Serious Widow

by Constance Beresford-Howe

At the age of 50, newly widowed Rowena Hill feels only relief to be free of her penny-pinching fusspot of a husband. As she makes her stumbling efforts to become fulfilled as a woman and a wage-earner, well-intentioned friends and her overbearing daughter all make plans for her future, with results that are sometimes comical, sometimes disastrous. However, Rowena’s growing taste for independence leads her to a solution to her problems that no one could have predicted and which astonishes even herself. First published in 1991, A Serious Widow collected glowing reviews.

Genres: Canada, Fiction, Novels

283 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

Constance Beresford-Howe was born in Montreal. She received her M.A. from McGill University in 1946 and her Ph.D. from Brown University in 1950. She taught English literature and creative writing at McGill until 1969, then moved to Toronto, Ontario where she taught at Ryerson until her retirement in 1988. Her first novel, The Unreasoning Heart, was published while she was still a student.

Ms Beresford-Howe died in a hospice in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk England, on Jan. 20, 2016 at the age of 93.

Reviews

[Dorothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the last novel Constance Beresford-Howe published, in 1991. She had not been on my radar, and that is a shame. She wrote about women who came into their own, overcoming the narrow expectations of post-war marriage roles. In this novel, following her husband's death and upon discovering he had another family, Rowena changes from a meek, dependent woman to a much stronger person who learns to thrive and make her own decisions. It feels like an early feminist novel, in which one vacillates between wanting to give the woman a shake, and cheering her on as she tentatively finds her backbone.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author deserves to be better known. An intelligent book, it reminds me of Final Payments by Mary Gordon, although the heroine of that book is younger. I would recommend Final Payments to anyone who liked this book.

[Chrisreadsbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Book of Eve by this author at least 30 years ago. It's a tiny little book but absolutely one of my favs, so it was wonderful to read this one for my book club. It's funny, wise and makes you look at life and how you are living it. We need to give Constance Beresford - Howe more love! She's a national treasure.

[Linda Irvine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't love this woman more. Her books aren't electronic yet unfortunately. I wish there were more...

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Actual Rating = 3.75 stars)

Rowena Hill discovers that when her husband suddenly dies, they were never legally married. At almost 50, with not much more than a high school education and a timid disposition, she must make some challenging choices.

A Serious Widow is an enjoyable read. Reading about how Rowena comes to terms with her situation is at times humorous and poignant. There are points I didn't entirely understand (her "relationship" with Tom), but overall, it's an enjoyable book.

[Jo-Anne Beckett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so glad to have discovered Constance Beresford-Howe. (I have read The Book of Eve.) The several plotlines in A Serious Widow touched me in many ways. Loved the ending. Now I'm hunting down more books by Constance C-B, and also ones written by Ethel Wilson and Ludwig Wittgenstein!

[Jessica Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heehee, she's funny.

[❀ Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is too bad that these books are a challenge to find because, her writing is engaging, tart and relevant despite the 1991 publishing date. Rowena, has been looked after all her life, she is meek, let others make decisions and entered a marriage of convenience once her grandparents pass.

when her husband dies, she discovers that he had another, secret life and at 50 years old needs to find herself and find a way to move forward. She needs to find a way to support herself, keep her home and be independent of her bossy daughter as she navigates the attention of two single men.

I really enjoyed this book and am excited to have received it from me 'secret sender' as part of a good reads group.

The references to novels by Ethel Wilson have also given me another author to check out!

I did chuckle at this passage: "I find it a scramble to fit in my own household routine. It's sometimes even difficult to find time for a peaceful bowel moment" and think that this sentiment transcends time and would resonate with many busy moms!!

[Claudette Warwick · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book outlining the strength of a widow. It was a nice casual read.

[Mary Greiner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful novel of a widow finding her place in the world, as she finds her true self.