What do you think?
Rate this book
Ritrovarsi a Manhattan
Claire è consapevole che il destino a volte percorre strade inaspettate. Eppure non avrebbe mai immaginato di ricevere un'eredità così bizzarra: completare l'ultimo libro su cui stava lavorando suo marito, uno dei più famosi sessuologi americani. E ora Claire non sa da che parte cominciare. Perché è abituata a scrivere brevi articoli, ma un romanzo è un'altra cosa. Perché ritrovarsi vedova a trent'anni a New York è un'impresa tutt'altro che semplice. Ci sono regole non scritte a cui non si può sfuggire. Tutti intorno a lei sembrano non aspettare altro che darle consigli su come comportarsi, su cosa fare o non fare, chi frequentare e chi evitare. Il galateo dell'alta società di Manhattan prevede fasi ben precise per chi ha perso il marito: osservare il lutto per il tempo giusto, ma non negarsi alla vita sociale; rimanere fedeli al ricordo dell'amore passato, ma conoscere nuovi uomini. Bisogna far fronte alla solitudine, assecondare gli amici, ascoltare i consigli di un terapista, anzi, meglio due, consultare una botanista, innamorarsi di un moderno cantastorie, se necessario... E poi c'è sempre quel libro da terminare, e anche qui una regola infallibile non c'è. Tra sorprese, colpi di scena, storie strampalate e tradimenti, Claire si accorge che, forse, quella che stringe tra le mani è la sua seconda occasione. Di iniziare di nuovo, di essere felice. Perché a volte bisogna solo spiccare il volo, senza voltarsi indietro.
Ritrovarsi a Manhattan è un romanzo d'esordio che ha cominciato a far parlare di sé ancor prima della pubblicazione. Conteso dagli editori di tutto il mondo, è stato trascinato in vetta alle classifiche dal travolgente passaparola dei lettori. Carole Radziwill ci affida un romanzo pieno di vita e di speranza, una storia di perdita e di amore, di amicizia e di conquiste imprevedibili. Perché non tutto il male viene per nuocere. E spesso è proprio la strada più inaspettata quella che ci conduce alla felicità.
Ritrovarsi a Manhattan è un romanzo d'esordio che ha cominciato a far parlare di sé ancor prima della pubblicazione. Conteso dagli editori di tutto il mondo, è stato trascinato in vetta alle classifiche dal travolgente passaparola dei lettori. Carole Radziwill ci affida un romanzo pieno di vita e di speranza, una storia di perdita e di amore, di amicizia e di conquiste imprevedibili. Perché non tutto il male viene per nuocere. E spesso è proprio la strada più inaspettata quella che ci conduce alla felicità.
294 pages, Hardcover
First published May 7, 2013
94 people are currently reading
1934 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 274 reviews
August 16, 2013
On the plus side, I think Carole Radziwill writes beautifully. The way she deploys language, in and of itself, is quite lovely.
However, here that skill is used to absolutely no end. The plot, engaging and amusing at the start of the novel, quickly turns flimsy, then flimsier, then ultimately gets buried under a pile of lovely words.
Few things actually happen in this book -- and those that do are telegraphed so far in advance that you spend several chapters aware of and waiting (with increasing impatience) for the inevitable.
What that leaves us with is mostly the heroine's interior monologue, which is perfectly fine if you have a well crafted character with interesting things to say. But Claire Byrne is paper doll. A flimsy device on which to hang flimsy thoughts, and no matter how nicely Radziwill expresses those thoughts, their absolute lack of substance cannot be escaped. (the other characters are similarly insubstantial -- I actually put down the book and thought "those characters did not exist," not because they are fictional, but because there was absolutely nothing to them).
What remains, (tsk) then, is a few hundred pages of lovely noise, the sense that nothing has happened, and profound relief that you no longer have to waste the psychic energy necessary to make yourself try and care about the gossamer excuses for human beings that Radziwill maneuvers about a tissue paper New York.
However, here that skill is used to absolutely no end. The plot, engaging and amusing at the start of the novel, quickly turns flimsy, then flimsier, then ultimately gets buried under a pile of lovely words.
Few things actually happen in this book -- and those that do are telegraphed so far in advance that you spend several chapters aware of and waiting (with increasing impatience) for the inevitable.
What that leaves us with is mostly the heroine's interior monologue, which is perfectly fine if you have a well crafted character with interesting things to say. But Claire Byrne is paper doll. A flimsy device on which to hang flimsy thoughts, and no matter how nicely Radziwill expresses those thoughts, their absolute lack of substance cannot be escaped. (the other characters are similarly insubstantial -- I actually put down the book and thought "those characters did not exist," not because they are fictional, but because there was absolutely nothing to them).
What remains, (tsk) then, is a few hundred pages of lovely noise, the sense that nothing has happened, and profound relief that you no longer have to waste the psychic energy necessary to make yourself try and care about the gossamer excuses for human beings that Radziwill maneuvers about a tissue paper New York.
October 14, 2024
2.5 stars. reading all Real Housewives books reading vlog: https://youtu.be/yuhvTqFl_sI
this is one step away from the depressed-women-genre but instead she's s*x crazed
this is one step away from the depressed-women-genre but instead she's s*x crazed
June 30, 2014
I really enjoy Carole on "The Real Housewives of NYC" and I absolutely loved her memoir. There, those are all the nice things I have to say. You've been warned.
This book was truly awful. It made me wish I had something next to me to barf into when I was finished. There is nothing good about this book. A completely unsympathetic character's husband dies. She spends 100 pages not really caring about his death and deciding she didn't really love him for no real reason at all. This doesn't make her relatable or human or flawed, it just makes her supremely selfish and unlikeable. She immediately begins to focus on getting laid for no real reason.
In addition to the lazy plot there are so many ill-fated attempts at humor in this book that made me roll my eyes so hard. For example, when the protagonist meets a very nice man and is asked what she does she says she creates sex toys. (LOL-amirite, y'all? No. Exactly.) There are meetings with therapists, fortune tellers etc. all to give us that "New Yorkers are so quirky vibe" that is oh so original. There is even a scene totally ripped off from "Sex and the City" that is an homage to "The Way We Were". The saddest part of all is that the main character is supposed to be 32. I am 32 (ish) and love classic movies and even I did not get most of the references she made to pop culture. This seemed more like a character who was 32 in 1982.
This book was truly awful. It made me wish I had something next to me to barf into when I was finished. There is nothing good about this book. A completely unsympathetic character's husband dies. She spends 100 pages not really caring about his death and deciding she didn't really love him for no real reason at all. This doesn't make her relatable or human or flawed, it just makes her supremely selfish and unlikeable. She immediately begins to focus on getting laid for no real reason.
