Rating: 
Summary: Begged to borrow it--then returned it unread--tiresome book
Review: The stilted language was unbearable. The pace was horrific. I am a big Shreve fan, but this was a disappointment. I read the first 50 or so pages, skimmed the end. On the bright side, I guess Shreve does a very convincing old man!
Rating: 
Summary: this book was not what i was expecting
Review: i expected bigger lies and bigger deciet but it just wasn't that. i mean the guy was wrong for not letter her have the house.
Rating: 
Summary: The obsession with love!
Review: What a read this book will be for those who decide to pick it up. Nicolas Van Tassel stumbles, in a tragic fire, upon a woman whom he finds himself completely consummed with. Suddenly his entire purpose in life is to have her, marry her, and if possible, win her love back.Is this possible? Can someone fall in love with you simply because you love them? Can decidng to 'settle' on marrying someone really be a pay off in the end? And what about women, not only of hte early 1900's , but of today also- who find themselves absolutely consumed in their family and home- what is their freedom in life? And finally, what is 'crossing the line', when you yearn for the one you love to be near you..... These questions are all so complex, and this novel will push you to the end of exploring these questions. A deeply moving yet very subtle novel. Very light on dialogue, this story consists more of Van Tassel and his obsession filled thoughts, his needs and desires, and how they rule his life. I was a bit stunned on his final admission of freeedom from this obsession and the only way he reaches it.
Not a fast paced novel, but defintely deep and emotional..... through VanTassel's point of view you only pity him and his warped view of love. This is a book that will keep you thinking and discussing long into the night..... a good book for people who love to read!
Rating: 
Summary: A Very Good Read
Review: Anita Shreve is very readable. She writes this novel as her others - with intelligence, and a penetrating look into the human heart and motivations. Like some of the other reviewers, I agree that this one may be a little short on story but it is written as a "memoir" from the husband's perspective in a 3-day train ride. So the reality of that would not lend itself to a War and Peace type of novel. If you enjoy Anita Shreve, you will like this book a lot. So far my favorite is Fortune's Rocks.
Rating: 
Summary: All He Ever Wanted - Outstanding
Review: Couldn't put it down. Evoked so many conflicting emotions. So well written and thought provoking. I really enjoyed this book.
Highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: So slow I never even finished
Review: I absolutely loved The Pilots Wife...couldn't put it down til I finished. This book I put down way before I finished it! It just counldn't capture my interest it was so slow and boring.
I won't give up on reading other books she has written since The Pilots Wife was so good, hopefully her others are just as good.
Just one little amazing fact...this great author lives just a few miles down the road from me and never heard of her until Oprah Winfrey featured her and The Pilots Wife.
Rating:
Summary: Long on human behavior short on plot
Review: Wow did I ever love Shreve's "Fortune's Rocks", "Sea Glass" and "The Pilot's Wife", but this one took a turn somewhere into less than a page turner. Her description of how Etna and Van Tassel meet after a fire is riveting and charming. The unraveling of their relationship that never really was as told by Van Tassel is uncomfortable as intended but not as compelling as the description of their initial connections.
There are moments of genius in the way Shreve works Van Tassel's unlikeable character into the book. I think though that because he's so despicable I projected that dislike of him into the my overall opinion. This book is good no doubt - but not really enough to rise to the level of some of her best I'm afraid.
Rating:
Summary: GOOD ...........but slow
Review: This book started off very very slow. I kept reading and did find it hard to put down but at the same time found myself getting bored at times. Still...a good story but many unresolved issues in the end.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting.
Review: Even though the book interested me at first, I became more than just a bit depressed halfway through the narrative. Even so, I found that I was unable to lay the book down, feeling compelled to complete the story. Although I was dissatisfied with the eventual outcome, the ending still managed to ring true. Indeed, love and jealously were wondrously pitted within the makeup of one individual. The result was disastrous, as can only be expected. If you read this book to feel 'good' about life, marriage and family, then consider picking another novel. However, if you wish to experience life - the good with the bad - the pretty with the ugly, then the character study within this book is well worth the effort.
Rating:
Summary: too much missing
Review: Though I liked the writing, too much was left unresolved. (Don't read further if you've not read the book). We never learn the details of Etna's relationship with Samuel (either prior to marrying or after). I expected some big revelation that would help define Etna, but alas, it never came...only Nicholas' imagining what happened between Etna and Samuel's family. Also, Etna's final act was not in character...she loved her children so, yet was willing to abandon them? Given her previous acts, and her obvious love for her children, this did not make sense. Another disconnect-if Etna viewed her husband as a "monster," why would she ever leave her children with him? Too many holes to be satisfying.
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