Three

Rating:
Summary: Erotic and thrilling.
Review: I liked this book, particularly the first two thirds, which sucked me into the story and kept me interested. I found the characters to be quite fascinating... but I kept wondering why the wife allowed herself to go down this obviously perilous road. ... If you do things that are bad for you, don't be surprised when unfortunate consequences follow. ... But anyway, it was quite compelling to watch her go down that road, kind of like the inability to avert your eyes from an accident scene.

My problem with the book surfaced in the last third, when I thought the plot veered off into the completely unbelievable. I was waiting for an explanation as to why the husband did what he did, and why the wife did what she did, but instead the plot took a fantastic turn and I found it disappointing. Kind of like a movie that ends with an incredible but unbelievable final sequence that betrays its more thoughtful beginning and middle.

Ms. Hilden is technically a very gifted writer; obviously she's smart and extremely accomplished in her life. (Her legal columns are very good, too). But what I gleaned from this book and her other book (a memoir entitled "the Bad Daughter") and from her long history of romances with less-than-desirable partners, is that her ego needs some serious TLC!

Nevertheless, the book is good for anybody who wants to read about a person's descent into some very self-destructive behavior. Or for somebody that is into being sexually humiliated; it might make a person think twice about going there.

Rating:
Summary: Jeannine
Review: I liked this book, particularly the first two thirds, which sucked me into the story and kept me interested. I found the characters to be quite fascinating... but I kept wondering why the wife allowed herself to go down this obviously perilous road. ... If you do things that are bad for you, don't be surprised when unfortunate consequences follow. ... But anyway, it was quite compelling to watch her go down that road, kind of like the inability to avert your eyes from an accident scene.

My problem with the book surfaced in the last third, when I thought the plot veered off into the completely unbelievable. I was waiting for an explanation as to why the husband did what he did, and why the wife did what she did, but instead the plot took a fantastic turn and I found it disappointing. Kind of like a movie that ends with an incredible but unbelievable final sequence that betrays its more thoughtful beginning and middle.

Ms. Hilden is technically a very gifted writer; obviously she's smart and extremely accomplished in her life. (Her legal columns are very good, too). But what I gleaned from this book and her other book (a memoir entitled "the Bad Daughter") and from her long history of romances with less-than-desirable partners, is that her ego needs some serious TLC!

Nevertheless, the book is good for anybody who wants to read about a person's descent into some very self-destructive behavior. Or for somebody that is into being sexually humiliated; it might make a person think twice about going there.

Rating:
Summary: Twisted love and obsession...
Review: I usually don't read books like this, but the cover and previous reviews pulled me in.

When Maya meets Ilan, it starts out so innocently. They don't even sleep together right away. Once they start to date, they never leave each other. They move in together, get a job at the same office, and their lives are forever intertwined.

Their lovemaking starts to take many turns, once Maya finds out that Ilan cheated on her. She makes him promise: if they get married, he will be able to sleep with other women, but she always wants to be present when it happens. He agrees.

He brings women into the bedroom, ones that look like like her, and weigh the same. She will have it no other way. The longer this goes on, the more adventurous they become, and the more inventive it is. It even starts to become dangerous.

When a dramatic change enters Maya's life, she meets a mysterious woman that Ilan has picked out for her. This woman knows much about her and tries to be everything that Maya would want, but something is wrong. Will she go on being obsessed about her life with Ilan, or will she let a "new life" come into play?

Part erotica, part mystery, this story also did not fail to make me wonder and make the temperature rise. Disturbing, yet titilating at the same time, I recommend it for late nights alone, or with another. I think I found a new genre that would be interesting to explore.

Rating:
Summary: "If you liked "Nine and a Half Weeks"...
Review: If you liked the movie or book "Nine and a Half Weeks," you'll love "3." Like "Nine," "3" explores the dark side of passion that is revealed when a couple pushes themselves to the limit of pleasure, power, pain, fear, and jealousy. The principal character, Maya, is a fascinating combination of passivity, intelligence, and sensuality. On top of that, the novel was so suspenseful that I read it in two sittings. This book would be a terrific choice for a book group -- there are so many juicy issues to discuss.

Rating:
Summary: "If you liked "Nine and a Half Weeks"...
Review: If you liked the movie or book "Nine and a Half Weeks," you'll love "3." Like "Nine," "3" explores the dark side of passion that is revealed when a couple pushes themselves to the limit of pleasure, power, pain, fear, and jealousy. The principal character, Maya, is a fascinating combination of passivity, intelligence, and sensuality. On top of that, the novel was so suspenseful that I read it in two sittings. This book would be a terrific choice for a book group -- there are so many juicy issues to discuss.

Rating:
Summary: Erotic and thrilling.
Review: If you've ever wanted to read a book about threesomes, this may be it. However, it isn't just fluff and really gets into some dark territory, espcially dealing with issues of infidelity and marriage. I really liked the way the author wrote the first-person narration. Overall, I'd recommend it. If, however, you're looking for something less dark than this read, try "The Other Woman" by Kim Corum, which is pretty light hearted compared to this. But both are very good.

Rating:
Summary: A Post-Modern Flannery O'Connor
Review: Julie Hilden gives us a brilliant 21st-century ghost story, filled with obsession, betrayal, hard-edged social commentary, highly-charged sexual experimentation and (possibly) redemption.

3 is a cautionary tale for those contemporary urbanites who think they can always be in control of their lives. The book reminds us that we contain a depth and complexity of engagement with other people that can surprise and sometimes betray us.

You will not be able to put this book down once you begin reading, so clear an evening and be prepared for a wild ride!

Rating:
Summary: read this book
Review: Julie Hilden's "3" is strange and compelling -- I could not stop reading it, and I found myself thinking about it when I was not reading it. Disturbing and extremely well-written. I recommend it highly.

Rating:
Summary: read this book
Review: Julie Hilden's "3" is strange and compelling -- I could not stop reading it, and I found myself thinking about it when I was not reading it. Disturbing and extremely well-written. I recommend it highly.

Rating:
Summary: THREE is a definite charm!
Review: Julie Hilden's Three is described as a "modern-day Story of O." I will have to agree with the aforementioned comparison. This is one of the darkest stories of love, sex and obsession that I've read in quite a long time!

When Maya discovers Ilan's infidelity, she makes the conscious decision to allow him to engage in all sorts of exploits with other women. However, there's a catch: Maya has to take part of said exploits. The threesomes are as tantalizing as they are disturbing, and Maya is reluctant to admit that she's relished the experiences. But then Ilan becomes intimidated with Maya's thriving journalistic career and the sexual games become dangerous - possibly fatal. The novel's disarming twists give a whole new meaning to the word "threesome." The ending floored me.

Three is a unique and sinister love story. The comparison with Story of O is well deserved. There are elements of S&M in this novel - and said elements are the undertones of the story. Also, the character development is excellent - Ilan and Maya are two of the most interesting characters ever written. This is a drop-everything-you're-doing-and-read-this-in-one-sitting novel. I savored the last pages with gusto because I hated to see it end. After all, erotic/psychological thrillers this good are scarcely written these days. Hilden is a great author and I look forward to reading her other books with utmost anticipation.