Rating: 
Summary: so vulnerable
Review: Vulnerable and tender, as painful to read as watching a wreck in slow-motion. I read it all in one sitting, unable to turn away as Kathryn's life exploded - not all at once - but in a series of bursts and knife-thrusts. In drenching rain with her heart aching and numb with shock and hurt, I thought at least the worst is over, but it wasn't.
It seemed her life was so together, so meaningful and complete, her husband and daughter and house so lovely that she was insulated from the baser human frailties; greed, deception, callousness, unfaithfullness. Then her life burst like a soap-bubble.
This was the first I've read by Anita Shreve, it was given to me by chance, but I will seek out others to read.
Rating:
Summary: Thrilling!
Review: I loved this book - I thought the author did a great job of combining both suspense and emotion to make a book that I literally could not put down until it was finished. This book has something for everyone - a very human side but also a very mysterious side. I have not read any other Anita Shreve books but I can promise you I will - the Pilot's Wife has sold me!!!
Rating: 
Summary: A flyin' fig? Yes, do give.
Review: A haunting book who's scenes I still see at times. Not too heavy in details so as to bog things down, but just right. Coffee cups, bathrobes and unmade beds become talismen of the tale.In real life, I doubt the fait accompli of the pilot would fly for long. "The Policeman's Wife", "The Salesmen's Wife"; not quite the same ring to it. And, in print, there's some measure of sympathy for all 3 adults and what is assumed to be their visions of circumstance.--Laurel825
Rating: 
Summary: Don't bother
Review: A friend gave me this book, upon throwing it away. Now I know why. The writing is average; and the subject matter is too "womanly." I'm not knocking books about women by women, but this ain't no "God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy. There is something very tedious about the protagonist in this book. One reviewer said this book was like a movie off of Lifetime. That can't be good. Another reviewer said that the most interesting character in this book is the husband, and he's dead! I nearly fell off my chair laughing!
Rating:
Summary: Engaging
Review: I found this book in a second hand store and thought it might be interesting, so I bought it. Wise choice on my part! From the first page, the reader is drawn into the plot that carries forward at a very fast pace. I really couldn't put this book down. Kathryn's journey from shock, to grief, to realization is believable and definitely readable. I felt for her as she met each new turn the plane crash brought her way. I especially loved the way Robert Hart was written. He did his job, but with compassion. I felt for him as he tried to balance the need to do his job with the need to be empathetic and caring. An absolutely wonderful and engaging book!
Rating:
Summary: You can feel the love!
Review: I LOVE this book. I listened to the unabridged, audio version in less then a day! Ms. Shreve is a wonderful writer. She uses flashbacks to develop the characters of Kathryn and Jack (the pilot). And even though they have little physical contact, you can feel the love that exists between two of the characters.
Rating: 
Summary: Too Predictable...Poor Style
Review: The premise of the book - love and betrayal - had my interest throughout the novel. However, the character development was poorly carried out after a good start. It seemed that the plot lost its steam with a very very long and tedious set-up. But I kept reading through the end to find that there weren't any twists or further psychological developments...on top of that there was a cheesy new relationship being developed that I felt was only to appease the stupider readers who couldn't handle an ending that left the woman - whom we are supposed to view as gaining emotional strength throughout her ordeal - single. I think I need to pick up a real novel (e.g. Thomas Hardy) next time. These modern best-sellers are painful.
Rating:
Summary: surprise ending, good emotion
Review: i liked the story, the progression and the book had a great ending - totally not what I expected when i read the first chapter.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing At Best
Review: I was very disappointed with this book. I picked it up at a used book sale solely based upon the fact it was a past selection from Oprah's Book Club. The characters were so weakly painted and shallowly portrayed the only ones I was more than vaguely interested in were Jack's children, Jack and Kathryn's daughter and Kathryn's grandmother. In fact, I found it amusing that one of the readers on this page referred to Kathryn as a stay-at-home wife when she was a music teacher at the local high school... her job is mentioned several times throughout the book.... Though the way the book reads I am not surprised he didn't pick up on it! The story was predictable except for a couple surprises which were so jarring they annoyed me more than anything else. From the first chapter I could have fast forwarded to the end with amazing accuracy. I did read it quickly, mostly because I wanted to get to the end AND there was no intriguing, interesting or poetic writing or character development to get in the pathway of my journey through the 291 pages. The only reason the book gets 2 stars from me is because it did compel me to keep reading.... If only to confirm my prophetic view of the story.....which I managed quite efficiently.
Rating:
Summary: Largely Fascinating
Review: Within an instant, Kathryn Lyon's normal life is forever changed. When the news comes that her pilot husband, Jack, and those on board his plane have died in a mysterious crash, Kathryn is numb with shock and disbelief. Comforted only by her grandmother, daughter, and airline investigator Robert Hart, she is totally unaware of the horrible circumstances that surround her husband's death. But as Kathryn tries to find out more about the death of her husband, she cannot help but be pulled deeper and deeper into a mystery that forces her to realize that she never knew her husband at all. If nothing else, Anita Shreve has penned a compelling and "tightly written" mystery. Her excellent writing just makes a person want to read one more page, and her revelations of Kathryn's character are fascinating and well timed. She skillfully includes flashbacks that reveal scenes from Jack and Kathryn's former life, filling these flashbacks with subtle clues to Jack's personality and deep insights that enhance the book. Not many other writers could fill a book with virtually nothing but the musings of a grieving woman, but Shreve could. With intelligence and fascinating detail she develops her main character, providing excellent passages of description and knowing exactly how to craft a mystery. However, I was somehow a little disappointed at the end of this book. Suspense was built so superbly somehow the book's resolution seemed inadequate. The final "revelations" were somewhat unremarkable, and the book seemed to "drift" away instead of coming to a strong finish. Furthermore, Jack's motivations for doing what he did were rather unexplained, vague, and unconvincing. Basically, it's a shame that the book didn't finish as faultlessly as it began. Despite a somewhat weak ending, I'm still giving "The Pilot's Wife" four stars. Anita Shreve's writing style is superb, her mystery entices even non-mystery lovers like myself, and her main character is fascinating. Best of all, the book serves as an enlightening exploration of the question, "How well can you really know anyone?"
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