In addition to the lazy plot there are so many ill-fated attempts at humor in this book that made me roll my eyes so hard. For example, when the protagonist meets a very nice man and is asked what she does she says she creates sex toys. (LOL-amirite, y'all? No. Exactly.) There are meetings with therapists, fortune tellers etc. all to give us that "New Yorkers are so quirky vibe" that is oh so original. There is even a scene totally ripped off from "Sex and the City" that is an homage to "The Way We Were". The saddest part of all is that the main character is supposed to be 32. I am 32 (ish) and love classic movies and even I did not get most of the references she made to pop culture. This seemed more like a character who was 32 in 1982.
July 7, 2014
This was a terrible book. There was no plot and no point of this whatsoever. I cannot believe the author thought she could write fiction and that this even got published. I wish she had used a ghostwriter.
May 13, 2014
The Widow's Guide To Sex And Dating was written with the dry witty humor I've come to love. The bizarre and tragic accident that crushed Claire's husband to death set the tone for the book: humorous yet serious, and was similar to the style of books like The 100 Year Old Man. Recently widowed Claire provided a perspective on the uncharted territory of sex and dating after death. This was a grown up chic lit comedy perfect for a summer day.
I loved the life rules embedded in the text, each one more clever than the last! I enjoyed following Claire as she attempted to live life while dispelling the stigma of being a widow. Who knew having a relationship after your spouse died would be so hard! Just when I thought I had a handle in the story, something unexpected popped up. Claire's dating disasters were funny, especially when her soon to be lover donned her dead husband's robe. Radziwill included great one line zingers throughout the story, and I found my self smiling while I followed Claire on her journey to reclaim her life and find love.
Overall, this was a cute and clever book I'm glad I read.
Follow me on twitter (@dana_heyde) or my blog (http://fastpageturner.wordpress.com/)
Read more of my blogs on http://fastpageturner.wordpress.com/
I loved the life rules embedded in the text, each one more clever than the last! I enjoyed following Claire as she attempted to live life while dispelling the stigma of being a widow. Who knew having a relationship after your spouse died would be so hard! Just when I thought I had a handle in the story, something unexpected popped up. Claire's dating disasters were funny, especially when her soon to be lover donned her dead husband's robe. Radziwill included great one line zingers throughout the story, and I found my self smiling while I followed Claire on her journey to reclaim her life and find love.
Overall, this was a cute and clever book I'm glad I read.
Follow me on twitter (@dana_heyde) or my blog (http://fastpageturner.wordpress.com/)
Read more of my blogs on http://fastpageturner.wordpress.com/
February 22, 2014
I was so excited for this book, and it just fell flat. Such potential since the author's writing style is lovely at times; however, it was just a bore with zero character development.
June 1, 2014
A thirty-something's older husband dies unexpectedly, and she is left to navigate widowhood, dating and sex. Breezy and smart, this is elevated chick lit, with a very New York vibe.
January 16, 2015
«Spiritoso e affascinante, il primo romanzo di Carole Radziwill è una delizia.
Il personaggio di Claire è irresistibile, una moderna Holly Golightly di Colazione da Tiffany.»
Candace Bushnell, autrice di Sex and the City
RITROVARSI A MANHATTAN
Il romanzo d’esordio
di
Carole Radziwill
SESSO E AMORE SONO INCOMPATIBILI?
La trentenne Claire Byrne, fin dal primo istante del suo matrimonio, deve averlo creduto, visto che il noto sessuologo e autore del romanzo vincitore del National Book Award La speranza del pensatore, ovvero suo marito, ne è persuaso.
In questo clima di lieto tran tran, un matrimonio non può non prosperare. Amore o sesso, l’uno o l’altro, non entrambi. È soprattutto Charles – animatamente, a quanto pare – a crederlo. Il sessuologo trasmette peraltro non solo teorie. Esperto e affascinante non esita a praticare venendo così ad arricchirsi di esperienza.
Come avviene sempre, una moglie, a cui non si può mai nascondere, sa anche cosa aspettarsi… Devotamente e singolarmente fedele Claire non prevede, però, un bronzo in testa al suo Charlie in caduta libera da un edificio di quarantatré piani!
Un Giacometti, in un giorno qualunque, piombato sulla Madison e la fine del suo matrimonio: profezie e oracoli, botanisti, terapisti dominano allora la vita di Claire. Si tratta di veri e propri specialisti a cui ricorrere nelle più improbabili circostanze. Quanto al fatto che possa ritrovarsi a Manhattan, le circostanze interessanti e più ancora i crescenti appuntamenti sembrano sorriderle.
Come è logico pensare per una donna non si tratta di solo sesso. Claire perlopiù può rifiorire: da tempo infatti tutto ciò che ostacolava le attività di Charlie era stato disciplinato e reso inoffensivo – rinunciare al talento di scrittrice, per esempio – per dar spazio al grande ego del suo intellettuale. Una vittoria poco lieta ripartire da un lutto, ma certamente anche una curiosa opportunità: l’offerta di completare l’ultimo lavoro del famosissimo marito…
The Widow’s Guide to Sex & Dating
La guida della giovane vedova edizione Garzanti, pur con ovvio temperamento, è originale, come lo è Carole Radziwill, il cui messaggio giunge inatteso e felice in un romanzo d’esordio come il suo in cui, di fronte a squilibri e diffuso stordimento dopo un lutto, risorgono, e talvolta imprevisti, atti e manifestazioni di positività e ilarità e animazione generati dalla coscienza del proprio chiassoso umore e in genere dalla penetrante coscienza critica dei propri ambivalenti comportamenti interiori ed esteriori.
La voce della spiritosa autrice, oltre a presentarci il dramma della cattiva fine, per le particolarissime circostanze in cui il marito della sua Claire viene a mancare, ha il brillante dono di richiamarci agli unici punti di forza intramontabili e possibili, al senso dell’amor proprio e alla giusta idea di poter sempre contare su di sé, a renderci speranzosi, perché una chiara catastrofe può pure tramutarsi in un’autentica svolta.
Un libro, dunque, di narrativa rosa, colorito e vivace e sapientemente narrato nel dare ad ogni personaggio ideato – splendidi, specialmente, Ethan e Sasha – il rilievo e l’esilarante partecipazione nella generale economia della storia di Claire, e un libro ancora i cui incidenti tragicomici sono contrassegnati da una diffusa capacità di rappresentazione.
La nostra vedova emerge ironica e briosa. Niente lacrime, meno male! Questo è un bel viaggio in cui ritrovarsi e per conoscere forse anche l’amore…
http://www.recensionilibri.org/
Il personaggio di Claire è irresistibile, una moderna Holly Golightly di Colazione da Tiffany.»
