I picked up this book because I adored her writing in the Julie/Julia Project: A Year of Living Dangerously. So I went on amazon to see if she had written anything else, and I was shocked to find Cleaving! A story about an affair she had after the first book was written. I kind of like gossipy things, so I was excited about this book.

But I was rather disappointed. I’ve read a few reviews of the book, and many people cite Julie Powell’s selfishness as the reason for not liking the book. This doesn’t bother me in the least. Everyone has moments in their lives where they act selfish and do the wrong thing, and I can appreciate her openness with sharing this with the world.

For me, the book was wonderful until she started her butcher apprenticeship. Afterwards, there was just page after page describing how to cut a skirt steak or what a sirloin is. I feel like the butchering should have been more of a setting for the book with her life being the focus. If I wanted to know so much about butchering, I would by a butchering for dummies book.

However, when she did talk her affair and her travels I really enjoyed the book. But otherwise, I would skip it.

I just wish it her been mor