aanna's review against another edition
2.0
You know those guys who always say they are feminists, but really they're not? That's the vibe I got from this book. Updike tried, but not hard enough. Another reviewer said he seems to view women like an anthropologist studying an alien race, and I find that very accurate. He writes from three women's perspectives, and they are pretty complex and interesting characters, but it's ultimately very male gaze and extremely centered on their bodies, mostly about motherhood and marriage like nothing else matters. The women are petty and gossipy and always on the phone and always talking and thinking about men, y'know how women are. I would say it's annoying that all the characters are unlikable, but it's not that -- I love plenty of books and movies with all terrible characters -- there's just this gap in understanding. Also Updike kept touching on homosexuality without really going there, which made it weird and uncomfortable. This book probably made more sense to people who lived through the 70s and 80s, but it doesn't carry over. I liked the take on witchcraft to a degree; it was almost interestingly feminist then didn't quite pan out, because everything is really about men. There are ways the book could have ended to make it more redeemable, but it went in the worst way. I did like the prose and character development to a degree, plus some thoughts on witchcraft, hence the two instead of one stars.
kateriehl's review against another edition
The detail-ery is too much. My guy, what are we talking about!
hannahrehman's review against another edition
2.0
The book was not what I initially expected and left me disappointed. In my opinion, the characters and plot were loosely developed and lacked depth. The main characters were extremely shallow and had little to no morals, which at times made reading difficult. The last part of the novel was the most enjoyable and had a bit of a redemption arc, but it was not enough to make up for the majority of the book.
willablue's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
bbboeken's review against another edition
2.0
Misschien heb ik de film te veel gezien, of misschien was het gewoon mijn ding niet. Dit boek kon mij echt niet boeien. Raar, want het had nochtans alles van het tegendeel weg.
thereadingmum's review against another edition
3.5
Kate Reading delivers it in a American suburbian tone that gives this quite diabolical tale an interesting flavour, which I think is what Updike was going for?
In any case, I enjoyed it overall and felt it was a good attempt by a man of addressing the issue of women coming into their own once they've shed their male dependency. Yet it is also a man who comes between the women of this story and subverts their powers into evil that ultimately backfires on him or does it?
Some think this is the opposite of female empowerment because of the character of Daryl Van Horne coming between the three women, but I disagree. His betrayal serves to show them their faults and brought out their vindictiveness, but in the end, they made their own choices.
The eroticism was muted somewhat by the reading so I sometimes didn't even realise it was there. This also worked in its favour IMO as the sexuality is given a purpose instead of being sex for its own sake.
This is one of those books I know will be very different from the movie because it would be impossible to capture the right tone and I can already tell Hollywood has bastadised it. Though I love Jack Nicholson and all the actresses in it and think they would have portrayed the characters perfectly, if the story had been maintained. In any case I will still try and watch it.
In any case, I enjoyed it overall and felt it was a good attempt by a man of addressing the issue of women coming into their own once they've shed their male dependency. Yet it is also a man who comes between the women of this story and subverts their powers into evil that ultimately backfires on him or does it?
Some think this is the opposite of female empowerment because of the character of Daryl Van Horne coming between the three women, but I disagree. His betrayal serves to show them their faults and brought out their vindictiveness, but in the end, they made their own choices.
The eroticism was muted somewhat by the reading so I sometimes didn't even realise it was there. This also worked in its favour IMO as the sexuality is given a purpose instead of being sex for its own sake.
This is one of those books I know will be very different from the movie because it would be impossible to capture the right tone and I can already tell Hollywood has bastadised it. Though I love Jack Nicholson and all the actresses in it and think they would have portrayed the characters perfectly, if the story had been maintained. In any case I will still try and watch it.
golddust95662's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Too long winded
gwenhwyfar82's review against another edition
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25