Candace Bushnell, autrice di Sex and the City
RITROVARSI A MANHATTAN
Il romanzo d’esordio
di
Carole Radziwill
SESSO E AMORE SONO INCOMPATIBILI?
La trentenne Claire Byrne, fin dal primo istante del suo matrimonio, deve averlo creduto, visto che il noto sessuologo e autore del romanzo vincitore del National Book Award La speranza del pensatore, ovvero suo marito, ne è persuaso.
In questo clima di lieto tran tran, un matrimonio non può non prosperare. Amore o sesso, l’uno o l’altro, non entrambi. È soprattutto Charles – animatamente, a quanto pare – a crederlo. Il sessuologo trasmette peraltro non solo teorie. Esperto e affascinante non esita a praticare venendo così ad arricchirsi di esperienza.
Come avviene sempre, una moglie, a cui non si può mai nascondere, sa anche cosa aspettarsi… Devotamente e singolarmente fedele Claire non prevede, però, un bronzo in testa al suo Charlie in caduta libera da un edificio di quarantatré piani!
Un Giacometti, in un giorno qualunque, piombato sulla Madison e la fine del suo matrimonio: profezie e oracoli, botanisti, terapisti dominano allora la vita di Claire. Si tratta di veri e propri specialisti a cui ricorrere nelle più improbabili circostanze. Quanto al fatto che possa ritrovarsi a Manhattan, le circostanze interessanti e più ancora i crescenti appuntamenti sembrano sorriderle.
Come è logico pensare per una donna non si tratta di solo sesso. Claire perlopiù può rifiorire: da tempo infatti tutto ciò che ostacolava le attività di Charlie era stato disciplinato e reso inoffensivo – rinunciare al talento di scrittrice, per esempio – per dar spazio al grande ego del suo intellettuale. Una vittoria poco lieta ripartire da un lutto, ma certamente anche una curiosa opportunità: l’offerta di completare l’ultimo lavoro del famosissimo marito…
The Widow’s Guide to Sex & Dating
La guida della giovane vedova edizione Garzanti, pur con ovvio temperamento, è originale, come lo è Carole Radziwill, il cui messaggio giunge inatteso e felice in un romanzo d’esordio come il suo in cui, di fronte a squilibri e diffuso stordimento dopo un lutto, risorgono, e talvolta imprevisti, atti e manifestazioni di positività e ilarità e animazione generati dalla coscienza del proprio chiassoso umore e in genere dalla penetrante coscienza critica dei propri ambivalenti comportamenti interiori ed esteriori.
La voce della spiritosa autrice, oltre a presentarci il dramma della cattiva fine, per le particolarissime circostanze in cui il marito della sua Claire viene a mancare, ha il brillante dono di richiamarci agli unici punti di forza intramontabili e possibili, al senso dell’amor proprio e alla giusta idea di poter sempre contare su di sé, a renderci speranzosi, perché una chiara catastrofe può pure tramutarsi in un’autentica svolta.
Un libro, dunque, di narrativa rosa, colorito e vivace e sapientemente narrato nel dare ad ogni personaggio ideato – splendidi, specialmente, Ethan e Sasha – il rilievo e l’esilarante partecipazione nella generale economia della storia di Claire, e un libro ancora i cui incidenti tragicomici sono contrassegnati da una diffusa capacità di rappresentazione.
La nostra vedova emerge ironica e briosa. Niente lacrime, meno male! Questo è un bel viaggio in cui ritrovarsi e per conoscere forse anche l’amore…
http://www.recensionilibri.org/
September 2, 2015
Personally I love this book...it is what it promises to be - an unpretentious, funny, quirky, good read.
I'm slightly baffled by some of the other reviews and can only think that the disappointment stems from mismanaged expectations.
This is not a continuation of the author's original memoir - no one person should have more than one memoir's worth of heartbreak. If you expect this book to be like the author's first work, you will be disappointed.
This is not an actual manual for widows with step by step instructions of what's to come. If you expect this, you will be disappointed.
This is not a grand sweeping novel or a literary experience that will haunt you for months to come and mentioning it at dinner parties will most likely not impress anyone enough to either get you laid or up your status as an intellectual snob. Just read the Thornbirds or some Garcia if this is what you seek.
This is a fun book, one that you can spend an afternoon on the couch with and feel at ease like with an old friend, one that will make you smirk, smile, and sometimes giggle as you traverse its pages. It's not overly complicated, doesn't try to be unnecessarily deep. It's open and honest and very well written and a bit of genius all in itself.
I'm slightly baffled by some of the other reviews and can only think that the disappointment stems from mismanaged expectations.
This is not a continuation of the author's original memoir - no one person should have more than one memoir's worth of heartbreak. If you expect this book to be like the author's first work, you will be disappointed.
This is not an actual manual for widows with step by step instructions of what's to come. If you expect this, you will be disappointed.
This is not a grand sweeping novel or a literary experience that will haunt you for months to come and mentioning it at dinner parties will most likely not impress anyone enough to either get you laid or up your status as an intellectual snob. Just read the Thornbirds or some Garcia if this is what you seek.
This is a fun book, one that you can spend an afternoon on the couch with and feel at ease like with an old friend, one that will make you smirk, smile, and sometimes giggle as you traverse its pages. It's not overly complicated, doesn't try to be unnecessarily deep. It's open and honest and very well written and a bit of genius all in itself.
January 6, 2018
"Blue Skies can be misleading," written on the very first page, is an example of what a good writer the author can be. Regretably, much of the book tries too hard to be clever, and the gems like that are overshadowed. The book is another variation of the wealthy, privildeged, name-dropping, people-magazine observations of Claire, the recently widowed wife of Charlie, a noted sexologist. Her reflections about writing are well considered, as are those of widowhood and her 'rules' carry a kernel of experienced truth. But overall - I began to feel like the author was trying too hard to impress the reader. It was distracting and became annoying.
July 3, 2015
This book is dry and witty and I enjoyed it in a beach read kind of way. The plot is centered on Claire dealing with the accident that crushed her husband to death, and while this may not seem funny, it is in an ironic NYC way. She then sets out to determine how to have a life while being newly labeled a widow. She lays down some rules she learns along the way, which are embedded in the book itself. Her sexual and dating encounters were always over the top, but having never been a 31-year-old, hot, newly widowed woman in NYC, who am I to judge?
Overall, I'm glad I read this book.
Overall, I'm glad I read this book.
January 28, 2014
This was a hoot to read -- and I feel especially poised to render such commentary given that I, too, was widowed young in New York City at a time when every new venture reflected the profoundness of my seemingly singular experience. While these characters are extreme in their sensibilities, they are dear to hold. Radziwell is funny, funny, funny. She has written a real page- turner and I enjoyed every moment.
