Reviews

Old Girlfriends: Stories by David Updike

jkkraw's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

3.25

yangyvonne's review against another edition

2.0

This is a collection of short stories that all (somewhat) revolve around relationships. Some of the stories are intertwined and involve certain of the same characters. There is a story about a father and his young son who are confronted with racism. Another about a professor who falls for one of his students. Each story is full of emotion and pain-staking detail, yet never goes on too long.

I was not a huge fan of this collection. I'm not big on the short story format to begin with and these odd tales just seemed so random - until the end when you start to see that some are tied to each other, but without consequence or explanation. David (the author) is the son of famous author John Updike, which has to be quite intimidating given his father's success and daunting number of awards. Sure, David went to Harvard and then got a Master's from Columbia, but this book falls short of what you would expect from someone with such a genetic and educational advantage! Plus, he published this in his 50's, not in his 20's. Sadly, David won't match his father's abilities and should just keep teaching English - at Roxbury Community College(?)

sinnylong's review against another edition

3.0

The stories in Old Girlfriends are well-written and intriguing, but there's something almost clinical (if not emotional stilted) about the way in which Updike tells them. It's as if he's commenting on a series of intimate situations, but because he's on the sidelines and doesn't have access to what's truly going on, he just lists items and events, leaving it up to the reader to fill in the feelings. Of course, it's entirely possible this is the intention (to tell stories with familiar themes and characters in a way that suggests a detached emotional core); if that's the case, then the author succeeds. Either way, a solid collection, worth reading on a rainy Sunday afternoon, with tea.

malorie's review

1.0

I received this book for free from the book giveaways on goodreads. Far be it from me to turn my nose up at a free book, but I must say that I would be willing to send this one back if they will take it. :P Updike's stories are an emotionally detached look at relationships exclusively from the perspective of an arrogant and emotionally detached male. For me, there was not really anything relatable for me to hang on to while trying to trudge through this collection. What further annoyed me was that each story contained the same elements: classic cars, men that didn't understand the meaning of the word fidelity, and sex as a primary motivator for a relationship. Not only do zero of these things interest me, but it is written in such a way to cause movement from passive to irate. Seriously, going through each of these stories I felt like I could deconstruct them and come to the same formula for each. If this was the intention, I am afraid that Updike has moved beyond common motif and headed full tilt into cliche.

I think at this point stating this is needless, but I really did not like this book.