Rating: 
Summary: So-so
Review: I call myself an Anita Shreve fan, but have yet to read a book that I wasn't left feeling empty. And this book was not an exception.The professional reviews make the tale of a woman left widowed by her commerical airline pilot husband sound much more intriguing than it really is. Yes, this is a story of a woman's self-discovery. Yes, it deals with issues of adultery and protecting her children from the truth of her husband's treachery. It COULD be a fascinating story. And what of the man that tells her the news of her husband's death? He spent numerous days hanging around her house to help her through her ordeal. She obviously grows attached to him... but this is not pursued. Often in situations of severe grief, one looks to physical love for comfort. I turned every page waiting for what never came. I'm not looking for a steamy romance, but there was so much lead-in... I was let down. The title character, the pilot's wife, is much too passive about the whole situation. She did not go through any grief stages... shock, anger, numbness, etc. I wanted to "hear" her YELLING at how angry she was that her husband was killed. I wanted her to breakdown when she learned that her husband was cheating on her. Instead, she goes through the book like an ice queen, without much more open emotion than a few tears shed here and there. And then I turn to Oprah. Why is this book on your list? I have been disappointed with many of her picks that I've read, including this one. I think Oprah wants to choose books that tackle major issues for women... which she does. But I don't think this one does enough to describe the emotions upon discovering adultery. Although I cannot name one, I know there are more powerful books out there. To sum: I was disappointed with this book perhaps because it was built up to me by the reviews. But I admit that I read every page to the end so it wasn't the most horrible book ever.
Rating:
Summary: The Pilot's Wife
Review: I felt that this book was a rollercoaster ride with some good dips and sharp turns, yet it ended kind of flat. Overall, it was a good read, a good weekend beach book that goes quickly. I would recommend this book to many, but do not rate it among my favorites of all time. However, Shreve caught my interest and I will read some of her other works.
Rating: 
Summary: A thought provoking novel!!!
Review: I got this novel for my birthday & my mom read it first & told me she loved it but I didn't get around to reading it because i didn't think it would be too great.I really liked Fortune's Rocks. I found The Pilot's wife to be an excellent novel.I would have given it 5 stars but it took a while to get good. Like 130 pages--because that was more of Katherine's mourning process.It had a wonderful plot & the characters were well developed--I loved realizing what went through Katherine's head. There was so much emotion & the events kept me up well into the night with my little rerading light. I would recommend this as a great read or gift.Two thumbs up!!!
Rating:
Summary: Good, entertaining read
Review: This was my first book by Anita Shreve, and I enjoyed her writing style. It seems like the first 50 or 60 pages take place over a couple of days, which I thought was impressive for an author to make work. The author does a good job of describing the loss one would feel in the main character's situation. The story does make you think that sometimes you may not know a person like you think you do.. which is a little creepy! Overall, a good read.
Rating: 
Summary: Superb writing overcomes straightforward plot.
Review: If you're looking for an adventure plot, this is not your book. But if you want to read a well-realized psychological drama rendered in some of the best contemporary WRITING in the English language, read this book! Deliberately sparse vocabulary graces intense imagery -- and the first heliocentric sunrise scene in literature. Superbly well done.
Rating:
Summary: Anita Shreve shares a story of grief and loss...
Review: with her readers, and the result is a richly textured portrait of a widow who copes with the emotions of the loss for her and for her daughter, while revisiting the life that was led. In reviewing the past romance of Kathryn and Jack, and the course of their marriage, Shreve slips slices of the history in as chapters among those devoted to the present. It is a good way for the reader to begin to question the man who was her husband, seeing the inconsistencies in his life and in their relationship through her eyes. The mystery of why the plane that Jack was flying crashed is a simple one, but it keeps bringing you back to the book quickly, whenever you put it down. Kathryn's characterization is strong, as is Robert's, the agent assigned to help protect her when the incident occurs. The remaining characters in the book are drawn in a more shallow fashion. You will like "The Pilot's Wife", even if you find yourself able to predict the outcome, and can use it to meet Anita Shreve, a perceptive voice in today's fiction.
Rating:
Summary: Moving story of mystery, character & strength
Review: Although this book is sad in the beginning, I felt an immediate identification with the protanganist, and watched her strength grow as she dealt with the mystery of her husband's plane crash and unknown secrets. The character grows through her grief, and by the time the book ends you feel like you've grown to know a good friend. I bought this book for weekend reading, but I had to finish it in one night!
Rating:
Summary: Average
Review: This book was good enough to finish, but disappointing after the description from my neighbor. The main female character was unimpressive and flat.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting
Review: The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreve was a very interesting book. The storyline was intriguing, and kept me wanting more. It was one of those books that you do not want to end. It is about a woman who's husband is killed in a plane crash, and after he dies, she finds out about his secret life.
Shreve is a very detailed writer. I like the passion with which she writes, as if she herself were in the character's shoes. When the pilot's wife, Kathryn found out he had died, I thought that needed to be slightly more dramatic though. Other than that, I enjoyed it very much. The plot kept taking unexpected turns, for example, when Kathryn found out about Muire, her husband's other wife.
The Pilot's Wife is worth reading. It is a good piece of fiction. I would recommend it for women, it was not one many men would enjoy. I was thoroughly pleased with my book selection.
Rating:
Summary: An easy, entertaining read
Review: I took another reviewer's advice and read this book on vacation. It kept my interest and it was a fast read. I thought that the character development in the first part of the book was excellent, even though the plot was predictable. However, the end of the book was somewhat anti-climactic. There was this huge buildup and then it all kind of got summarized in a perfunctory conclusion. If you don't want to get bogged down in a complicated novel, but you want an easy, entertaining read (like on vacation), then give this book a chance.
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