December 30, 2013
There's a very different pace to this book than I had expected. It isn't a campy, laugh-a-minute chick lit novel or a mopey tale of woe. Frankly, I feel it is probably more truthful (minus the celebrities) to what a widow actually goes through than any book I've read to date. I really enjoyed the protagonist's wry wit as she pulled herself to a new normal.
February 11, 2014
I like Carole Radziwill. I liked her writing in this book. It was funny and light hearted. I thought the main character was a bit whiny but she made the best of her situation. The story, though, got really confusing for me towards the end. It took time to figure out who or what was doing what. I am hoping though, that Ms. Radziwill will be writing more. I'm a fan.
July 29, 2014
I read this book as a fan of Carole Radziwill's writing, having previously read her other book recently. I enjoyed this book very much and actually imagined Carole as the main character and heard her voice in my head while reading it. For the record, I imagined George Clooney as the LA guy. This is a fun read even though it deals with death and grief.
January 13, 2014
I won a copy of The Widow's Guide to Sex and Dating by Carole Radziwill from a firstreads giveaway. It was a quick read, and definitely strikes me as the kind of novel that would be ideal to pick up in an airport bookstore.
Basically, Claire Byrne's husband, Charlie, dies at the beginning of the novel, the casualty of a fake Giacometti sculpture (Why does it need to be a fake? Because Giacometti has been faked? I never figured that one out. Because it added some depth? Because it was a quirky detail for a quirky novel filled with quirky characters?) which falls on him. Charlie is a sexologist who believes that sex and love cannot coexist within the same relationship (whoa, mansplaining), so while he "loves" Claire, she's pretty much been there to support him since they married. Claire abandoned her own work and focused on Charlie, so when he dies, she's left with little other than his unfinished book about Hollywood's sex-icon, Jack Huxley.
So, because Claire has nothing really of her own (except for a short story about sex and Woody Allen called "Hustling Woody" that she published long ago), she's the perfect vessel for everyone else's ideas about what a widow should be. She sees two therapists, a psychic, and a botanomanist so that they can tell her what to do. Eventually her friend Sasha convinces her to date, and her husband's publisher convinces her to work on her late husband's book. Basically, Claire can't make decisions unless they are INCREDIBLY obvious (i.e. I hate this guy, so I should not go on a second date, but maybe see the guy I just dislike again).
This book feels a lot like an episode of "Sex and the City," where Miranda is pressured into behaving like Samantha and has to find the happy medium after her husband dies, with the addition of the idea of widowhood as a "new virginity" to lose. A lot of it was kind of dumb, and incredibly unrelatable for those of us that aren't Manhattan socialites.
Additionally, the author is apparently a "Real Housewife of New York," so I guess she's used to a certain amount of fictionalized reality. Maybe that's why most of this book doesn't really ring true. Still, it's entertainment, and it's chick lit made quirky and privileged. I would probably recommend to fans of "Housewives" or "Sex and the City" (I don't fall into those categories).
Basically, Claire Byrne's husband, Charlie, dies at the beginning of the novel, the casualty of a fake Giacometti sculpture (Why does it need to be a fake? Because Giacometti has been faked? I never figured that one out. Because it added some depth? Because it was a quirky detail for a quirky novel filled with quirky characters?) which falls on him. Charlie is a sexologist who believes that sex and love cannot coexist within the same relationship (whoa, mansplaining), so while he "loves" Claire, she's pretty much been there to support him since they married. Claire abandoned her own work and focused on Charlie, so when he dies, she's left with little other than his unfinished book about Hollywood's sex-icon, Jack Huxley.
So, because Claire has nothing really of her own (except for a short story about sex and Woody Allen called "Hustling Woody" that she published long ago), she's the perfect vessel for everyone else's ideas about what a widow should be. She sees two therapists, a psychic, and a botanomanist so that they can tell her what to do. Eventually her friend Sasha convinces her to date, and her husband's publisher convinces her to work on her late husband's book. Basically, Claire can't make decisions unless they are INCREDIBLY obvious (i.e. I hate this guy, so I should not go on a second date, but maybe see the guy I just dislike again).
This book feels a lot like an episode of "Sex and the City," where Miranda is pressured into behaving like Samantha and has to find the happy medium after her husband dies, with the addition of the idea of widowhood as a "new virginity" to lose. A lot of it was kind of dumb, and incredibly unrelatable for those of us that aren't Manhattan socialites.
Additionally, the author is apparently a "Real Housewife of New York," so I guess she's used to a certain amount of fictionalized reality. Maybe that's why most of this book doesn't really ring true. Still, it's entertainment, and it's chick lit made quirky and privileged. I would probably recommend to fans of "Housewives" or "Sex and the City" (I don't fall into those categories).
March 19, 2014
Claire Byrne is married to Charlie, a reknowned sexologist, author of many books on the subject. One day, he is killed by a huge statue falling from a crane on Fifth Avenue in New York. Claire finds herself a widow in her 30s and completely lost as to what to do next.
She goes to two different therapists, visits psychics and even follows a griot, a storyteller who travels the city sharing stories about famous New York City dwellers, to try and find her way to a new life. Then she meets Jack Huxley, the notoriously heterosexual movie star whom every woman wants, and has some sort of relationship with him.
Throughout the novel, Claire shares the rules she is learning about sex and dating for widows, like
Rule #34- "Never discourage anyone who continues to make progress, no matter how slow" (Plato)
Rule #29- A boy says, "Have a good trip", a man says "Call me when you land."
I loved Carole's emotional and moving memoir What Remains, about losing her young husband to cancer and her two best friends, John F. Kennedy and his wife Carolyn in a plane crash. It is a brilliant book, and so I was interested to see what her fiction would be like.
This is definitely a book for anyone who loves to immerse themselves in the wealthy NYC culture; those who religiously watch The Real Housewives of New York City will love it (and Radziwill is a cast member of that show).
Claire is an interesting character, a little snarky, and her journey through widowhood (the depression, the setups with widowers forty years older) rings true. She is trying to find her place after being in the shadow of her famous husband, what her friend describes as "Charlie's Sundance to Claire's Butch Cassidy. "He cheats at poker and shoots up the room" Sasha liked to say, "while she collects the money and tidies up." That is a fantastic description of their marriage.
The best part of the book are the Jack Huxley sections. Huxley clearly is meant to be George Clooney, and Radziwill dated Clooney years ago, which makes this novel all the more delicious. I'm not sure Clooney will be thrilled though.
Fans of Gigi Levangie's books (The Starter Wife) will like this one; there is the same mix of humor and poignancy.
