Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

The Wife by Meg Wolitzer

4 reviews

gwenswoons's review against another edition

funny sad fast-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? Yes

4.0

I enjoyed this a lot. There are elements that didn’t work for me - for some of them I’m not clear whether it hasn’t aged well or if the voice of the narrator is deliberately a little less than enlightened (probably both). The ending felt (for me) too neat and tidy for a book entirely such a totally dysfunctional relationship - a little sped-up and unrealistic somehow, or more specifically not realistic to the world and characters’ lives we were in. But - the writing is brilliant, funny and observant in a rare and amazing way. I will definitely read more, and think about this for a while.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, Sexism, and Death

cosette15's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Infidelity, Misogyny, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Antisemitism and Violence

Minor: Medical content and Suicide

laurao's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.25

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content and Abandonment

Minor: Death, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Gore, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Antisemitism, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexism, Suicide, Stalking, Toxic relationship, and Violence

cbbyles07's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Just finished “The Wife” by Meg Wolitzer.  It’s a beautiful, literary journey through one woman’s life as the wife of a famous author.  It’s also a feministic tale of navigating a male dominated world, in a historically slow-changing landscape toward gender equality.  The writing is delicious and I highly recommend picking this one up if literary fiction is not your usual cup of tea.  It may be the one to change your mind.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Death of parent, and Infidelity

Moderate: Xenophobia, Medical trauma, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Drug use, and Gaslighting

Minor: Suicide, Vomit, Pregnancy, Antisemitism, and War