The Deep End

Rating:
Summary: The cover is deceiving
Review: As far as Joy Fielding's novels go, this one was a real bummer. It seems as though she didn't have her writing talents honed back when she did 'The Deep End'

The language changes from present tense to past tense and all the way back again, with no good reason that I can find. There are lots of painfully obvious statements put in brackets, which is more than mildly irritating. But I am not an English teacher, so let's talk about the story itself!!

It is vaguely interesting, but not half as engaging as the likes of "Kiss Mommy Goodbye" or "See Jane Run." There is not lots of stuff happening here, unlike the two aforementioned gems.

Towards the end you become quite curious as to who the "Suburban Strangler" is, and when you find out, you may be surprised, but surely you will be disappointed by the ending, as everything is fixed up and put back to normal way too quickly and easily.

I haven't given up on you yet though, Joy. I just hope the next one I read is a lot better than this passable, but quite average attempt.

Rating:
Summary: The Deep (and Disappointing) End
Review: As far as Joy Fielding's novels go, this one was a real bummer. It seems as though she didn't have her writing talents honed back when she did 'The Deep End'

The language changes from present tense to past tense and all the way back again, with no good reason that I can find. There are lots of painfully obvious statements put in brackets, which is more than mildly irritating. But I am not an English teacher, so let's talk about the story itself!!

It is vaguely interesting, but not half as engaging as the likes of "Kiss Mommy Goodbye" or "See Jane Run." There is not lots of stuff happening here, unlike the two aforementioned gems.

Towards the end you become quite curious as to who the "Suburban Strangler" is, and when you find out, you may be surprised, but surely you will be disappointed by the ending, as everything is fixed up and put back to normal way too quickly and easily.

I haven't given up on you yet though, Joy. I just hope the next one I read is a lot better than this passable, but quite average attempt.

Rating:
Summary: Did I read the same book?
Review: I am shocked at the other reviews for this book, there was nothing scary about it! It moves much too slow with little or no action. It is more about the lead character, Joanne, and her relationship with her husband and her best friend. The phone calls are only a very small part of the story. The only reason not to read this book with the lights off is so you don't fall asleep!

Rating:
Summary: Keeps you guessing to the end!
Review: I really enjoyed this story about Joanne, a stay-at-home mom who is devastated when her husband decides to leave her "to find himself". It was interesting watching her change from being a doormat to her husband, her two daughters, and her best friend from high school; all of whom take advantage of her in there own ways. On top of having to deal with these people who she dearly loves but who treat her like crap, she has to put up with some maniac making threatening phone calls telling her he's going to kill her. Everyone assures her she's making a mountain out of a molehole and question her sanity. They also unkindly suggest that she may be making the whole thing up! As the book progresses we see Joanne change from everybody's favorite whipping girl into an assertive, attractive, don't walk all over me anymore kind of girl. I was kept guessing until the end about who her stalker was and enjoyed every minute of this book.

Rating:
Summary: Keeps you guessing to the end!
Review: I really enjoyed this story about Joanne, a stay-at-home mom who is devastated when her husband decides to leave her "to find himself". It was interesting watching her change from being a doormat to her husband, her two daughters, and her best friend from high school; all of whom take advantage of her in there own ways. On top of having to deal with these people who she dearly loves but who treat her like crap, she has to put up with some maniac making threatening phone calls telling her he's going to kill her. Everyone assures her she's making a mountain out of a molehole and question her sanity. They also unkindly suggest that she may be making the whole thing up! As the book progresses we see Joanne change from everybody's favorite whipping girl into an assertive, attractive, don't walk all over me anymore kind of girl. I was kept guessing until the end about who her stalker was and enjoyed every minute of this book.

Rating:
Summary: A Great Read-A+! Fielding Does it Again!
Review: I really have enjoyed all of Joy Fielding's books, and this is one of the older ones I really had fun reading!!

Joanne, the main character of the story is a housewife raising 2 girls. She and her husband Paul have temporarily separated, and Joanne would like nothing more than to get back together again.

Along with everything else though, is these scary obscene phone calls that Joanne has been getting over and over again. This caller keeps telling her to read the morning paper, page 13, where a woman was cut to pieces. As the calls go on, Joanne is terrified, but nobody believes her. The last person to believe Joanne is her best friend Eve, who lives next door and has her own set of problems it seems. Eve is battling many different types of ailments that the doctors don't know what it is. And as time goes along further, Eve gets to acting a little stranger each and every day.

Joanne begins to wonder what is really going on with her best friend, and tries to put what is really going on together between the phone calls, and Eve's strange actions. What she discovers might be surprising, but she may be fighting for her life.

Rating:
Summary: Not much of a splash but entertaining
Review: Joy Fielding's DEEP END won't create a splash in the literary world, but it is an intriguing story that's hard to put down. Heroine Joanne Hunter struggles to put her life back in order. Her husband has left her, her best friend is strangely distant, her beloved grandfather is dying in a nursing home. It's not the best time in her life.

The book begins "The phone is ringing." Therein lies the problem: A series of phone calls, each more threatening than the last. Joanne, already emotionally drained, becomes increasingly distraught. Will she go off the deep end? "The only thing that prevented people from being happy twenty-four hours a day, Joanne thought with a sharp cackle, was life."

Fielding has written many books, among them THE BEST OF FRIENDS and KISS MOMMY GOODBYE. Her strong point is plotting -- she constructs plots meticulously, inexorably. She "shows" a story well. Characterization is believable, but not outstanding. This is a book for suspense fans, or fans of Ms. Fielding. I was astonished by the ending.

Rating:
Summary: The cover is deceiving
Review: This book was OK but it is more about Joanne's relationships with her husband, daughters and best friend Eve. The phone calls from the person who wants to kill her is a small part of the story. There is very little suspense in this book. And it is far from scary!! If you like a book about how women cope with the breakup of a marriage this book is for you, if you want a thrilling, suspenseful book then forget it! You'll be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: A Decent Book
Review: This was a good summer-read/beach book. It's great if you're looking for something completely unrealistic and a touch melo-dramatic. I'll admit that I was completely hooked to the end, but then, Fielding always has that effect on me. Once reaching the end, however, I felt a little bit let down. I suppose I was hoping for something a little more powerful.