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audiobebop's review
1.0
Wow, what a trash novel. I clearly was not the demographic Updike was writing for. Setting aside the unnecessary racism and homophobia that littered this book, the story itself was lacking.
This book parades itself as feminist but really it's just a man's view of what he thinks feminists want. Sexually liberated women are great but when they're fucking over other women and putting them down for various stupid reasons it defeats the purpose.
This book parades itself as feminist but really it's just a man's view of what he thinks feminists want. Sexually liberated women are great but when they're fucking over other women and putting them down for various stupid reasons it defeats the purpose.
oleandreasen's review
4.0
I am amazed really. It took me 30 years to get through this book.
After seeing the movie, I wanted to read the book. But the beginning of it was SO incredible dreadfully slow and dragging, that I gave up, disgusted - several times.
I have tried through the years and with the same result. But recently I have decided that when I start on a book, I finish the book - and one day I stumbled over the Witches of Eastwick again - and decided to go for it.
This I did - and I have to say, it was a pleasant surprise to get into it. I like the story, and once getting into Updikes way of writing - it became very interesting indeed.
But it has as good as absolutely NOTHING in common with the movie, part from a few names. Nothing what so ever. Not a bad thing though, although I like the movie. Like "The Shining" and "Jaws" both good movies, and very different from the books - it´s okay that the book is different from the movie. Both works.
After seeing the movie, I wanted to read the book. But the beginning of it was SO incredible dreadfully slow and dragging, that I gave up, disgusted - several times.
I have tried through the years and with the same result. But recently I have decided that when I start on a book, I finish the book - and one day I stumbled over the Witches of Eastwick again - and decided to go for it.
This I did - and I have to say, it was a pleasant surprise to get into it. I like the story, and once getting into Updikes way of writing - it became very interesting indeed.
But it has as good as absolutely NOTHING in common with the movie, part from a few names. Nothing what so ever. Not a bad thing though, although I like the movie. Like "The Shining" and "Jaws" both good movies, and very different from the books - it´s okay that the book is different from the movie. Both works.
wilsonkayla's review
2.0
The Witches of Eastwick centers on three divorced witches in a small coastal Rhode Island town who are drawn to a coarse, obnoxious man who buys a historic house in town. There is a loose plot, but it hardly matters.
I’ve seen the movie Witches of Eastwick more times than I can count. It is a fantastic movie. It is sexy, funny, and weird. The book it is based on is none of those things. Such an extremely disappointing reading experience. The novel is mostly boring. This could have been a compelling novella, were it 400 pages shorter. Possibly.
Men writing from the perspective of women is (to me!) often exhausting, infuriating, tedious, and sometimes hilarious. It seems like Updike has never spoken to a woman at length, but has read a lot of 80s Cosmo magazines. I’ve been a woman for quite some time and know several many women and I don’t think any woman has ever thought the thoughts Updike wrote for the female characters in this book. It is truly wild. Did you know any woman over 30 is essentially washed up? Jesus. The way a woman of only 38 is described is…sorry to say wild again, but it is wild! Also…listen, motherhood is different for everyone, but it is difficult for me to imagine three friends, who are all mothers, just…not giving a shit about their kids and having like zero guilt. I think Witches of Eastwick is supposed to be feminist and it just truly isn’t.
There were several times I groaned or sucked my teeth because of racist/homophobic language so just be aware. 1984 was a different time!
Aside from all that, which is already a lot, the plot is largely nonexistent. Just, hardly anything happens. But Updike sure does describe lots of stuff! I just didn’t not care for this book. I kept reading, in the hope that the novel could capture some of the magic of the movie, but it absolutely did not.
I’ve seen the movie Witches of Eastwick more times than I can count. It is a fantastic movie. It is sexy, funny, and weird. The book it is based on is none of those things. Such an extremely disappointing reading experience. The novel is mostly boring. This could have been a compelling novella, were it 400 pages shorter. Possibly.
Men writing from the perspective of women is (to me!) often exhausting, infuriating, tedious, and sometimes hilarious. It seems like Updike has never spoken to a woman at length, but has read a lot of 80s Cosmo magazines. I’ve been a woman for quite some time and know several many women and I don’t think any woman has ever thought the thoughts Updike wrote for the female characters in this book. It is truly wild. Did you know any woman over 30 is essentially washed up? Jesus. The way a woman of only 38 is described is…sorry to say wild again, but it is wild! Also…listen, motherhood is different for everyone, but it is difficult for me to imagine three friends, who are all mothers, just…not giving a shit about their kids and having like zero guilt. I think Witches of Eastwick is supposed to be feminist and it just truly isn’t.
There were several times I groaned or sucked my teeth because of racist/homophobic language so just be aware. 1984 was a different time!
Aside from all that, which is already a lot, the plot is largely nonexistent. Just, hardly anything happens. But Updike sure does describe lots of stuff! I just didn’t not care for this book. I kept reading, in the hope that the novel could capture some of the magic of the movie, but it absolutely did not.
brighroosh's review
4.0
Immediately upon reading I was struck by Updike's writing style. Very descriptive, dive right in without exposition, yet jump to scenes without segues. I initially read things figuratively, apparently missing some conjuring by the witches (disbelief suspended) that i was supposed to take literally - the disposition of their husbands, namely. This was pointed out to me reviewing with my book club friends.
It also dawned on me slowly that they weren't "Samantha of Bewitched TV fame" kind of witches, but rather had some evil tendencies! I had seen the movie years ago and knew there was a revenge aspect to their spells, but some of them went so far as perhaps (?) to have caused some deaths. The details of some deaths also were a little too studied and detailed for me. I have a low "ick" factor.
Some of the diatribes of the various characters went on way too many pages - that of Van Horne's sermon that discussed in detail earthworms, centipedes, and the like. Had to skip that.
But what a map for book club discussion! So much to talk about.
In the end I'm glad to have read it, and ended up feeling like I could never be an author if it meant writing knowledgeably about so many subjects within every paragraph! Ha!
It also dawned on me slowly that they weren't "Samantha of Bewitched TV fame" kind of witches, but rather had some evil tendencies! I had seen the movie years ago and knew there was a revenge aspect to their spells, but some of them went so far as perhaps (?) to have caused some deaths. The details of some deaths also were a little too studied and detailed for me. I have a low "ick" factor.
Some of the diatribes of the various characters went on way too many pages - that of Van Horne's sermon that discussed in detail earthworms, centipedes, and the like. Had to skip that.
But what a map for book club discussion! So much to talk about.
In the end I'm glad to have read it, and ended up feeling like I could never be an author if it meant writing knowledgeably about so many subjects within every paragraph! Ha!
raymond_murphy's review
2.0
This book was written by a man. That's pretty much all I could think as I made my way through it, never able to suspend disbelief as one woman after another said or thought something that seemed completely unbelievable.
It was sexist and shallow and a pretty big disappointment though there were some nice pieces of prose.
Although I found the movie pretty sexist too, it did a better job exploring some of the moral complexities and had a better ending than the book.
It was sexist and shallow and a pretty big disappointment though there were some nice pieces of prose.
Although I found the movie pretty sexist too, it did a better job exploring some of the moral complexities and had a better ending than the book.
faithtrustandpixiedust2008's review
The strange, achingly slow pacing and the exhaustingly self-serious tone eventually led to me losing interest after a promising start.
jvoutsinas's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
lilredkdn's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
nihell's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0