General Fiction Book Reviews
Mourning Glory by Warren Adler
Kensington Books, August, 2001.Hardcover, 352 pages.
ISBN: 157566898X
Ordering information:
Amazon.com
Things don't look so good for divorced single mother
Grace Sorentino. Recently fired from her low-paying
job at Saks, she is desperate to make enough money
to support her and her rebellious 16-year old
daughter Jackie. When she's finally run out of options, she
decides on a scheme to achieve her goals: she throws
feminism out the window and sets out to snare a wealthy
Jewish widower (Jewish men make the best husbands).
Stalking funerals to find a vulnerable male,
and employing some bizarre (and truly hilarious)
subterfuges, Jackie finally meets the man of her
(avaricious) dreams: Sam. Sam is mourning the death
of his seemingly sainted wife, and the two quickly
become attracted to one another. But Grace hasn't
counted on two things: her actually falling in love with
her mark, and the depths of her daughter Jackie's
obsession with her neo-Nazi boyfriend. Soon, Grace
is up to her perfectly coifed hair in lies and deception, and
her out of control daughter may blow the whole deal.
Mourning Glory is a sexy, darkly funny and witty novel about one woman's search for what's really important in life. Adler merrily skewers the pretensions of the ultra-wealthy Palm Beach society set and America's obsession with material possessions, while offering up a poignant and moving portrait of a quiet underclass of women: those who are upwardly mobile in age and downwardly mobile in income. Grace is a compelling heroine who struggles to maintain her principles and her dignity when her world is falling apart all around her. Grace's daughter, Jackie, a borderline sociopath, is enough to make any parent cringe. And Sam, the widower who has a few secrets himself, is realistically and appealingly drawn. This is an immensely enjoyable novel full of humor, wit and real heart.
The Woman Next Door by Barbara Delinsky
Simon and Schuster, July, 2001.Hardcover, 368 pages.
ISBN: 0743204697
Ordering information:
Amazon.com
In upscale suburban Connecticut, four houses
form a lovely cul-de-sac. Three couples and
one beautiful widow named Gretchen form
the small community. When the virtual shut-in
Gretchen becomes pregnant, it throws
the three marriages into a shambles, as
each wife wonders if her husband could be the
father of the unborn child. Each marriage seems
to be happy, but each couple is dealing with
their own problems. Amanda and Graham O'Leary
are undergoing the rigors of infertility treatments,
which are putting a terrible strain on their marriage.
Karen Cotter has endured her wealthy husband Lee's
numerous infidelities, and is near the breaking point.
And high-powered CEO Georgia can't help but
wonder if her stay at home husband and dad Russ
hasn't found a way to liven up the boredom of
being at home all day long with the kids by having an affair
with their lovely neighbor. When
a crisis erupts at the local high school, events are
brought to a head in the seemingly serene neighborhood
that actually hides a simmering unease and distrust.
No one can get into the psyche of today's woman quite like the talented Barbara Delinsky. In The Woman Next Door, she expertly explores the themes of love, suspicion, betrayal, hope and compassion. The story of Graham and Amanda's struggles to have a child is poignant and moving, without ever disintegrating into sentimentality, and working mothers are sure to empathize with Georgia's struggles to balance a home life with her career. Gretchen, the catalyst for the crisis is an interesting and somewhat mysterious character. But she too has a moving story that is gradually revealed as the suspense mounts towards the end of the book. This is Barbara Delinsky at her finest. Highly recommended.
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