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Summary: John Irving regains his Garp form with A Widow for One Year!
Review: A story of love, obsession, betrayal, and murder awaits the reader of John Irving's latest novel. The author of The World According to Garp (one of the best novels of the latter half of the 20th Century) and The Cider House Rules (an insightful look at abortion and adoption) seemed to have slipped lately. A Son of the Circus, especially, lacked Irving's trademark understated humor. But in "Widow" the author reclaims the blunt narrative, careful character development, and hilarious plot twists that have endeared him to readers.This is very much a story of writers. The protagonist, a woman but nonetheless bearing autobiographical elements, is a novelist as is her mother, and her mother's lover. The father, chief rogue of the piece, writes and illustrates childrens books. In an international romp engendered by book tours, we are treated to sex, prostitution, guilt, and redemption. All the while Irving keeps us guessing as to the ultimate fate of the several chief characters, all of whom are endearing in sundry ways. John Irving has the ability to bring the reader (who may have been laughing out loud a paragraph or two ago) up short. He does so by confronting universal human fears: exposure, loneliness, aging. In A Widow for One Year, this exceptional modern writer shows once again that the "world according to Irving" is a place we all recognize, love, and hate.
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Summary: Really disappointing
Review: John Irving has a nice style, but does he really have anything to say in this book. Maybe I just didn't get it, but I couldn't wait to finish it so I could go read something else. And why are so many of his characters writers?
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Summary: Irving returns to his previous level of excellence
Review: "Widow" is top-notch John Irving, complete with many colorful characters and a complex plot that somehow becomes well-integrated by the time the book ends. I'd rank it slightly below Ciderhouse, equal to Garp, and a notch above Owen Meaney. These comments come from a devoted, but not blind, Irving fan. I was terribly disappointed with A Son of the Circus and Trying to Save Piggy Sneed, and am glad to see he's back on track. Those who complain about his use of coincidence, descriptions of sex, etc., probably have not enjoyed any of his work to date. If you enjoyed Garp, don't miss this one!
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Summary: Absolutely NO stars.
Review: A friend called this book the "perfect crotch novel" for young teenagers.
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Summary: Is this what happens to all writers
Review: I really loved almost everthing Mr. Irving has done but it seems that, like many writers, he has run out of creativity andonly writes about being a writer. Sometimes over and over. I am just tired of writers writing books where the main charaters, in this book it seems like even the pets were writers, are writers. I think it lacks creativity. More bears and less writers!!
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Summary: LOVED IT!!!!!
Review: I began this book with high expectations of John Irving. After reading Garp and Trying to Save Piggy Sneed, I had Mr. Irving up on a literary petestal. He still has not been let down. I read this wonderful novel in 3 days unable to lay it down. I love the way he tells the story, while allowing you as a reader to imagine the details. And in this story there where plenty of details to imagine. You could feel for Eddie, Ruth, Ted and even for Marion. Their struggle with life and death and their hope to find love. When Ted explains to Ruth about the accident I understood Marion and her dession that much more. I was in tears for their loss, not only of the boys but of their loss to be able to love. I will read this again and again over the years I am sure. Way to go John!
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Summary: Funny, tragic, effective
Review: I'd have preferred to have given this book 4-and-a-half-stars.... Irving is among the most effective authors I've ever read - from the outset he drops hints about the ending, and throughout he refers to the characters' past and present; he tells you both what the character does AND what the characters *should* have done. At certain points he foreshadows tragedy but surprises the reader by giving that chapter a happy ending; at other points horror comes out of the blue. But I never felt cheated - instead, I felt like I was being given a glorious ride by a master. I simply couldn't put this book down - one of those wonderful books where you don't notice the hours passing. Many Irving trademarks are here. My favorite: in a book about a network of authors, he drops his own narrative once in a while and gives us the writings of his characters. I won't say more - and I recommend that readers don't read many reviews before they start this book - since one of the pure pleasures of John Irving is letting him reveal - in his inimitable way - the twists, turns, inevitabilites and surprises in his characters' lives. Highly recommended.
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Summary: Will this ever end?
Review: I normally devour novels. This took me from August through February to finish. I finished it out of stubborness and and the fact I purchased the book and did not want to waste $$$. Enough said!
Rating: 
Summary: Hot and cold
Review: I've read many John Irving novels, and I did look forward to this one. He's a great storyteller, and though many of the tales are implausible, hey, that's fiction. The first part, about teenager Eddie and grownup Marion, went on too long, and was tedious. Still, I thought the book was going to be about Eddie, and expect to see more of Eddie as a grownup. The rest of the book takes place 30 years later, and is centered around Ruth, Marion's daughter, and we really don't learn much about Eddie as an adult. I had a hard time switching to Ruth as the central character, and found the book lacks a unifying force. How I read the book says a lot about how I felt about it. I read 100 or 150 pages in a few days, put the book aside, thinking I would not go back to it. Then I'd read more, get into it, and then stop again. Usually, when you're really taken by a novel, you steal every minute you can to read it. I don't regret having read it, but I told my wife, also a John Irving fan, that she wouldn't miss anything if she didn't.
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Summary: He is back and on top form!
Review: How wonderful to have the old John Irving back. I must admit that I was going off the chap a tad. I loved the old stuff especially Hotel New Hampshire, Garp and anything to do with bears. The Circus and Owen Meany totally put me off for a few years. But whoopie! Widow for a Year is my king of John Irving book and he is very welcome back. I would recommend this book with five stars!
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