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ajmarrs's review
4.0
Rich and thoughtful, this novel gives you a lot to chew on about marriage - from engagement through decades shared together. It was slowly paced, but each of the 4 narratives had fully fleshed out storylines to make up for it. I also always appreciate a clean and well-executed tie-in, when all narratives eventually converge. This one felt organic, yet made me smile with its cleverness.
dozylocal's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars
The common thread is diamonds and diamond propaganda (and that in itself was interesting). There are four different stories told in alternate chapters, which makes the first part a little confusing. In fact, at one point I wondered whether it was actually a book of short stories, but when I got to page 101, I was relieved to discover it wasn't. Perhaps for this reason, because in a way it felt like reading four books simultaneously, it took me a while to get into it, but I thoroughly enjoyed it in the end. I also loved her descriptions of Paris - even though I've never been. Made me want to visit it some day.
The common thread is diamonds and diamond propaganda (and that in itself was interesting). There are four different stories told in alternate chapters, which makes the first part a little confusing. In fact, at one point I wondered whether it was actually a book of short stories, but when I got to page 101, I was relieved to discover it wasn't. Perhaps for this reason, because in a way it felt like reading four books simultaneously, it took me a while to get into it, but I thoroughly enjoyed it in the end. I also loved her descriptions of Paris - even though I've never been. Made me want to visit it some day.
karenleagermain's review against another edition
4.0
I received a copy of J. Courtney Sullivan's The Engagement for my 36th birthday and in a case of excellent timing, I became engaged just a few weeks later!
Unfortunately, The Engagements was also a victim with regard to timing. I started the novel prior to heading to the UK for six weeks. I read 3/4 of the book before my trip, but didn't take it with me, because I didn't have room for a giant hardback. It's frustrating to take a long gap when reading a book, as it creates a loss of momentum. I also forgot some of the characters and plot points. Luckily the book was so enjoyable, that I managed to get back in the swing of it within a chapter, although I felt the way I read it was an injustice to the book.
Sullivan's novel is broad, with several story arcs taking place in different eras. The common theme is engagement rings. The first chapter introduces us to Mary Frances Gererty, the real-life copywriter who coined the phrase "A Diamond is Forever" for De Beers in 1947. Sullivan does a clever thing by using chapters involving Gererty as bridges to link the chapters with her fictional characters. Make sure to read the afterward regarding Gererty.
Each character arc set in a different era is a short story in it's own right. They could exist independent of the story as a whole. Sullivan writes of a married French woman who runs off to America with her lover, a paramedic who makes a bad choice when getting his wife a new ring, a family torn up over their son's divorce and a woman struggling with the concept of weddings in light of a very lavish wedding of her gay cousin. Each story stands on it's own, but Sullivan cleverly ties them together in the final chapters.
Sullivan has created characters with strong personalities. In particular, I really liked the moral dilemmas presented in the chapter about the paramedic who is struggling to make ends meet. His story is intense and gut wrenching. I also liked the story of Delphine, a woman trying to adjust to living in a new country while wracked with guilt over cheating on her husband. Delphine is a richly developed character with a strong backstory.
I finished reading The Engagements and was left feeling eager to read Sullivan's other novels. If Sullivan's other novels are as good as The Engagements, I think that she will be a strong voice in modern fiction.
Like my review? Check out my blog!
Unfortunately, The Engagements was also a victim with regard to timing. I started the novel prior to heading to the UK for six weeks. I read 3/4 of the book before my trip, but didn't take it with me, because I didn't have room for a giant hardback. It's frustrating to take a long gap when reading a book, as it creates a loss of momentum. I also forgot some of the characters and plot points. Luckily the book was so enjoyable, that I managed to get back in the swing of it within a chapter, although I felt the way I read it was an injustice to the book.
