Rating: 
Summary: Connecting Art, Sex and Money With a Feminist Twist
Review: This is a fabulous read, a sexy, smart novel about a woman artist's favorite fantasy - that someone will be so moved by her art that he offers to support her financially and in every other way so that she can create. The man who wants to be her "muse" turns out to be the closest thing to Mr. Right I've seen in fiction (or in real life, for that matter)in a long time...of course, it's a fairy tale, but in Mary Gordon's talented hands, it's also a witty, provocative, erotic and deftly told one. The author has taken some heat from PC fundamentalist feminists who have no sense of humor, but ignore them and enjoy this delicious novel, which would make a great selection for a women's book club.
Rating:
Summary: Witty, fun, intelligent and altogether delightful
Review: This was quite simply the most enjoyable book I've read in years. Don't judge this one by its cover - it's not erotica in the usual sense, but an exploration of art and life with the senses and the intellect. The unconventional narrator tosses off incredibly pithy, occasionally cynical observations on money, fashion, and sex in the provocative tradition of Wilde. Best of all is the insightful portrayal of the artistic process, written about painting but equally identifiable by anyone who writes, sculpts, composes, etc. and finds both pain and ecstasy, fear and pride, in the labor of creation. I highly recommend this novel as a thoroughly entertaining, exuberantly feminist* yarn.*that need not be an oxymoron, folks
Rating: 
Summary: Literary fiction, light
Review: If you like a spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down, just need a break from really heady stuff, or if you normally read romance novels, and you want to try somthing a little more literary, "Spending" is a good pick. Spending is the story of fifty-something Monica Szabo, a good painter who becomes great with the help of "B," her muse, benefactor and lover. The title page describes the novel as a "Utopian Divertimento," but as the first forty pages unfold into a series of sex scenes, it seems the subtitle "Harlequin Romance" may be a more apt description. Fortunately, the story grows in detail and complexity, and Gordon ultimately succeeds in turning Monica into a bold character struggling to play the myriad of roles required by her neurotic life. The characterization of Monica Szabo is an ambitious undertaking, but Gordon renders the character seamlessly as she vacillates between being a mother, artist, feminist, girlfriend and whore. As the story progresses, Monica shares with the reader explicit details of every sexual encounter with B. She also shares her unique take on feminism, which is defined more by curiosity than a sense of unfairness or desire for reparations. "Where are the male muses?" she wonders during a speech to a group of art collectors. When B says, "right here," then goes on to offer to be her financier, lover and model, the door opens wide for a novel filled with Monica's attempts at reconciling her suddenly male role with her female sensibilities. The ability to pull this potentially hokey story together is a testament to Gordon's skill as a writer. Though Spending lacks the impact Gordon's "Final Payments," its treatment of feminism shows an intellectual maturity that Gordon lacked when writing "Company of Women." She also continues to offer often stunning prose and attention to detail that makes the story intimate. Gordon shines particularly in her descriptions of art and the creative process. Monica's interest in art and her discussion of the works of lesser known Masters could easily have made Spending inaccessible to all but the most serious students of art. Instead, Mantenga, Rosso and Sodoma come to life. Similarly, Monica's time with the sketch pad and in the studio draws the reader close when it could disenfranchise. It seems that Gordon must have fairly extensive experience as a painter. Moreover, Gordon avails herself as a master of allusion. Spending is nothing if not incredibly referential, and as Gordon waxes on subjects as diverse as Mapelthorpe and the Tolmec Indians, or fashion and the futures market, she proves herself to be a student of much more than art. While Spending is far from perfect, Gordon's breezy, informed depiction of Monica is so well done that it manages to carry everything else. The end result is a romance novel written by and for literati - perfect for rainy day reverie, though less important and vital than some of Gordon's earlier work.
Rating: 
Summary: A plateful of profiteroles for smart women
Review: I read this is a day -- never forgetting that it's a UTOPIAN tale. SPENDING is a wonderful ode to the middle age fulfillment of appetites -- sexual, gustatory,sensual. Moreover, finally, we find a book that forthrightly accepts the notion that fifty year old, premenopausal women can have great sex. Gordon has written a creampuff of a novel for thinking women. And fortunately, unlike the case of more tepid paeons to midddle age romance like BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, the reader doesn't have to feel ashamed of herself the morning after. ps. Mary. Why didn't you include some of the recipes!
Rating: 
Summary: pretentious
Review: The narrator of this novel is pretentious and annoying. The ending is hackneyed.
Rating:
Summary: Way too long!
Review: Besides the obvious twists and turns, and the definite money-is-no-object basis of the plot, the story is just too darn long. I had the feeling that once into the plot, Mary Gordon didn't know how to end it. It got to be too much. Having said that, I did enjoy reading it.
Rating:
Summary: Like cool nectar on a warm day
Review: Certainly, the back cover draws you in with the suggestion of sex and money and perhaps a little moral corruption. Gordon has a fascinating way of blending some of the best works of art (albeit some unappreciated) into the story without beating you over the head with them. Additionally, she has the ability, reminscent of Pat Conroy, where you can actually see, smell, taste, and touch everything she describes. A great book to take on a trip.
Rating:
Summary: Fabulous view of an artist's eye and the morality of money
Review: I found this book, entertaining and a profoundly moving view of an artist's eye, her passionate need to create work, and the secondary role all else falls to, in these moments. Also, Gordon has the artist confront her struggle with money (and its attendant power). As a poor artist, being "scotch" is a puritan-like ethic, yet the heroine quickly adjusts to vast wealth, feeling she alone can appreciate it without corruption. I found this a great and interesting struggle of money and morality with the beauty of Bruce Chatwin's "Utz" in its portrayal of art.
Rating:
Summary: A Very good read
Review: One of the most readable and yet not dumbed-down modern novels that I have read. I found the protagonist to be very amusing and was extremely impressed by Gordon's writing. In fact, since first reading this book a couple of years ago, I have read most of her other novels and Spending continues to be my favorite with "Men and Angels" a close second place.
Rating:
Summary: Intriguing Book
Review: I am reluctant with most modern fiction to give 5 stars; it's always difficult to predict how well a novel will bear up over time, compared to the classics. However, I'd be inclined to give this a higher rating. I have read it twice and find the depiction of the protagonist intriguing. She is presented warts and all, cranky, demanding, contradictory, hungry, humorous, self effacing and talented. She seems like such a modern heroine, unlike the others in Gordon's typical novels. She is like the women I have known. The book presents her perspective well, showing her vacillating motives and desires. It sets up a great situation and unwinds it in fascinating ways. Yes, it has a pat, all-too-convenient plot development concerning money, but one can see why the author wanted to show a side of the protagonist that might have been difficult to spotlight otherwise. I was reminded of the Erica Jong books I read as a teen, before Jong got so exhibitionistic.
|
