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The Wilde Women
Having left her southern hometown of Five Points five years earlier after discovering that her sister and fiancé had been having an affair, unpredictable Pearl Wilde returns home to exact revenge. By the author of The Rock Orchard. 60,000 first printing.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published November 30, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews
August 5, 2022
Ich liebe dieses Buch - absolutes Jahreshighlight
July 19, 2020
‘The Lord giveth and most women piss it away.’ With just the first sentence of the prologue of The Wilde Women, I knew I was in for a treat–honest insight of the intricate, and sometimes misunderstood minds of women–straight from the source.
Paula Wall is brutally honest, charming and hilarious in this book that, from the title, synopsis and throughout the prologue and first few chapters, we are led to believe is about the Wilde women. Sisters, Kat and Pearl come from a long line of exquisite beauty that stops all men in their tracks, as well as rebellion that only they can understand. However, The Wilde Women does not simply tell the tales of the lives Kat, Pearl and their mother, Lorna have lived, but it brings you in and accepts you as part of the small town of Five Points, a town much like any other, set in Tennessee circa 1920 after the historical stock market crash.
Encompassing sisters who are bitter rivals, townspeople who are so real and who you know so much about you feel like you’ve known them for years, disgustingly rich personalities, poor personalities with lost hope, whiskey, a shotgun wedding, love gained and lost and gained again, and a whorehouse that saves a town, Paula Wall has struck gold with this novel.
As soon as Wall broke away from Kat and Pearl Wilde, I didn’t think I would enjoy this book as much as I did. I loved both of the characters simply because I felt validated in some of the decisions I have personally made in the journey of my life; I felt as if I could be one of these women. The first step an author must take in writing a novel is making their characters easy to relate to and for me, these two characters hit the nail on the head. While I admittedly slowed down the pace in which I had begun reading this book, as soon as I began to know more about the townspeople in Five Points, my pace quickened again and I was hooked; I did not want this book to end. Wall’s writing style is eccentric, poetic and tragically beautiful; I swear that if Paula Wall was a journalist, she could make the Iraq war sound stunning. Her style reminded me a bit of Virginia Woolf in Mrs. Dalloway and also Jeanette Winterson in Written on the Body; all beautiful, poetic, captivating and hard to tear yourself away from.
While this is the first piece of writing I have read by Wall, I am eager to read the others. She has previously written The Rock Orchard, a national bestselling novel, as well as two collections of writing entitled If I Were a Man, I’d Marry Me and My Love Is Free…But the Rest of Me Don’t Come Cheap, all possessing extremely favorable reviews and equally-as-luring titles.
If you are in the mood for an entertaining, thought-provoking, hilarious and eccentric read unlike any of the books you’ve read this year, I could not recommend The Wilde Women enough.
Paula Wall is brutally honest, charming and hilarious in this book that, from the title, synopsis and throughout the prologue and first few chapters, we are led to believe is about the Wilde women. Sisters, Kat and Pearl come from a long line of exquisite beauty that stops all men in their tracks, as well as rebellion that only they can understand. However, The Wilde Women does not simply tell the tales of the lives Kat, Pearl and their mother, Lorna have lived, but it brings you in and accepts you as part of the small town of Five Points, a town much like any other, set in Tennessee circa 1920 after the historical stock market crash.
Encompassing sisters who are bitter rivals, townspeople who are so real and who you know so much about you feel like you’ve known them for years, disgustingly rich personalities, poor personalities with lost hope, whiskey, a shotgun wedding, love gained and lost and gained again, and a whorehouse that saves a town, Paula Wall has struck gold with this novel.
As soon as Wall broke away from Kat and Pearl Wilde, I didn’t think I would enjoy this book as much as I did. I loved both of the characters simply because I felt validated in some of the decisions I have personally made in the journey of my life; I felt as if I could be one of these women. The first step an author must take in writing a novel is making their characters easy to relate to and for me, these two characters hit the nail on the head. While I admittedly slowed down the pace in which I had begun reading this book, as soon as I began to know more about the townspeople in Five Points, my pace quickened again and I was hooked; I did not want this book to end. Wall’s writing style is eccentric, poetic and tragically beautiful; I swear that if Paula Wall was a journalist, she could make the Iraq war sound stunning. Her style reminded me a bit of Virginia Woolf in Mrs. Dalloway and also Jeanette Winterson in Written on the Body; all beautiful, poetic, captivating and hard to tear yourself away from.
