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Summary: What can I say! It's wonderful!
Review: I finished this book in 3 days and I loved it. Irving is one of those writers that never lets me down; I've read all of his books and every time a new one is published I buy it even though I know nothing about the plot. And 'Widow' has everything an Irving-novel must have, it really works. It's hilariuos and grotestque, gross and ... simply wonderful. IMO this is definately one of his best books, it's right up there with 'Garp' and 'Son of a Circus'. For any true Irving-fan this is a must read!
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Summary: I agree with your australian reader
Review: Irving has been a favorite of mine for many years and I, too, DEVOUR his work. This book was no exception. It ranks right up there with "Owen Meany". Yes, yes, the last line IS a classic--if you don't skip ahead to it. It's well worth saving to the very last because by then that's all you'll have left of the "Widow for One Year". I also think that the car accident scene may be a good for new (and old) drivers to read. I never thought about turning the wheels myself until then, though I now realize I do it all the time.
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Summary: Stunning Book....Best since Cider House Rules
Review: I am a huge John Irving fan and being a little dissapointed with some of his last books I approached this book witha little trepedation. But is this man back to form or what!! It is wonderful to see a man taking his time with a story and letting his characters grow through the story. The scenes with the prostitute in Amsterdam are both touching and disturbing. WONDERFUL BOOK
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Summary: Moments of Stunning Beauty
Review: What is said of the fictional children's books embedded within Irving's newest novel can also be said of Irving's own style: "You always see what you're supposed to be afraid of; you see it coming, and coming. The problem is, you never see everything that's coming." Once again, as he did so brilliantly in The World According to Garp and A Prayer For Owen Meany, Irving lays before us the lives of Ruth Cole and Eddie O'Hare, touched equally but differently by the tragedy and grief readers expect from Irving. But for his devoted fans, and the reader "alert enough to notice," Irving also captures those familiar moments of stunning beauty "when time does stop." As the novel draws to a quietly satisfying close, Eddie O'Hare says, "There's something so moving about someone's whole life." He may well be articulating Irving's own passion and purpose for writing.
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Summary: John Irving's latest: Going mainstream in his old age?!
Review: I may have read every word published by John Irving, and I am an old fashioned reader who loves him dearly, so I settled into bed a few days ago with great joy to have A Widow For One Year in my hands. By the end of Part One, I tried to sell the book. I hated it, and I wanted my money back. But, as usual, with Irving, it pays to hang in there cause the man delivers.This has to be the book he always wanted to write. He's put himself smack into the literary tradition of the grownups and tough guys, Mailer and Spillane and others whom I had never guessed Irving emulated. Heroines with great breasts drink single malt whiskey in the company of good cops. We get to visit the finest hotels in New York and Paris. We witness a crime in a brothel in Amsterdam. Details are important. Details are actually what the book is about. He's proven he doesn't only know how to do huge sweeping neurotic tales, the man knows how to handle everyday normal details with the best of them. That's his point, here, folks. Note the picture hook on the splendid cover. At first I begrudged him the beautifully published edition of the book, thinking he had sold out, that his story would be a disappointment to all his fans. But don't worry, it's still our quirky (though much less so)Irving through and through, delivering an apologia of sorts, a book so directed at the women Irving knows so well, that I wonder truly what woman wrote certain chapters for him. (His wife?)(Could a man REALLY have done this alone? Or has he turned into a Micheneresque team- writer?) Or has Irving tricked us again, able to parody the macho story line while dishing out baroque chum to us ladies out here, hey, there's even an attractive 58 year old man in love, really in love, with a 76 year old woman. And this is no Garp! Irving's acting serious now. He's addressing many of his readers' apparent questions to him through the years, with an attitude of "O.K.,O.K.,after this, guys, leave me alone! They're just books, for god's sake") At least at first glance he's serious. This COULD be his funniest book yet, but he's serious, in a mysterious sort of way. There's just a hint of apology and hmmm...maybe even some remorse about what some people may have suffered by being fodder for his books. Is he kidding? Could we ever know? You should definitely not put the book on the block after Part One. His craft is as good as gold. His words hold, his details gel. It's pure Irving, and he dresses up nice.
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Summary: Still a hopeful (less certain) fan.
Review: I found this novel to be very disappointing. After struggling with "A Son of the Circus" (and, finally, giving up after 100 pages), I was eager to read "Widow." While I did finish the book, it was not a page turner. I've read the other reviews at this website and, while fellow disappointed fans pretty much covered the flaws in "Widow," I noticed that no one mentioned one blatant message that I could not escape (though I tried to deny it): Mr. Irving does not like women. I had heard about a review that called Mr. Irving a misogonist, and I regretfully agree with that description. I will think carefully before tackling a new Irving novel in the future. For now, I too will re-read "Owen Meany" -- by far Mr. Irving's greatest novel.
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Summary: I hope to finish this someday...
Review: I overheard someone saying they were late for a dinner because they could not tear temselves away from this book. I have been working my way thorugh this for three weeks now, and am only 2/3 of the way (I usually read at least one book a week). Granted, it is long. TOO long. I just cannot bring myself to care about the characters, or Ruth's breasts. I want to give up, but feel like I may be just getting to the good part - sort of like with "She's Come Undone".
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Summary: My Kind of Irving
Review: Not since Garp have I enjoyed an Irving novel so much! Naturally, it's completely unbelievable, the characters could never exist in real life, and while reading it I believed every word of it. It's as if you want it to be true--even the horrible parts. (Ted Cole's "children's" books were another story. I can't imagine introducing my kids to any character so terrifying as moleman. It's especially bad that he turns out to be real!) Although the book jacket calls her "not entirely likeable", I think Ruth is completely and totally likeable--also strong and courageous. Her attack on her last bad boyfriend fulfilled a fantasy for me--and probably scores of other women, whether they'd admit it or not. The only thing I had trouble forgiving her for was watching Rooie get murdered; I thought that was out of character, but certainly necessary to the novel. How else would she have met Harry, and of course, he knew she did the right thing. Hannah was a little hard to take as well. Why would anyone be her friend? I'll just have to trust Irving that she had some redeeming qualities I missed... In the matter of book jacket pictures, it was amusing that Irving didn't take his own advice about what to do with his arms. I also didn't like the fact he looked twenty years older than on his Garp book jacket. I was forced to conclude I probably do too. A very pleasurable read!
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Summary: More of a Character Study than a Rollicking Adventure
Review: Every time Irving publishes a novel I devour it almost immediately - and devour is the word, I feast on the words and imagery and stories. I experience emotions when I read Irving, mainly joy and happiness (at heart he is a humorist) and a sense of wonder that he writes so well. This time though I felt more. The reason? This is not his usual 'lifetime that is an adventure' story, rather, it is a character study. Not a lot happens, but a lot is revealed about the characters, their motivations, their feelings, their actions, their lives. The last line of the book (the weight of which which will be lost if you skip straight to it - well done Mr I) made me want to cry - out of ha[ppiness, sadness and joy, as well as a trepidation that I did not want this book to end.
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Summary: John Irving needs an editor badly
Review: If you think back to Garp and earlier novels and compare them to his most recent novels you get the notion that Irving has lost all sense of editorial constraint. Yes, there are some mildly amusing monents but they are few and far between. I used to wait eagerly for a new Irving novel and I had high hopes for this new one. I fear he has lost his muse and is just writing on technique with noheart to back it up. John- reread Cider House andOwen Meany. Maybe you can find your way back byhome. Try writing a 300 page novel next time andleave out all the filler. I think I'll go reread Owen meany.
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