Rating: 
Summary: Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered
Review: When I finally got around to reading the novel the movie *CLAIMS* to be based on I was at first confused and then utterly delighted. The book is far more interesting, with more believable characters, a plot that actually seems to make sense, and is an honest and often, disgusting look at life in a small puritanical town. The witches have nothing in common with one another aside from their witchery, their lack of husbands, and their own art related station in life. Alexandra, blonde and overweight, Jane with dark hair and a mannish figure and Sukie, a brazen redhead (The characters were horribly changed in the movie version) are not the nice, fascinating, sympathetic characters played by Cher, Susan Sarandon, and Michelle Pfeiffer in the movie version. There is rampant disregard for human, animal, or plant life. The witches, each a feminist in her own right, are their most vicious toward other women. They are disgustingly homophobic, seeing the few gay characters as competition. Updike definitely has issues with sexuality. Alex and Sukie dancing naked together to Janis Joplin, bemoaning the curse of heterosexuality that keeps them apart???? Uhm...okay! But I do love this book. The witches, though not nice ladies, are merely showing an accurate portrayal of many women of their time. And Daryl Van Horne running away with the son of Felicia and Clyde in the end...is priceless!
Rating:
Summary: Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered
Review: When I finally got around to reading the novel the movie *CLAIMS* to be based on I was at first confused and then utterly delighted. The book is far more interesting, with more believable characters, a plot that actually seems to make sense, and is an honest and often, disgusting look at life in a small puritanical town. The witches have nothing in common with one another aside from their witchery, their lack of husbands, and their own art related station in life. Alexandra, blonde and overweight, Jane with dark hair and a mannish figure and Sukie, a brazen redhead (The characters were horribly changed in the movie version) are not the nice, fascinating, sympathetic characters played by Cher, Susan Sarandon, and Michelle Pfeiffer in the movie version. There is rampant disregard for human, animal, or plant life. The witches, each a feminist in her own right, are their most vicious toward other women. They are disgustingly homophobic, seeing the few gay characters as competition. Updike definitely has issues with sexuality. Alex and Sukie dancing naked together to Janis Joplin, bemoaning the curse of heterosexuality that keeps them apart???? Uhm...okay! But I do love this book. The witches, though not nice ladies, are merely showing an accurate portrayal of many women of their time. And Daryl Van Horne running away with the son of Felicia and Clyde in the end...is priceless!
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