While this is the first piece of writing I have read by Wall, I am eager to read the others. She has previously written The Rock Orchard, a national bestselling novel, as well as two collections of writing entitled If I Were a Man, I’d Marry Me and My Love Is Free…But the Rest of Me Don’t Come Cheap, all possessing extremely favorable reviews and equally-as-luring titles.
If you are in the mood for an entertaining, thought-provoking, hilarious and eccentric read unlike any of the books you’ve read this year, I could not recommend The Wilde Women enough.
May 29, 2009
“A woman is like whiskey. She evaporates a little over time, distilled by disappointments and grief. One can never predict if the angels will take the best of her or the worst. Only time will tell if the woman that remains will be bitter, dispirited, or aged to perfection.” (pg. 180) “The Wilde Women.” Paula Wall (2007).
I loved this book, or more to the point—the characters in the book—or, more to a sharper point—the author, Paula Wall. She likes her women strong, as do I. She likes the sexual position of “girl on top,” as do I. She likes the dynamic of attraction, as do I. She likes to look at history to get a framework for the present, as do I. She likes alliteration as a writing style, as do I. She understands cadence and gravity and momentum.
Reading about the making of whiskey in Tennessee during prohibition made me want to switch my spirit of choice from tequila to “Old Number 7”; hop in the Batmobile, drive to the Highland Rim near Nashville (that’s enough of a direction for me), find this wild woman, sit down at her kitchen table, throw down two shots … and see what happens.
Now isn’t that THE definition of a good book? I would have given it five stars except for the abundance of clichés and the “Chit-Lit” ending. Nevertheless, it is a fine piece of work. There is a lot of truth in this story, and it opened my eyes to a question that has been eating at me: Why do women do what they do? Now I know the answer when it comes to mate selection.
Given the choice between a Dickhead and an Idiot—a wild woman will take the DH; and that just makes sense (or cents.)
I loved this book, or more to the point—the characters in the book—or, more to a sharper point—the author, Paula Wall. She likes her women strong, as do I. She likes the sexual position of “girl on top,” as do I. She likes the dynamic of attraction, as do I. She likes to look at history to get a framework for the present, as do I. She likes alliteration as a writing style, as do I. She understands cadence and gravity and momentum.
Reading about the making of whiskey in Tennessee during prohibition made me want to switch my spirit of choice from tequila to “Old Number 7”; hop in the Batmobile, drive to the Highland Rim near Nashville (that’s enough of a direction for me), find this wild woman, sit down at her kitchen table, throw down two shots … and see what happens.
Now isn’t that THE definition of a good book? I would have given it five stars except for the abundance of clichés and the “Chit-Lit” ending. Nevertheless, it is a fine piece of work. There is a lot of truth in this story, and it opened my eyes to a question that has been eating at me: Why do women do what they do? Now I know the answer when it comes to mate selection.
Given the choice between a Dickhead and an Idiot—a wild woman will take the DH; and that just makes sense (or cents.)
April 19, 2009
The old South is alive and well and kickin' in Paula Wall's books.
I wouldn't call her books historical romances....(that sounds so dry and boring) more like hilarious, witty novels of the South. When Pearl catches her little sister, Kat, with her legs up in the air and her fiance on board for the ride in the well house, she skips town and vows revenge, no matter the cost. Thus begins this witty, fascinating, fun novel. It's one of my favorite reads from my Summer reading list.
Pearl and Kat come from a long line of Wilde women who tend to be fiercely independent, beautiful, hard-headed and hot-blooded. Even though this book sounds like an old-fashioned `bodice-ripper' romance, it's not. Paula Wall is the undisputed queen of the one-liner and had me holding my sides from laughing so hard at the quips her characters uttered. I've never seen so many bitter, old hags who learned valuable life lessons from a creative, enterprising whore.
I loved the surprise ending which wrapped the story up perfectly. And when the old broad who tried so blatantly and creatively to kill her husband (being a widow was much preferred over being a wife for many women back then) got her comeuppance, I laughed so hard I had tears running down my face. The chicken house scenes are worth the price of the book, for sure!
I borrowed this book from the library, but plan to buy my own copy as soon as it comes out in paperback. This is a fabulous Summer read with characters who you won't soon forget.
I wouldn't call her books historical romances....(that sounds so dry and boring) more like hilarious, witty novels of the South. When Pearl catches her little sister, Kat, with her legs up in the air and her fiance on board for the ride in the well house, she skips town and vows revenge, no matter the cost. Thus begins this witty, fascinating, fun novel. It's one of my favorite reads from my Summer reading list.
