Elizabeth is in her mid-30’s, newly divorced and fresh off a breakup with a long-term boyfriend. She’s a successful travel writer, so she decides to take a yearlong adventure around the world to recoup and discover who she is without these men. The result is Elizabeth eating her way through Italy, praying through India, and loving through Bali. She discovers amazing friendships, develops spiritual discipline, and falls in love with herself, and then the man of her dreams.
Elizabeth Gilbert’s memoir Eat Pray Love dominated the New York Times Best Seller list for months after it’s 2006 release. It was later adapted into the 2010 film of the same name starring Julia Roberts. While the majority of the plot and dialogue remained the same between the book and film, several scenes were altered for the movie adaptation, leaving this book with fresh surprises for those who may have watched the movie first. Broken into three sections, Gilbert delivers a memoir full of short chapters giving a glimpse into scenes from her year abroad while discovering herself. This is really a story of personal growth, spiritual awakening, and learning to love yourself.
I give Eat Pray Love 4 out of 5 stars. I have adored this movie since I first watched it and have always wanted to follow in Gilbert’s footsteps. However, the writing in this book left me feeling as though something was missing or could be improved in general. There were vivid descriptions and Gilbert managed to bring each location to life in her writing, but a few of the characters could have been better developed. Although, I could be comparing the written characters to their movie counterparts which were better developed overall. With that said, I feel as though the readers obtain more details about Elizabeth’s life and garner a more accurate depiction of her interpersonal struggles which makes her character less ditzy and more well-rounded.
If you enjoyed the movie, I would definitely suggest reading the book as well. This would make a wonderful book club read with so much to unpack. With topics of sex, eating disorders, and alternative medicine, this book would be best directed to more mature audiences over 13. I’d also caution this book for readers who have been in emotionally manipulative relationships or experienced difficulties with any organized religion.
I chose Eat Pray Love for the Read With Lindsey Reading Challenge prompt “set in India”. While only one third of the book is actually set in the country, so much of her spiritual journey and self-awaking happen here, so it felt right. If you’re looking for books fully set in India, check out the weekly agenda post for some other great ideas!
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What I’m Reading
- Current print book: Gung Ho!, Ken Blanchard & Sheldon Bowles
- Current audio book: All the Bright Places, Jennifer Nevin
- Book I’m most looking forward to: The Bridges of Madison County, Robert James Waller
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