She goes to two different therapists, visits psychics and even follows a griot, a storyteller who travels the city sharing stories about famous New York City dwellers, to try and find her way to a new life. Then she meets Jack Huxley, the notoriously heterosexual movie star whom every woman wants, and has some sort of relationship with him.
Throughout the novel, Claire shares the rules she is learning about sex and dating for widows, like
Rule #34- "Never discourage anyone who continues to make progress, no matter how slow" (Plato)
Rule #29- A boy says, "Have a good trip", a man says "Call me when you land."
I loved Carole's emotional and moving memoir What Remains, about losing her young husband to cancer and her two best friends, John F. Kennedy and his wife Carolyn in a plane crash. It is a brilliant book, and so I was interested to see what her fiction would be like.
This is definitely a book for anyone who loves to immerse themselves in the wealthy NYC culture; those who religiously watch The Real Housewives of New York City will love it (and Radziwill is a cast member of that show).
Claire is an interesting character, a little snarky, and her journey through widowhood (the depression, the setups with widowers forty years older) rings true. She is trying to find her place after being in the shadow of her famous husband, what her friend describes as "Charlie's Sundance to Claire's Butch Cassidy. "He cheats at poker and shoots up the room" Sasha liked to say, "while she collects the money and tidies up." That is a fantastic description of their marriage.
The best part of the book are the Jack Huxley sections. Huxley clearly is meant to be George Clooney, and Radziwill dated Clooney years ago, which makes this novel all the more delicious. I'm not sure Clooney will be thrilled though.
Fans of Gigi Levangie's books (The Starter Wife) will like this one; there is the same mix of humor and poignancy.
April 13, 2014
I really enjoyed the prose in the book, and for the most part, even enjoyed Claire's dating shenanigans.
I went in knowing this was big "L" literature, as opposed to a romance novel, so there was no expectation for a happy ending on my part. And because I knew it was literature, it didn't bother me that there wasn't a whole lot happening, in terms of plot.
I found the prose beautiful and the journey interesting, mostly because she wasn't a weepy mess. The loss of her husband wasn't the worst thing that could happen to her, as it has been portrayed in so many other novels, and the soul searching she does to determine just what her husband meant to her is refreshing and different.
I was sad that her relationship with Huxley went nowhere, although we were told that's what would happen from the beginning. The romance reader in me wondered if this would be the case where Claire was able to change him because of their connection, but no, this wasn't that book. Perhaps for the better.
I felt as though Claire was very alone. None of her friends seemed like particularly good friends, and were mostly pretty self-centered themselves. While that might be "real life", it just made me feel even sadder for Claire- she had a horrible husband who she didn't even seem to like that much, let alone love, and then when he's gone, she's left with a bunch of assholes who can't think about much beyond their issues.
I felt like the ending was very tacked on and the author clearly was advised to remind readers of all the clues that she supposedly left about who Claire would end up with. After reading the reminders, I still wasn't impressed with the ending. While I don't think that Huxley was the man for Claire, I almost would have preferred her to be alone but happy with herself than to have this tacked on ending that came out of nowhere.
But, despite those issues, I did feel like the book was an enjoyable read, the prose excellent, the story at times sad, at times funny, and the world one that I wasn't very familiar with but interested none the less.
I went in knowing this was big "L" literature, as opposed to a romance novel, so there was no expectation for a happy ending on my part. And because I knew it was literature, it didn't bother me that there wasn't a whole lot happening, in terms of plot.
I found the prose beautiful and the journey interesting, mostly because she wasn't a weepy mess. The loss of her husband wasn't the worst thing that could happen to her, as it has been portrayed in so many other novels, and the soul searching she does to determine just what her husband meant to her is refreshing and different.
I was sad that her relationship with Huxley went nowhere, although we were told that's what would happen from the beginning. The romance reader in me wondered if this would be the case where Claire was able to change him because of their connection, but no, this wasn't that book. Perhaps for the better.
I felt as though Claire was very alone. None of her friends seemed like particularly good friends, and were mostly pretty self-centered themselves. While that might be "real life", it just made me feel even sadder for Claire- she had a horrible husband who she didn't even seem to like that much, let alone love, and then when he's gone, she's left with a bunch of assholes who can't think about much beyond their issues.
I felt like the ending was very tacked on and the author clearly was advised to remind readers of all the clues that she supposedly left about who Claire would end up with. After reading the reminders, I still wasn't impressed with the ending. While I don't think that Huxley was the man for Claire, I almost would have preferred her to be alone but happy with herself than to have this tacked on ending that came out of nowhere.
But, despite those issues, I did feel like the book was an enjoyable read, the prose excellent, the story at times sad, at times funny, and the world one that I wasn't very familiar with but interested none the less.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2014
When Claire Byrne’s husband, Charlie, is killed in New York City when a fake Giacometti statue falls on his head, Claire wonders what to do next. One might suggest moving out of New York City but, as we know, New Yorkers don’t do that. Although her marriage to Charlie – perhaps the world’s best known writer on matters of human sexuality – was lukewarm at best, Claire is lost without a man in her life. Thus, we have our quest: Claire’s need to lose, as she puts it, her widow’s virginity. She also needs to revive the writing career of her early twenties, her chosen mode being the completion of Charlie’s last book. Well-connected in the literary world because of Charlie, and with no money worries because of Charlie’s success, Claire, nevertheless, flounders. She really doesn’t want to engage Charlie’s work even though Charlie’s agent has already secured a contract for the book with Knopf. Her need to redefine herself and her need for a man give us endless pages of maudlin musings along with unproductive sessions with two therapists. Finally, Claire decides on a truly bizarre project. She will meet with (connections, connections) and interview and write a book about America’s latest cinema heartthrob, Jack Huxley, nephew of Aldous Huxley. At this point we enter a familiar Aristotelian arc. Claire meets Jack. They fall in, well, let’s just call it affection, not love. Her widow’s virginity is taken care of. They criss-cross the country from New York to Los Angeles to Jack’s various movie sets. Disinterest, however, on Jack’s part arises. The flame flickers toward extinction. Then Jack comes back but Claire muses, I don’t think so. In the end Claire puts together a book of her own essays and takes up with Ben Hawthorne, one of Charlie’s fiercest critics. Happily ever after looms on the horizon. This is an amusing read but, I would caution the widows out there, it’s not much of a guide to widowhood unless you’re a wealthy and well-connected New Yorker with a penchant for therapy and a love of cross-country airline treks.
July 7, 2014
http://labibliotecadellibraio.blogspo...
Onestamente definire spiritoso questo romanzo è esagerato, potrei magari dire che è ironico, esilarante, disastroso, e anche un po' troppo pensante, questo sì, perché la mia domanda sorge spontanea: ma davvero una donna se resta vedova deve sottostare a tutta una marea di regole che definire pazzesche è un eufemismo? Ci sta che sicuramente (spero) è pura fantasia, ma mamma mia...
Claire, resta vedova, non riesce a capacitarsi cosa e come sia successo, lei non c'era, era in Texas, ma anche se ci fosse stata non credo che le cose sarebbero cambiate di molto, il destino, il fato, il caso e gli eventi di quella mattina erano predestinati ad andare così, che un Giacometti (statua verificatasi dopo essere falsa) cadesse sulla testa di suo marito e che la sua vita da quel momento in poi sarebbe cambiata. E sì, perché la vita di una vedova non può essere come quella di un tempo, anche se, quella di Claire era più da tappezzeria che non una reale vita di moglie alle prese con un reale matrimonio. No, onestamente Claire mi sembra sin dal primo momento una donna "succube" (nel senso lato della parola) del marito, un uomo famoso, egocentrico, e io credo anche molto maschilista, perché un fiore di donna colto sul nascere senza lasciarlo fiorire del tutto è solo egoismo. E poi a dirla tutta anche lei, un personaggio che si lascia manipolare dagli amici che le girano intorno, a volte sembra che tutto le sia indifferente, a volte invece cerca di reagire ma con poca convinzione.
Mi dispiace essere stata così drastica, ma questo romanzo che dalla trama e dai commenti, nonché dalla copertina e titolo prospettava essere un buon libro mi ha lasciata con l'amaro in bocca, l'ho terminato a fatica sperando fino alla fine che qualcosa scattasse ma nulla, naturalmente ci tengo a precisare che il mio parere è puramente soggettivo, anche se può influenzare, leggetevi bene la trama, sfogliate qualche pagina quando andrete in libreria e che magari con voi non scocchi la scintilla!
Onestamente definire spiritoso questo romanzo è esagerato, potrei magari dire che è ironico, esilarante, disastroso, e anche un po' troppo pensante, questo sì, perché la mia domanda sorge spontanea: ma davvero una donna se resta vedova deve sottostare a tutta una marea di regole che definire pazzesche è un eufemismo? Ci sta che sicuramente (spero) è pura fantasia, ma mamma mia...
Claire, resta vedova, non riesce a capacitarsi cosa e come sia successo, lei non c'era, era in Texas, ma anche se ci fosse stata non credo che le cose sarebbero cambiate di molto, il destino, il fato, il caso e gli eventi di quella mattina erano predestinati ad andare così, che un Giacometti (statua verificatasi dopo essere falsa) cadesse sulla testa di suo marito e che la sua vita da quel momento in poi sarebbe cambiata. E sì, perché la vita di una vedova non può essere come quella di un tempo, anche se, quella di Claire era più da tappezzeria che non una reale vita di moglie alle prese con un reale matrimonio. No, onestamente Claire mi sembra sin dal primo momento una donna "succube" (nel senso lato della parola) del marito, un uomo famoso, egocentrico, e io credo anche molto maschilista, perché un fiore di donna colto sul nascere senza lasciarlo fiorire del tutto è solo egoismo. E poi a dirla tutta anche lei, un personaggio che si lascia manipolare dagli amici che le girano intorno, a volte sembra che tutto le sia indifferente, a volte invece cerca di reagire ma con poca convinzione.
Mi dispiace essere stata così drastica, ma questo romanzo che dalla trama e dai commenti, nonché dalla copertina e titolo prospettava essere un buon libro mi ha lasciata con l'amaro in bocca, l'ho terminato a fatica sperando fino alla fine che qualcosa scattasse ma nulla, naturalmente ci tengo a precisare che il mio parere è puramente soggettivo, anche se può influenzare, leggetevi bene la trama, sfogliate qualche pagina quando andrete in libreria e che magari con voi non scocchi la scintilla!
Read
April 3, 2014'Real Housewives' star surprises with a sympathetic debut novel
BookPage® Review by Amy Scribner
I was skeptical when I found out the author of The Widow’s Guide to Sex and Dating stars on “The Real Housewives of New York.” And when the epigram was a Lady Gaga quote, I thought I was in for a long slog. What a pleasant surprise, then, when the book turned out to be one of the richest, most deeply satisfying stories I’ve read in a long time.
At 32, Claire Byrne is smart, beautiful and married to famous author and sexologist Charlie Byrne. She dabbles in magazine writing, but is mostly content in his larger-than-life shadow, following him from party to party around Manhattan, where he’s never short on opinions and admirers. “He gave her entrée into the elite upper reaches of words and the people who traded in them; she gave him a wide swath,” Radziwill writes.
Then Charlie is improbably killed by a falling piece of art while walking home from a tryst with his publicist, and Claire finds herself with the burden (opportunity?) of redefining her life as a widow. She fumbles through dates set up by well-intentioned girlfriends, drinks a lot of wine, sleeps too much and consults a ridiculous series of questionable therapists.
When Charlie’s editor asks Claire to finish Charlie’s last book, Claire finds herself face-to-face with the book’s subject, movie star Jack Huxley. As their relationship deepens, Claire has to decide whether she is willing to step into someone else’s shadow again.
An award-winning former TV reporter, Radziwill is also the author of the well-received What Remains—a memoir of her marriage, which ended when her husband died of cancer in 1999. It’s hard to know how much of her own experience colors this debut novel. What is clear is that her spare writing and wry voice make The Widow’s Guide an exhilarating, insightful and moving story about loss and identity.
BookPage® Review by Amy Scribner
I was skeptical when I found out the author of The Widow’s Guide to Sex and Dating stars on “The Real Housewives of New York.” And when the epigram was a Lady Gaga quote, I thought I was in for a long slog. What a pleasant surprise, then, when the book turned out to be one of the richest, most deeply satisfying stories I’ve read in a long time.
At 32, Claire Byrne is smart, beautiful and married to famous author and sexologist Charlie Byrne. She dabbles in magazine writing, but is mostly content in his larger-than-life shadow, following him from party to party around Manhattan, where he’s never short on opinions and admirers. “He gave her entrée into the elite upper reaches of words and the people who traded in them; she gave him a wide swath,” Radziwill writes.
Then Charlie is improbably killed by a falling piece of art while walking home from a tryst with his publicist, and Claire finds herself with the burden (opportunity?) of redefining her life as a widow. She fumbles through dates set up by well-intentioned girlfriends, drinks a lot of wine, sleeps too much and consults a ridiculous series of questionable therapists.
When Charlie’s editor asks Claire to finish Charlie’s last book, Claire finds herself face-to-face with the book’s subject, movie star Jack Huxley. As their relationship deepens, Claire has to decide whether she is willing to step into someone else’s shadow again.