Pearl and Kat come from a long line of Wilde women who tend to be fiercely independent, beautiful, hard-headed and hot-blooded. Even though this book sounds like an old-fashioned `bodice-ripper' romance, it's not. Paula Wall is the undisputed queen of the one-liner and had me holding my sides from laughing so hard at the quips her characters uttered. I've never seen so many bitter, old hags who learned valuable life lessons from a creative, enterprising whore.
I loved the surprise ending which wrapped the story up perfectly. And when the old broad who tried so blatantly and creatively to kill her husband (being a widow was much preferred over being a wife for many women back then) got her comeuppance, I laughed so hard I had tears running down my face. The chicken house scenes are worth the price of the book, for sure!
I borrowed this book from the library, but plan to buy my own copy as soon as it comes out in paperback. This is a fabulous Summer read with characters who you won't soon forget.
October 12, 2017
I define this as sassy southern dramedy.
February 26, 2022
Genuine, loving, and flat-out funny.
January 12, 2015
Five Points, Tennessee: where the whiskey is mellow and the women are strong.
Though this book is titled after several central characters, the stories center on most of the women of the town. There is a touch of Alice Hoffman's style in the writing, which lured me into thinking there would be a bit more magic in the tales, but in truth, the main magic is in the characters depicted in this small town, hit hard by the depression and Prohibition. There's pithiness, and grit there (you can tell from the very first sentence " The Lord giveth and most women piss it away.") But there also are some great characters (female and male) who evolve and age, taking their tones and tastes from the world around them. And though the individual characters and arcs drew me, I think what kept me coming back to the book (I had to put it aside for several ARCs that came in) was the way the making of whiskey was interwoven through the life of the characters and town. It was the livelihood of many, and when times became tough, the currency of life. As the author says: “A woman is like whiskey. She evaporates a little over time, distilled by disappointments and grief. One can never predict if the angels will take the best of her or the worst. Only time will tell if the woman that remains will be bitter, dispirited, or aged to perfection.” (pg. 180)
Liquor can be like moonshine quick, strong, and straight to your head, or like that fine whiskey which takes on the nuances of the world around it to become something more. This is a book shaped by whiskey
Though this book is titled after several central characters, the stories center on most of the women of the town. There is a touch of Alice Hoffman's style in the writing, which lured me into thinking there would be a bit more magic in the tales, but in truth, the main magic is in the characters depicted in this small town, hit hard by the depression and Prohibition. There's pithiness, and grit there (you can tell from the very first sentence " The Lord giveth and most women piss it away.") But there also are some great characters (female and male) who evolve and age, taking their tones and tastes from the world around them. And though the individual characters and arcs drew me, I think what kept me coming back to the book (I had to put it aside for several ARCs that came in) was the way the making of whiskey was interwoven through the life of the characters and town. It was the livelihood of many, and when times became tough, the currency of life. As the author says: “A woman is like whiskey. She evaporates a little over time, distilled by disappointments and grief. One can never predict if the angels will take the best of her or the worst. Only time will tell if the woman that remains will be bitter, dispirited, or aged to perfection.” (pg. 180)
Liquor can be like moonshine quick, strong, and straight to your head, or like that fine whiskey which takes on the nuances of the world around it to become something more. This is a book shaped by whiskey
September 29, 2012
I am torn with this book. I gave it 4 stars because the individual stories were entertaining. The disappointment is that the author did not focus on the Wilde women. The story centers around the people of Five Points, Tennessee.
Pearl and Kat Wilde are from a long line of strong, Southern, independent women. The sisters are close until Kat is accused of sleeping with Pearl's fiance. Pearl leaves for 3 years and when she returns, she returns in a big and glamorous way. Revenge can be sweet. Little did Pearl know that her return would stimulate the town. A town going through economic hard times.
The author did not focus enough the relationship of the sisters. The sisters did not see each other until the end of the book and it was not climatic at all. It was such a disappointment. When Pearl finally sees her ex-finance, there was some heat but nothing dramatic. Very disappointing. If the author was going to do this she should have named the book, The Stories of Five Points. We got more history from the townspeople than the actual main character. At least I thought the Wilde sisters were the main characters.
Pearl and Kat Wilde are from a long line of strong, Southern, independent women. The sisters are close until Kat is accused of sleeping with Pearl's fiance. Pearl leaves for 3 years and when she returns, she returns in a big and glamorous way. Revenge can be sweet. Little did Pearl know that her return would stimulate the town. A town going through economic hard times.
