Marry Me

Rating:
Summary: The perils of marriage
Review: A story of the trials and tribulations of two middle-class married couples, told in minute detail by Updike.

I should have thought that this novel would be of interest primarily to readers who are themselves either married or in a close relationship, perhaps as a cautionary tale. It's interest to single people (ie like me) might be less, or thinking about it, might be again as a cautionary tale - but this time as a warning of the perils of marriage!

I found that the book was well-written (Updike is a skilled novelist) but the characters lacked real passion and even anger, given the problems they were confronting. I refected that perhaps that might have been part of the message Updike intended to impart: that infidelity and deceit are an integral part of the modern marital experience, to be expected and dealt with as such. If so, it's a pretty depressing message.

Rating:
Summary: Updike is the Expert of American Soul
Review: An expert of marriage institute, exploring the deepest fears, anxieties. Very painful but necessary catarsis reading. Loved Updike from the very first book of stories I have read for his sad, thought-provoking writing, because the world is not like in a commercial, bright and beautiful, it is dark, sometimes ugly and painful. Interesting to see the USA: America where marriage is ideologically the center, but it is crashing under the cover of neat two-storey houses. "Marry Me" is a very Updike book that should be read for us to see our sufferings put in precise words.

Rating:
Summary: I hope this isn't typical Updike
Review: The only Updike I've read, and what a struggle. A book where nothing happens. there's a car crash. That's the big excitement of the book. The characters are totally incapable of making a decision, and when they almost make a decision they can't stick with it. After that happens about the sixth time, I started feeling really cynical toward this book. And then Updike proceeds to analyze his characters to death, pontificating about life, love and everything in between, only it has no relevence to the so-called story or to the characters who don't act in any way as the author describes. Fact is they don't act at all.

I'd rather read a book where the character act, even if its rashly, even it gets them into trouble -- I don't want to read a book with a bunch of whiny, spoiled, middle-class cowards.

The writing ranges from ponderous to lyrical, but the story is flat. What good is a decent writing style when its applied to such trash? I hope this was an experiment on Updike's part, and not typical of his work. I'm not too enthusastic to try another of his books any time soon.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful dialogue
Review: This is my second Updike novel and I loved it. The story is typically Updike, with adulterous themes and enchanting prose. It's a story about a man struggling to decide which of two women in his life will make him happiest. One of the women is his wife, the other is his married neighbor. The characters are strong people who at times seem deeply moved by their circumstances, and at other times surprisingly passe. Updike is great at making the reader feel what the characters feel. I was angry, guilty, hurt and amused throughout this novel. I recommend this book highly