surprise and she's such an exhausting personality, it throws April for a loop.

I really enjoyed this book. I have no desire to see the movie because they changed the plot quite a bit. The character of the meek school librarian is completely different in the movie, apparently, while his character in the book is surprisingly charming.

Bernice's character reminds me of a couple of people I've known - completely exhausting but entertaining. She's exasperating, but for some reason she's someone you keep iniviting in to the house.

I ought to try to read other Elinor Lipman books since I've so enjoyed two of hers so far.

I tried to find the cover of the edition I read. The one pictured is a British edition, I think. I refuse to put the cover that advertises the movie. The movie has very little to do with the book. Elinor Lipman has said that she isn't bothered by the changes in movie and that she was happy with it. I just don't understand why Helen Hunt gave in to the changes made to the story when she crusaded to get the book made into the movie. The story just simply isn't the same at all.