The author did not focus enough the relationship of the sisters. The sisters did not see each other until the end of the book and it was not climatic at all. It was such a disappointment. When Pearl finally sees her ex-finance, there was some heat but nothing dramatic. Very disappointing. If the author was going to do this she should have named the book, The Stories of Five Points. We got more history from the townspeople than the actual main character. At least I thought the Wilde sisters were the main characters.
November 26, 2013
Die Frauen der Familie Wilde sind verführerisch und wild und der Mann, der ihnen widerstehen kann, muss wohl erst noch geboren werden. Als Pearl ihren Verlobten Bourne zwischen den Beinen ihrer Schwester Kat erwischt, verlässt sie die Stadt. Drei Jahre später kehrt Pearl zurück, elegant in Weiß gekleidet und fest entschlossen ein Bordell zu eröffnen.
Der Roman entführt den Leser in die Zeit der Prohibition, als der Alkohol nur im Geheimen gebrannt und verkauft wurde. Erzählt wird die Geschichte der Schwestern Kat und Pearl Wilde und des Städtchens Five Points, das unter Depression und Langweile leidet. Die Restauration und die Eröffnung des Bordells haben auf die Einwohner die Wirkung des Kusses, den der Prinz Dornröschen gibt. Der Schreibstil der Autorin ist brillant und es kommt auf keiner Seite Langeweile auf. Obwohl im Mittelpunkt des Buches ein Bordell steht, gibt es erfreulich wenig Sex-Szenen.
Ein Buch über starke Frauen, die sich ihres erotischen Potentials bewusst sind und sich nicht die Butter vom Brot nehmen lassen. Absolut lesenswert.
Der Roman entführt den Leser in die Zeit der Prohibition, als der Alkohol nur im Geheimen gebrannt und verkauft wurde. Erzählt wird die Geschichte der Schwestern Kat und Pearl Wilde und des Städtchens Five Points, das unter Depression und Langweile leidet. Die Restauration und die Eröffnung des Bordells haben auf die Einwohner die Wirkung des Kusses, den der Prinz Dornröschen gibt. Der Schreibstil der Autorin ist brillant und es kommt auf keiner Seite Langeweile auf. Obwohl im Mittelpunkt des Buches ein Bordell steht, gibt es erfreulich wenig Sex-Szenen.
Ein Buch über starke Frauen, die sich ihres erotischen Potentials bewusst sind und sich nicht die Butter vom Brot nehmen lassen. Absolut lesenswert.
April 17, 2020
After reading 'The Rock Orchard' and LOVING it, I was so excited for the next Paula Wall book to come out! When my local library didn't have this available, I knew couldn't wait, so I went to the store and bought it! Well let me tell you, this book sure didn't disappoint! Two nights in a row I was up till 3 am...I kept telling myself 'One more chapter, then I'll go to sleep, for REAL this time!'...and I couldn't do it :)
The Wilde women of Tennessee sure have a lot of fire in them, but the girls aside, this book is also about an entire town. I was surprised by how many characters were in this story, but I just couldn't wait to know more about each and every one of them! I highly recommend this book, and if you haven't read 'The Rock Orchard' yet, then make that the next book you read. Ms. Walls novels are just dripping with southern sensuality, good gossip, and irresistible characters. I only wish she wrote faster, cause I'm already looking forward to the next one!
The Wilde women of Tennessee sure have a lot of fire in them, but the girls aside, this book is also about an entire town. I was surprised by how many characters were in this story, but I just couldn't wait to know more about each and every one of them! I highly recommend this book, and if you haven't read 'The Rock Orchard' yet, then make that the next book you read. Ms. Walls novels are just dripping with southern sensuality, good gossip, and irresistible characters. I only wish she wrote faster, cause I'm already looking forward to the next one!
August 2, 2014
I just finished "the Wilde Women: A Novel" by Paula Wall and it is an amazing book! The storytelling is wonderful with rich characters and a seductive undertone that makes it so you can not walk away from it.
I listened to the mp3 version read by Susan Ericksen. Ms. Ericksen truly made the book even better, her voice (or should I say voices?) brings to life the many interesting people in the book. The story comes to life with her narration.
This is a book I WILL recommend over and over! You won't be bored at any momment, I promise!
I listened to the mp3 version read by Susan Ericksen. Ms. Ericksen truly made the book even better, her voice (or should I say voices?) brings to life the many interesting people in the book. The story comes to life with her narration.
This is a book I WILL recommend over and over! You won't be bored at any momment, I promise!
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August 21, 2011I have to say I was not crazy about this book! It was entertaining but I thought it was somewhat unorganized and disjointed. During the first half of the book I thought she floated around giving us the history of various characters but failing to show us how they all related together - I wanted more of the story vs. the history early on so I could stay interested. I don't know, maybe it was just too southern for me, since I am a transplant from California! Oh well, you can't please everyone.
