The Ivy Chronicles

By: Karen Quinn

Narrated by: Julia Gibson

Fans of New York Times best seller The Nanny Diaries will rejoice in this wickedly hilarious novel, which acclaimed author Katharine Weber says is "much funnier and darker". Optioned for a major motion picture starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, The Ivy Chronicles skewers the twisted priorities of America's well-heeled elite.

Ivy Ames, 40-something mother of two, loses her high-flying job (to downsizing) and her husband (to their neighbor) in the same day. To pay for her daughters' private schooling, she starts a new business helping wealthy Manhattanites get their resume-toting youngsters into the best kindergartens. Soon her clients include media moguls, mob bosses, and a lesbian couple that believes their adopted African-American disabled son is "the triple crown of diversity" who schools will clamor to enroll.

Prepare to laugh uncontrollably, and possibly be a little frightened, by this witty look at our sometimes preposterous society.

©2005 Karen Quinn (P)2005 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"A guilty pleasure worth indulging." (Booklist)

Laughed Out Loud

I loved this book. Not only is the story extremely entertaining (as well as totally ridiculous) but the narrator does an amazing job of interpreting the story. If you are looking for a really fun, light and entertaining listen, this is the book for you.

Darker and funnier.

I've seen this one compared to the Nanny Diaries, but I have to say the Ivy Chronicles is much darker, and funnier. You have to have a slightly twisted sense of humor to enjoy this one, and since I do, it's one of my favorites.

Life is Like a Box of Chocolates

This is a fun story about a woman who is down on her luck and pulls herself up to remake herself. She thought life would be one way and found out that you never know what you're going to get. What I really liked was how real Ivy was. She was not the "perfect" heroine. She was flawed but recognized it. In the end she comes out on top. Not the way she thought she would but on top, nonetheless.

Love it or hate it

There seems to be no middle ground on this book and this reading. I thought it was a stitch but can understand why some were not able to relate to it. It may appeal to women more than men; it also may seem more real if you understand that this competitive world for kindergarden placement truly exists. However, condemning the book because the heroine makes some bad moral choices is taking life and one's reading material too serious. This is fiction, folks, not religion and fiction this reader found very funny.

YES YES YES!!

This is my type of book. Flow perfect, character development perfect. suspense perfect. Not only a multiple listen but my only disappointment is....

There was supposed to be a movie based on this book and YEARS later, it has yet to be released. What happened to the movie? Well in the meantime, it still have my audio-book.

I have listened to this one at least four times.