Sullivan's novel is broad, with several story arcs taking place in different eras. The common theme is engagement rings. The first chapter introduces us to Mary Frances Gererty, the real-life copywriter who coined the phrase "A Diamond is Forever" for De Beers in 1947. Sullivan does a clever thing by using chapters involving Gererty as bridges to link the chapters with her fictional characters. Make sure to read the afterward regarding Gererty.
Each character arc set in a different era is a short story in it's own right. They could exist independent of the story as a whole. Sullivan writes of a married French woman who runs off to America with her lover, a paramedic who makes a bad choice when getting his wife a new ring, a family torn up over their son's divorce and a woman struggling with the concept of weddings in light of a very lavish wedding of her gay cousin. Each story stands on it's own, but Sullivan cleverly ties them together in the final chapters.
Sullivan has created characters with strong personalities. In particular, I really liked the moral dilemmas presented in the chapter about the paramedic who is struggling to make ends meet. His story is intense and gut wrenching. I also liked the story of Delphine, a woman trying to adjust to living in a new country while wracked with guilt over cheating on her husband. Delphine is a richly developed character with a strong backstory.
I finished reading The Engagements and was left feeling eager to read Sullivan's other novels. If Sullivan's other novels are as good as The Engagements, I think that she will be a strong voice in modern fiction.
Like my review? Check out my blog!
meghan_aine's review against another edition
2.0
I liked this book better after learning that the Frances Gerehty/DeBeers plot was well researched and based on history, but that same meticulous recording of each decade's social movements, French culture, etc was also what got on my nerves. I liked Maine a lot better; this was good but overdid it on the history lessons. Also, Delphine was ridiculous and her chapters were endless.
k_cavacini's review against another edition
4.0
This was a really interesting read. I really enjoy how Sullivan writes each chapter from a different character's perspective and in this book the characters spanned decades. It was also really interesting to read about the De Beers advertising and how they changed the perspective of engagements and diamonds in America.
kateuslan's review against another edition
3.0
Liked it enough to keep reading but wasn't blown away.
jenhern920's review against another edition
4.0
I thought this was a really unique story about many different characters and how their stories are interwoven. It gives a lot of history of the diamond and it's rise in popularity as a symbol for getting engaged. I enjoyed it!!
fwlichstein's review against another edition
2.0
Sigh. That was a waste of time. The only character I enjoyed was Frances Gerety, who worked on the De Beers campaign we all know. I would read an entire book just about her.
The rest of the book seemed to follow the principle plot device of explaining every single thought and idea with no edits. I don't need that much moralizing and I honestly don't understand why this has gotten so many rave reviews. And here's a thought, how about we stop romanticizing rings and weddings and actually focus on the foundation of what makes a marriage. Or better yet, keep focusing on characters like Frances who find their self-worth outside normative female roles (wife and mother).
The rest of the book seemed to follow the principle plot device of explaining every single thought and idea with no edits. I don't need that much moralizing and I honestly don't understand why this has gotten so many rave reviews. And here's a thought, how about we stop romanticizing rings and weddings and actually focus on the foundation of what makes a marriage. Or better yet, keep focusing on characters like Frances who find their self-worth outside normative female roles (wife and mother).
themadmadmadeline's review against another edition
4.0
Sullivan's BEST. Amazing. I couldn't put it down. I could see how somebody could write this one off as a "bathtub read" but this book has some serious substance. As a Sullivan fan, The Engagements is my favorite of hers. Beautiful look at the many meanings behind an engagement ring.
arielle17's review against another edition
4.0
The Engagements is a great book - it was a quick read, but very enjoyable. I figured out the connection early on, but that didn't ruin the story for me (and I did fall for what I think was a purposeful red herring, and was sort of pleased to still be surprised at the end). I wish we had spent more time with some of the characters - mostly with Kate and James. Evelyn and Delphine's stories felt finished, but I wanted to know more about what happened to Kate, Dan and Ava, and fill in a bit more of the time between James' chapters and when we saw him again.