May 20, 2014
Spunky, mature and rather saucy! The Wilde Women was quite the book. This story was witty, charming, potent, and hell-bent on making an impact (and that it did). I have read the hard copy before, but I saw the audio version at my local library and decided to refresh my memory a bit. Needless to say, I had myself a good, old time listening. This audio book kept me entertained and then some. The characters, the conflict...it was outrageous!!!
March 30, 2008
I absolutely loved this book. The southern undertones that rang so true, the quick wit and the subtle (and not so subtle!) humor throughout... Overall, a wonderful story, unexpected results come from a small town beauty moving back home from the big city to start a brothel. The way it changes the entire town is absolute. Wonderful write. Thoroughly enjoyable from cover to cover!
July 26, 2008
Possibly the best beach read of all time. Pay no attention to the misleading cover art. Yes, there is romance, but it neither pants, heaves, nor busts bodices. There are no slim-yet-voluptuously-curved-flowing-tressed-ruby-lipped-brain-dead heroines. Also absent: Fabio. It's smart and funny and features a quirky southern family that gets into lots of trouble. The thinking girl's escape.
April 25, 2011
Solid book. Colorful characters in colorful situations.
I enjoyed the little side stories as much as I did the sections about the sisters and probably would have liked it if some of the supporting characters were fleshed out a little more. To me some of the funniest and most memorable parts were about the Lesters and Joy's ultimate demise.
I enjoyed the little side stories as much as I did the sections about the sisters and probably would have liked it if some of the supporting characters were fleshed out a little more. To me some of the funniest and most memorable parts were about the Lesters and Joy's ultimate demise.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 10, 2016
This book was written in such a witty manner, I found myself chuckling a lot. It was entertaining and engaging. I love when authors flip the peer paradigm and show the society's Rebels. The women here were the rebels and they were strong, and crazy too.
The story wasn't solely about the sunsets but about the whole community. So bear that in mind as you read or listen to it.
The story wasn't solely about the sunsets but about the whole community. So bear that in mind as you read or listen to it.
October 3, 2008
This is one of the best books I have ever read. Not only was it a journey through the South in the '20s, the book had insights into moonshining, bootlegging, and high-end prostitution. This novel was very well-written and wove a sultry love story between two couples. Worth reading!
January 5, 2009
My book club chose this book, and I'm so glad they did. I wouldn't have picked it up otherwise - looks too much like a Jackie Collins read for my taste - but Paula Wall's writing was witty and clever and homey and thorougly enjoyable.
February 20, 2010
Loved this book!. Paula Wall has now become one of my favorite authors and I truly hope that there are more books to come. I love the characters and the author's way of writing. This was a book that I just had to keep reading until it was finished and now I'm sad that it's done.
May 5, 2010
I absolutely loved this book. I actually listened to it rather than reading it. I'm not usually a big fan audiobooks but the reader did an excellent job. The story was intriguing and the characters were hilarious. It made me laugh out loud.
March 25, 2011
LOVE THIS BOOK!! I wanna be Pearl Wilde. The story between the sisters and the people of the town makes you wanna find this towna nd move there. This book was well written and I could defintly appreciate all the relatable quotes.
June 5, 2013
This book is brilliant. It's set in the south during the depression and the characters are all so real and relatable and hilariously funny. This book was a wonderful summer read and I look forward to more books by Paula Wall.
November 28, 2016
I will keep it short And sweet. If you enjoy southern fiction you will love this historical novel . Fell in love with the characters, and her wit shines through on every page. Picked up her only other fictional novel The Rock Orchard and love that one even more.
September 15, 2019
I read this several years ago and still have it on my bookshelf. I loved it that much. The language is just exquisite; the characters richly drawn; and it’s just plain fun to read about strong women and the intricate world of spirit production.
March 27, 2008
Phenomenal book! This is one of the BEST books ever. I couldn't put it down and almost cried when it was over. Savor it. Southern, sexy, and sweet as all get out.
March 27, 2008
Listened to this audiobook -- the author is just so funny and it translates really well to being read aloud.
July 11, 2009
I'd give it a 3.5. Good writing. I would read this author again.
May 31, 2012
Delightful! Laugh outloud funny at times. Would make a wonderful film if cast well. The book will make you smile and you will wish it wouldn't end!
June 8, 2011
Really enjoyed this book - fiesty and fun! Perfect light and fluffy beach reading.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews