Rating: 
Summary: I love this novel.
Review: I've just finished reading this. I really love this novel. I loved "Garp" and this novel reminds me of "Garp". I am attracted by the pecuriar world created by him. While reading, I felt I was one of the residents of his world. I was very eager to know what would happen next, and at the same time I wanted to go on reading forever wishing it wouldn't end. This is comical, though it has some tragic incidents in it. After reading, I felt life is worth living; with my beloved family. Anyway this is a bargain because you can enjoy various sorts of reading such as a children's story, a detective story and a love story. I'm looking forward to his next novel.
Rating: 
Summary: Not his best work
Review: This book is just OK. I didn't think it was as good as Owen or Hotel NH or Cider House. Different type of book where the lead character, Ruth Cole, is not in more than half of the book. I liked Eddie O'Hare, he was the one person who kept me interested in finishing, even though the ending was much too easy to figure out. The first third of the book was funny, but then it got pretty boring. Still a must read for all John Irving fans, but if you're not hooked on Irving - borrow this one from the library and save your money.
Rating:
Summary: A great read.
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed thi book, especially after it got going. Since all of the characters were writers, the book gives the reader a unique perspective into the issues that they face. The plot is fairly predictable, but it's not out to surprise...it's the believablilty of the characters and their experiences that make this such an enjoyable book.
Rating: 
Summary: DON'T BOTHER
Review: Irving is capable of humor and great writing, but for an author who pompously insists that his own stories be completely planned out before he begins writing, (as if that is the only way to do it) I'd have to say that is exactly what killed this book. The problems here are too numerous to mention, but lets begin with 1) It is entirely too long for the plot. It is as if Irving was mainly concerned with length. 2)The characters are very stiff with few character traits of their own, other than Ted who is portrayed well. 3) The character Hannah serves little function other than to introduce an elecment of rude dialogue into the book, and her fascination with sex seems unrealistic and poorly portrayed. 4)THE CHARACTERS DON'T SEEM TO YEARN FOR ANYTHING. Ruth doesn't even seem to care that her Mother has been gone for "x" number of years. 5)Irving discusses anything and everything in this plot. He goes from teenage sex, to prostitution, to the Netherlands, to prostitution in the Netherlands, to solving a murder, etc. No real sequence of any kind, and, unlike Part I,, it loses all entertainment value as it progresses.
Rating:
Summary: not his best but not bad
Review: okay. this is not "a prayer for owen meany" but what is? this is not "the world according to garp" but not many books are either. what this is is another example of john irving being the pre-eminent author of our time. there are some problems. unlike the aforementioned books, this reeally doesn't have much of an interesting plot. it's hard to care for the characters. but the words are so perfect. what's interesting is that he basically flat out tells you what's going to happen, and then you are shocked when it does. most authors wouldn't have been able to manufacture this plot into an purely enjoyable reading experience.
Rating:
Summary: Zero stars - only because there is no minus category
Review: One of the most poorly written books I have ever read. It is a shame, given the excellent writers who struggle to get their manuscripts read by publishing houses, that a major publishing house would roll over for the name: John Irving. Did any editor read this? Did the author feel any necessity to craft his work? Or did Mr. Irving simply submit his initial rough draft, complete with parenthetical afterthoughts, shrug his shoulders and say, "They'll publish anything I write."
Rating:
Summary: Boring and too long--avoid this book!
Review: I'm a long-time fan of John Irving--loved "Peggy Sneed," "Son of the Circus," ""Garp," etc. However I was very disappointed with "Widow." After 301 long, boring pages I gave up--something I seldom do. The character development is OK but not that interesting. The main problem is lack of a plot and endless words that drag on and on and on. I was disappointed--recommend you avoid this one.
Rating: 
Summary: JOHN IRVING AT HIS (ALMOST) BEST
Review: I can certainly appreciate the negative criticism given to this book. It is not his best, by far. But that is only because he is, arguably, America's most talented writer of the Twentieth Century and that is diffecult to live up to, book after book. Son of the Circus was a let-down. 152 Pound Marriage was enough to make one want to throw themself down onto a pointed object. All the others are absolutely astounding in their character development, tone, humor, juxtaposition of emotional opposites, and overall brilliance. Widow For One Year carries on the Irving self challenge of writing a book which stretches his talent to the point of utter explosion. Implicitly, he has told the reader throughout his career, that THIS BOOK WILL BE LIKE NONE BEFORE. I will be an Indian. I will an orphan. I will be an abortionist. I will live through tragedy. In Widow For One Year Irving decides to be a woman. He pulls it off as only he could. I am proud to be a John Irving fan. He has never disappointed me. Even at his most obscure, morbid, or controversial, he is what literature is all about. I could go on. I will not.
Rating:
Summary: amazing, simply great
Review: It is very hard for me to describe what I felt after I have finished the reading. It was my first book from John Irving and I just can't wait to read another one. A book filled with great thoughts i love even if English is not my native language. Thank you Mr. Irving for making my days so nice.
Rating:
Summary: Worth the effort, but not his best
Review: I find John Irving very readable in general, and believe "Garp" to be his all-time masterpiece and point of reference when reviewing his other works. Taking this into consideration, I might be less critical of "Widow" if someone else had written it. The story lacked the humor that got us through the tragedies in "Garp". Once I got use to the fact that Irving uses a parent's worse nightmare in the plot (the loss of two children in a car accident)and, by a broad definition, pedophilia, then I was able to relax and enjoy the story. As a former resident of Amsterdam, I read nostalgically Irving's description of de Wallen, the police station, that I bicycled by on a regular basis, and the Dutch persona. However, with the exception of Eddie, I didn't find many of the characters very likeable, except for the young Ruth and maybe her first husband, Allan. Although I understood Ted Cole's need to reach outward for female companionship, due to his wife's chronic depression from the loss of her sons, I found his egomania a bit much. I also found Marion's dessertion of Ruth rather unbelieveable. Leaving Ted was expected, but wouldn't a mother who already lost two children be overly protective and cling to the third? In the Amsterdam scene where the prostitute got murdered (this was a point when I put the book down and thought I couldn't read on). I can't believe Ruth would have stood by and watched. Knowing what the store-fronts of the red light district look like (all glass), all she'd have to do was grab the floor lamp mentioned and smash the murderer and the window. Let's not forget what a strong arm she had from playing squash. She was a tough woman and I don't believe this character would have stood by and watched Roije be murdered. But her cop assures her that she did the right thing by freezing in fear(???) This is also perplexing, because she was a material witness to the murder and it was seemingly o.k. that she took off? Also the fact that she got the Dutch for her letter to the police from her young fan (was his name Jan?)in a stoned-out state, without him asking any questions as to what she was doing is also unbelievable. Stoned or not, her translation requests seem very odd and one would think they would be questioned. The character that I hated most was Hannah. Would someone like Ruth really befriend such a person? Would she be forgiven for sleeping with Ted? What about the patheticness of Ted's mistresses? Between Marion, Hannah and Ms. Vaughn, can we view Irving as a sexist? The only thing that says "no" is the patheticness of the male characters, which balances that one out. Plot aside, Irving is a seasoned writer and he knows how to write a story and has a great imagination, although I felt he sometimes went overboard on descriptions that were easily skimmed at no loss to the story. I will continue to read everything Irving writes. The Q & A at the back between author and editor was appreciated and gave insight into the story. Thanks.
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