An award-winning former TV reporter, Radziwill is also the author of the well-received What Remains—a memoir of her marriage, which ended when her husband died of cancer in 1999. It’s hard to know how much of her own experience colors this debut novel. What is clear is that her spare writing and wry voice make The Widow’s Guide an exhilarating, insightful and moving story about loss and identity.
July 10, 2017
When I first heard of this novel I thought the idea behind it was great. I have read Carole Radziwill's memoir and seen her on Real Housewives of New York and feel like she has the best starting point possible for writing about widowhood with a little bit of an edge. Unfortunately, the idea is better than the execution in this case.
Claire Byrne very suddenly becomes a widow in her early thirties. She's been married to a somewhat famous writer and when she all of a sudden finds herself alone she doesn't know what to do. The book explores her way back into the dating scene and her road out of her dead husband's shadow.
My main drawback with this book is the main character. I never really care that much what happens to her and I feel like even though Radziwill is trying to say something about love, relationships, mourning and moving on, I never get under Claire's skin and never feel what she's feeling. The side characters are also pretty shallow and only serve as comic reliefs but most of the time I don't really find them funny.
Even though the story and characters are not to my liking, I do like the structure and language of the book. At the end she wraps up the story with a somewhat surprising ending but what I like the most is how she ties the whole book together with a few great throwbacks at the end.
I think Radziwill didn't try to write a profound novel that aims at digging deep into my emotions but I still expected a bit more from her. She does point to the romantic comedy a few times and the book works well for the same situations as a romantic comedy.
I still love Carole and I might give another novel of her's a try.
Claire Byrne very suddenly becomes a widow in her early thirties. She's been married to a somewhat famous writer and when she all of a sudden finds herself alone she doesn't know what to do. The book explores her way back into the dating scene and her road out of her dead husband's shadow.
My main drawback with this book is the main character. I never really care that much what happens to her and I feel like even though Radziwill is trying to say something about love, relationships, mourning and moving on, I never get under Claire's skin and never feel what she's feeling. The side characters are also pretty shallow and only serve as comic reliefs but most of the time I don't really find them funny.
Even though the story and characters are not to my liking, I do like the structure and language of the book. At the end she wraps up the story with a somewhat surprising ending but what I like the most is how she ties the whole book together with a few great throwbacks at the end.
I think Radziwill didn't try to write a profound novel that aims at digging deep into my emotions but I still expected a bit more from her. She does point to the romantic comedy a few times and the book works well for the same situations as a romantic comedy.
I still love Carole and I might give another novel of her's a try.
May 26, 2014
After seeing the author on RH and hearing about her other book (which gets high praise), I decided I wanted to read this one. As I started reading, I literally was taken aback at the authors casual use (in the beginning chapter or two-not sure which) of a certain "C" word! Now, I'm no prude, I did read all 3 50 Shades books but I was, truthfully, a bit disgusted at the use of that "C" word as if it is the usual word to use when referring to a certain female body part. So when I titled my review as "She almost lost me.....", she truly did as that just left a certain distaste with me. I read on and was happy to see that word was not thrown around so flippantly again although it was used one more time in the book in, to me, a more appropriate manner and setting in which the use of that "C" word was at least understandable!
I won't bore you with a synopsis, as I am sure you know the premise: husbands dies suddenly, young wife now a young widow, tries to find her new "real" identity through a series of step and missteps. I do want to say that after my initial shock (see above), I am happy I read on as I enjoyed the story and did enjoy the authors style, as well. It is a good read for the summer, but I would not recommend it to any man. It is definitely a book written by a woman geared for women!
I won't bore you with a synopsis, as I am sure you know the premise: husbands dies suddenly, young wife now a young widow, tries to find her new "real" identity through a series of step and missteps. I do want to say that after my initial shock (see above), I am happy I read on as I enjoyed the story and did enjoy the authors style, as well. It is a good read for the summer, but I would not recommend it to any man. It is definitely a book written by a woman geared for women!
August 26, 2016
I just finished reading this book. Although it is quite different in style and focus than "What Remains", it obviously covers some of the same ground. There are some very funny moments, but I don't think this is the "chick lit" book some have described it to be. Underneath the fictional story, she also addressed what I suspect are some timeless truths of dealing with being widowed. I recognized some of what she discussed from talks I had with my mother and she was widowed almost sixty years ago now.
Claire, the main character, also is a writer. Having been involved in this discussion of #Bookgate today, made me particularly sensitive to what Carole said about writing and how she feels about it. This book explains a great deal about how special writing is to her and how she reveres writers and the product. Although I agreed with her basic position regarding this whole mess on the show, this book just reinforced for me, how she feels.
Reading this book is a completely different experience than reading "What Remains", as it should be. I recommend it. I like the way Carole writes and I enjoyed her first attempt at fiction. It is my hope that she continues to write fiction because I'm really looking forward to reading her next book.
Claire, the main character, also is a writer. Having been involved in this discussion of #Bookgate today, made me particularly sensitive to what Carole said about writing and how she feels about it. This book explains a great deal about how special writing is to her and how she reveres writers and the product. Although I agreed with her basic position regarding this whole mess on the show, this book just reinforced for me, how she feels.
Reading this book is a completely different experience than reading "What Remains", as it should be. I recommend it. I like the way Carole writes and I enjoyed her first attempt at fiction. It is my hope that she continues to write fiction because I'm really looking forward to reading her next book.
October 29, 2017
Earlier this summer, I won a mystery box of books from a local NYT best-selling author. Included in that box was a copy of this book. Unlike the other books, this was the only non-mystery/thriller, which actually made this book a bit of a mystery in and of itself. However, when I discovered that the author was one of the Real Housewives of New York, it all became clear -- the author who sent me the box of books is a huge fan of the show. Mystery solved! :)
Although I don't read a ton of chick lit, I found myself curious to see where the story would go and was pleasantly surprised along the way. Given the title and blurb on the jacket, I was expecting something a little racier and less relatable, but was happy to discover that it didn't meet my preconceived notions. While I didn't necessarily relate to the main character's lifestyle, I found her to be more down-to-earth than I would have expected and liked spending time in her world. I enjoyed the writing style and elements of humor sprinkled throughout. When I picked this one up, I was looking for some lighter escapism and this checked the box. Even though the ending wasn't a surprise, I liked the fact it had a happy ending, which was just what I needed.
Although I don't read a ton of chick lit, I found myself curious to see where the story would go and was pleasantly surprised along the way. Given the title and blurb on the jacket, I was expecting something a little racier and less relatable, but was happy to discover that it didn't meet my preconceived notions. While I didn't necessarily relate to the main character's lifestyle, I found her to be more down-to-earth than I would have expected and liked spending time in her world. I enjoyed the writing style and elements of humor sprinkled throughout. When I picked this one up, I was looking for some lighter escapism and this checked the box. Even though the ending wasn't a surprise, I liked the fact it had a happy ending, which was just what I needed.
