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Summary: Classic John Irving, a great book!
Review: A Widow for One Year echoes with genious, John Irving is in top form. I usually prefer historical fiction like "Sarum" or "The Triumph and the Glory", but let's face it, John Irving is John Irving, so I very eagerly buy and read everything he writes. He has honored us once again with a memorable novel, I hope there are many more.
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Summary: Enjoyable, but a bit heavy on descriptions of breasts
Review: I had very mixed feelings while reading this book...at times I couldn't put it down, and during some repetitive segments, I couldn't wait to start reading something else. The continued references to breast shapes and sizes was tiresome. Dispite this all, I am passing my copy on to friends and family, mainly because I enjoyed the first quarter and second half of the book, and found the story and the conclusion very satisfying.
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Summary: IRVING'S BEST SINCE...OWEN MEANY!!!
Review: A big reason why I distrust most critics: When "A Widow For One Year" was released last year, I read a slew of reviews that emphatically praised it as "IRVINGS BEST SINCE THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GARP." This may be a good way to relate this book to inattentive readers who are only familiar with Irving through "Garp" but it also glosses over 20 years of Irving's work, particularly 1989's "A Prayer For Owen Meany" which many of us, myself certainly included, consider to be (one of) the greatest novel(s) ever written. "Widow" isn't quite on the level of "Owen," but it's measures up to, say, "The Hotel New Hapshire" very well.It's a love story, but not really the love story you would expect it to be from the beginning. Or maybe it is. Irving's books, as his fans know, are such complex, twisty things that you never know, when you begin, where you're going to end up 500 pages later, or even 20 pages later. Like many of his previous books, this one has an epic scope (4 decades, 3 countries) but remains focused on personal details. It's these that make "Widow" so memorable. Among the more affecting of these are Marion Cole's poignant fixation with her dead sons, Eddie O'Hare's abiding love for Marion, Ted Cole's horrifying childrens stories, the prostitues daughter and ending, which is sweet and touching. No Irving novel is perfect - he's far too strange and ambitious to write a clean and tidy story - and this one does drift occasionally, but this book is definitly well worth reading.
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Summary: Another Gem from John Irving
Review: I was so surprised by how much I loved this book. It started slowly and I found it very sad, therefore, my enthusiasm to pick it up was low. When I did manage to really sit down with it, though, I literally couldn't put it down. The beauty of "Widow" is that it takes you in directions you never thought you'd end up in. I have to say that my heart broke for Ruth & Ted Cole They were such sad characters. Where someone who was rather pathetic, Eddie O'Hare, really didn't evoke much sympathy from me. Probably because he wasn't a victim, like the other two. Again, though, the beauty of this writer is that Ted & Ruth don't know that they're victims and would never describe themselves that way, therefore, they're not manipulative characters. The only fault that I found with the novel is the character of Hannah. She was not fully developed. Instead, she came across as a stereotype. Why Ruth remained friends with her is unbelievable. Mr. Irving could have spent either more time developing Hannah as a real person or made her not so important to the other characters. Instead, she was used just a device to get one character from one point to another, but not realistically. Again, though, this book is a masterpiece. Kudos to Mr. Irving.
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Summary: Absolutely wonderful! John Irving is one of my Top 10 favs.
Review: I listened to the audio version of 'A Widow for One Year'. It is expertly read by George Guidall. In fact, I liked the reading so much, that I'm in search of ANY audio books read by Mr. Guidall! John Irving is a wonderful author. I recently listened to 'The World According to Garp' and wondered how I could have lived for 31 years without having discovered him before! This book is detailed, funny, sad, surprising and very captivating. You won't be sorry. Mr. Guidall is such a perfect reader of the book, that I wonder if reading the book to myself would have been as enjoyable. You won't be let down if you discover audio books and start with this one!
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Summary: A very captivating, enjoyable novel!
Review: This was my first time reading John Irving, and I enjoyed it immensely! Overall, I found the first third of the book to be the most enjoyable, and I found Eddie O'Hare to be the most endearing and likable character. Irvings gallery of complex characters are colorful mosaics of sadness, comedy, and quirkiness. Ruth Cole is not entirely loveable, which makes her all the more fascinating and believable. A definite page-turner! The only complaint I had was the convenience of the ending. I did, however, apreciate the suggestion that Eddie wrote the script for his and Marion's reunion and final relationship. I never believed that Marion loved him, but I believe she acted the way she knew he wanted her to in the end--partly out of self-preservation, and partly out of payment for his lifetime of devotion.
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Summary: Hated it
Review: This book was stupid, tasteless, and way too long
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Summary: John Irving at his best!
Review: A delicious, engaging read filled with the complex characters and storylines that only John Irving could create. These characters are alive with all their flaws and foibles. A novel worthy of being in the ranks with "Owen Meany" and "Garp". Dive in and enjoy the ride.
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Summary: My favorite Irving book. I LOVED it!
Review: Since I am the 268th person to review this book I won't bother with discussing content. Just know that a John Irving fan likes this one the most of all of his books. And it ends well. Not all of his books give you that.
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Summary: This is a brilliant juxtaposition of humor and tragedy.
Review: Over the summer, while sitting on the beach or in your backyard, I highly recommend John Irving's brilliant juxtaposition of humor and tragedy. His four major characters, a daughter, mother, father and a family friend, whose life is entwined with theirs, are fiction writers. Readers capture glimpses into the authors' books and the ideas that inspired them, as they become embedded into these idiosyncratic characters' lives. You will laugh; you will cry, but you will be hooked as soon as you read the first page.
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