The Pilot's Wife : A Novel

Rating:
Summary: Betrayal
Review: To me, this book had strong feelings of betrayal in a marriage that is falling apart...Too bad Jack didn't have the guts to tell Kathryn how he felt about her 5 years prior. Would have interesting to see more clear cut motives stated instead of hazy verbiage. However, if you have been in this situation it does pull some strings.

Rating:
Summary: Too easy to predict
Review: I did like this book-it was an easy read and Shreve writes well. Although she tries to keep you guessing, I knew what was going to happen in the end. The book did pull my heart strings a couple of times, though.

Rating:
Summary: My Husband, the Stranger
Review: Our husband, our children, our parents, our best friends--these are people close to our hearts, people we know as we know ourselves, or do we? Is it ever really possible to completely know another person? That question is the theme of The Pilot's Wife. We consider our worlds--the world of those close to our lives--to be sacred, safe, and free from deceipt. When something happens to upset this security, our worlds are thrown askew and the unthinkable questions must be asked. This is what happens when Katherine Lyons opens her door in the early morning hours to find that the shadow that hanga over all pilot's families has descended on her. The shock, the anger and the despair that follow are nothing compared to what the investigation of the plane crash brings to light. In the weeks following the crash Katherine begins to emerge from the depths of grief only to be faced with new information that makes her husband seem to a complete stranger. As the plot unfolds, we share her disbelief and outrage as well as difficulty in accepting the inevitable, and her resolution to try to protect her teenage daughter. This is a book of tragedy and grief but also it is a book of treachery and deceipt. Katherine's world has become unreal, and even those who appear to be there to help her are at last found to be false. If we grieve and find indignation along with Katherine, we may consider examining our own lives for traces of inconsistency and doubt. Certainly if nothing else, we can prove by our own lives that we are to be trusted by those closest to us.

Rating:
Summary: A nice read but lacking depth in important spots
Review: The Pilot's Wife was a nice read and I found it hard to put down. The suspense was well presented but on the whole the book lacked depth. There were many occassions and characters that could have been explored more deeply. I believe that the husband's past had a lot to offer but was never explored. I also believe that the daughter, grandmother and husband's mother could have been presented more fully in particular their relationship to the wife and husband. I almost want to write more myself to produce a more full story - when it ended, I was a bit disappointed that the story wasn't more. But time reading this book is not time wasted.

Rating:
Summary: Great Story...OK Delivery
Review: The story kept my attention enough that I couln't put the book down until Ihad finished. I thought the writer brought the characters out in excellent timing and was able to hold us in suspense about some of their secret personalities. It was lacking depth and could have been slower in the round-up ending. A good read though, overall.

Rating:
Summary: Engrossing....
Review: Anita Shreve truly fascinates me with her skill of bringing her characters to life. This novel will cling to you for days after reading it. Although I don't think this is Shreve's best novel, it truly is an engrossing read...

Rating:
Summary: Painfully slow
Review: I have to agree with the reader from Michigan--take out the needless (and endless) descriptions of the house, the town, the weather, etc. and the book would have been 150 pages shorter in length. I felt like we were still on day one 100 pages into the book. I though the plot was a good one--a woman's husband leading a double life--but the excitement of learning about "the other woman" is quickly lost. We don't know enough about the husband or his marriage to Kathryn to really understand his motive. I also found it very annoying how the story went from present to past. It was not a smooth enough transition to keep the story flowing.

Rating:
Summary: Couldn't put it down
Review: I read many of the reviews on this website after I finished "The Pilot's Wife." I was surprised at so much negativity - but to each his own. I enjoyed the suspense and was unable to put the book down. I wasn't looking for a complicated read, though. If you're concerned about wasting money, then try your local library once in a while. Otherwise, I found it to be a good read and worth the money.

Rating:
Summary: Close, but not quite
Review: The intentions of this book are lost with far too many descriptions and a disappointing end. Not only will the reader be left "hanging" but the very purpose of the book--which I would assume to be an exploration of one's own mate and/or closest relatives- is lost because the disappointment overshadows the real purpose. Take out the endless descriptons of Kathryn's wardrobe and home, and the book is probably 50 pages! It would have been sufficent to describe Kathryn physically at the beginning of the book and lose the rest. I was also sorry that Mattie was sort of cast aside right when I felt we were getting to know her a little better. This book could also use a follow up! I'd recommend it for a long weekend, but be prepared for the disappointment.

Rating:
Summary: Instant Page Turner
Review: This novel depicts our most horrific nightmare- Deceit. What is worse than losing a loved one? I was intrigued after reading the first page, and this continued until the end. Shreve did a perfect job of captivating my emotions with her detailed descriptions of the protagonists feelings and thoughts. The details were so realistic that I could picture the events and characters when I was not even reading. I send this novel a thumbs up; however, at the same time if you are not careful the twists and turns of what Kathryn uncovers can leave you synical about trust and life.