May 25, 2014
Když je vám dvaatřicet, život máte před sebou. Tak jako Claire, která žije spokojený život vedle manžela, uznávaného sexuologa a spisovatele. A tenhle stereotyp změní jediný moment – padající socha Kráčející muž od Giacomettiho. Tenhle kus bronzu zamává Claiřiným životem a ona je nucena se světu postavit nikoliv jako Charlieho manželka, ale jako vdova. A cesta to není jednoduchá.
Claire by mohla být sympatickou hlavní hrdinkou. Když vezmeme v potaz, že se vdala příliš mladá, nezkušená, vzala si dominantního narcistního sebestředného a úspěšného muže a byla nucena pustit k vodě své spisovatelské plány i touhu se prosadit jinak. Jenže Claire je neskutečně nudná, ufňukaná, zbohatlická panička, která neví co se svým životem.
Rozhodně nechci tvrdit, že je to špatně napsaná kniha. Za sebe ale musím říct, že jsem skutečně při jejím čtení trpěla. Pořád jsem doufala, že se to nějak zlepší, ale celé to bylo povrchní a neskutečně nudné. Pokud se do Vdovina průvodce sexem a randěním chcete pustit, snad se vám bude líbit a sedne vám. Já bohužel byla hodně zklamaná.
Celá recenze na blogu
Claire by mohla být sympatickou hlavní hrdinkou. Když vezmeme v potaz, že se vdala příliš mladá, nezkušená, vzala si dominantního narcistního sebestředného a úspěšného muže a byla nucena pustit k vodě své spisovatelské plány i touhu se prosadit jinak. Jenže Claire je neskutečně nudná, ufňukaná, zbohatlická panička, která neví co se svým životem.
Rozhodně nechci tvrdit, že je to špatně napsaná kniha. Za sebe ale musím říct, že jsem skutečně při jejím čtení trpěla. Pořád jsem doufala, že se to nějak zlepší, ale celé to bylo povrchní a neskutečně nudné. Pokud se do Vdovina průvodce sexem a randěním chcete pustit, snad se vám bude líbit a sedne vám. Já bohužel byla hodně zklamaná.
Celá recenze na blogu
November 26, 2014
I gotta say I enjoyed this book. When we go through a major life change - marriage, becoming a mother, death of a close loved one, divorce, we all go through a shaky period to find out who we are in light of these changes. And not all of us are as fast and successful at reinventing ourselves as Madonna. Claire has identified with being merely Charlie's wife and although she was not ecstatically happy with that label, she was content. When she was forced to come to terms with who she was and what she wanted, there were some bumps in the road. And naturally she had an affair with the man her husband had all but picked out for her. But in the end, she does make her own choices, write her own book and live in her own way (even if she does end up with another man). Not sure if her choice of Ben was a final breaking away from her dead husband or a lasting thing - but I felt there was some closure.
The writing was witty and elegant. Sort of reminded me of Sex and the City (book not tv show) only slower paced, less choppy and more refined.
The writing was witty and elegant. Sort of reminded me of Sex and the City (book not tv show) only slower paced, less choppy and more refined.
January 6, 2018
I'm generous in my rating, to say the least. This book is like reading a 300 page long People magazine. People is a fun magazine, but it is not a novel. The book is entertaining, but that is much as I can give it. Every stereotype in the world--from having a crazy, brazen, bold best friend (who tries to pull the boring, stay at home character to go out at night), to the gay best friend who tells it like it is, to the stodgy boss, they are all here! Every character is what a NYC character "should" be, including the shrinks, the psychics, even the newsstand guy. There is way too much name-dropping, not only of who is in restaurants or at parties, but name-dropping of artists and philosophers as well...as if that will suddenly make it a high-brow book? Of course, you want to see if the widow will find love, but the unrealistic paths she takes to get there are almost unbelievable. If you have nothing else on your reading pile, this would be fine, but there are so many GOOD books out there! Why bother?
June 17, 2015
After reading many reviews, I feel it's necessary for me to chime in. Many reviewers seem to have come to this book thinking they know the author from her memoir or from her appearances on The Real Housewives. Really we should all be coming at this as a first time book by an unknown author. Bringing preconceived notions happens all the time, but to post a review and not reference any possible bias is unfair.
In general I liked the book and am glad I finished it. I thought the ending was rushed and wanted a little more romance, and I saw the end coming about 1/2 way through, as I do with almost everything I read. I found the main character of Claire, to be a lost soul, and was glad she was getting a second chance to possibly have a great life.
I also was able to tell that Ms. Radziwill took time with her choice of every word and phrase; there was practically nothing trite in her descriptions or jokes. And who references Iberian ham in a simile?! Great one!
Read this book for what it is, a fun first novel by an articulate woman.
In general I liked the book and am glad I finished it. I thought the ending was rushed and wanted a little more romance, and I saw the end coming about 1/2 way through, as I do with almost everything I read. I found the main character of Claire, to be a lost soul, and was glad she was getting a second chance to possibly have a great life.
I also was able to tell that Ms. Radziwill took time with her choice of every word and phrase; there was practically nothing trite in her descriptions or jokes. And who references Iberian ham in a simile?! Great one!
Read this book for what it is, a fun first novel by an articulate woman.
January 16, 2015
If you enjoy sarcastic, irreverent, black humour, chances are you'll enjoy Widow's Guide. While Carole more than proved her talent as a writer with 'What Remains' I liked this book because although it is a novel, I feel as though there were places where she was able to infuse the book with a realism that is often lacking in other novels of a similar genre. Perhaps this was her version of therapy2.0, and if so, I hope it too was cathartic.
What sets Carole's writing apart is that she has the ability to use her wit and dark humour while keeping the heavier emotions in place as well. No easy task for any writer, yet she's mastered it.
If you're hoping for anything like What Remains, you'll be disappointed. If you're hoping for typical, Jennifer Weiner/Emily Giffin chick-lit, you'll be disappointed. If you like witty and smart with a dash of blink-and-you-miss-it humour, Widow's Guide should be one of the next books on your list.
What sets Carole's writing apart is that she has the ability to use her wit and dark humour while keeping the heavier emotions in place as well. No easy task for any writer, yet she's mastered it.
If you're hoping for anything like What Remains, you'll be disappointed. If you're hoping for typical, Jennifer Weiner/Emily Giffin chick-lit, you'll be disappointed. If you like witty and smart with a dash of blink-and-you-miss-it humour, Widow's Guide should be one of the next books on your list.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 274 reviews