mattgroot1980's review
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
chrissiemwright's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
New favorite colwin??
gracer's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It was really interesting that this book was a collection of stories, as opposed to a novel. But even though it is the same characters, and about the same thing(s), it really is a collection of stories. You could remove a few, or read just one, and you would get something out of it. They all work as a standalone story. I don't think I've ever read anything quite like this, not in that way.
This was an enjoyable read. It seems like it should have been more depressing, but it wasn't; it was just real. Love and the ways we fall in love can be complicated, or they can be quite simple. Or they can be both. I thought each main character was treated with extraordinary fairness by the author; although they were both behaving badly, and in a way they had every reason to feel guilt for, they were portrayed as very human. I think that's the main thing that I liked about this.
The other thing that I really liked was the way the characters were faulty, and were allowed to be faulty, and were still understandable, if not always likeable. I guess that's sort of the same thing, just in a slightly different way.
Basically, this is probably the sweetest book you could ever read about an extramarital affair.
This was an enjoyable read. It seems like it should have been more depressing, but it wasn't; it was just real. Love and the ways we fall in love can be complicated, or they can be quite simple. Or they can be both. I thought each main character was treated with extraordinary fairness by the author; although they were both behaving badly, and in a way they had every reason to feel guilt for, they were portrayed as very human. I think that's the main thing that I liked about this.
The other thing that I really liked was the way the characters were faulty, and were allowed to be faulty, and were still understandable, if not always likeable. I guess that's sort of the same thing, just in a slightly different way.
Basically, this is probably the sweetest book you could ever read about an extramarital affair.
kittykornerlibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
Laurie Colwin writes so beautifully and portrays her characters in such sensitive yet humorous ways. Even though the main plotline of the book (an extramarital affair) is morally repugnant to me, plus way too Woody Allen, Colwin's writing and characters made me love this book. It's divided into different sections, told from differing points of view, including first person. I just keep thinking back on how beautifully it's told. What a terrific short book.
greensalbet's review
dark
emotional
funny
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is a perfect character study about an unlikely match between elder Frances and young Billy.
Billy is young, rebellious, and happily married to a naturalist husband who is a leading economist in an important Think Tank who she's known since childhood. Billy works as an economic historian, ABD, teaching one class a week. Frances is a former investment banker who submits articles to the same journals as Billy. He is older, materialistic, and married to a dashing interior-designer wife, Vera, who loves to cook and entertain. Frances both appreciates and enjoys coupledom with Vera, though he needs love and admiration from his serial bits on the side.
Disinterest or dislike toward their current partners is not at the root of this affair novel, and that made the book unexpectedly refreshing and lighthearted to this reader.
Frances describes Billie as "a serious, often glum person, who likes to put as little inflection into a sentence as she can." Her clothing is worn and faded, she hates cooking and cleaning, and she is a hard worker who avoids entertaining. She calls Francis, Frank and tells him he is "an old-style heterosexual throwback."
When Frances pushes Billy to admit what she means to him, she objects. "Some people have dogs or kitty cats. You're my pet.... You're my child substitute until I can make up my mind about having a child,"
Billy is young, rebellious, and happily married to a naturalist husband who is a leading economist in an important Think Tank who she's known since childhood. Billy works as an economic historian, ABD, teaching one class a week. Frances is a former investment banker who submits articles to the same journals as Billy. He is older, materialistic, and married to a dashing interior-designer wife, Vera, who loves to cook and entertain. Frances both appreciates and enjoys coupledom with Vera, though he needs love and admiration from his serial bits on the side.
Disinterest or dislike toward their current partners is not at the root of this affair novel, and that made the book unexpectedly refreshing and lighthearted to this reader.
Frances describes Billie as "a serious, often glum person, who likes to put as little inflection into a sentence as she can." Her clothing is worn and faded, she hates cooking and cleaning, and she is a hard worker who avoids entertaining. She calls Francis, Frank and tells him he is "an old-style heterosexual throwback."
When Frances pushes Billy to admit what she means to him, she objects. "Some people have dogs or kitty cats. You're my pet.... You're my child substitute until I can make up my mind about having a child,"
caroparr's review against another edition
4.0
"Isn't this nice. In bed with Frank and Billy." An old favorite that is still funny, sweet, tart, and unexpected. The chapter about her baby's birth brought me to tears.
zanhurley's review
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.25
It was fine. I feel like the overall message could have been sprinkled in a little better.
Spoiler
I think that since it ended with Billy coming to a realization that she is capable of loving more than just one person, we should have been able to hear from Frank about his final thoughts. Maybe it was only fair that we hear from Billy last, since we heard from Frank first, but I wanted to hear from Billy first, too. If it was just her that was going to have an epiphany, I feel like we should have started with her impressions. I liked the bit about her having a baby and not knowing she could feel love like that, but it wasn't very clear that she had a conflict about whether she loves Frank or Grey, thus making the "I loved them all" ending flow better, but rather a conflict regarding the moral ramifications of hers and Frank's affair.noizyhanner's review against another edition
The final half got me. Can’t imagine what Billy and these 130 pages would be without Penny. I enjoyed this mess.
anneacker17's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
drea_readingshelf's review
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
2.0