Annette Horrocks has every reason to be happy. She lives in a lovely London house with her devoted husband, Spicer; her first novel is about to be published; and after ten years of trying, she is finally pregnant. But Spicer is cruel and distant. He used to dismiss psychiatry, yet now he spouts New Age astrology and accuses Annette of murdering his inner child. Worse, Annette's friend Gilda discloses that Spicer is having an affair. Annette thinks she is going mad, and that's not even the end of it. Trouble is fay Weldon's bracing, enticing return to the vengeful mode of The Life and Loves of a She-Devil —and a reminder that, while marriage has been a nightmare through the ages, now husbands have psychiatrists to make it worse.
Fay Weldon CBE was an English author, essayist and playwright, whose work has been associated with feminism. In her fiction, Weldon typically portrayed contemporary women who find themselves trapped in oppressive situations caused by the patriarchal structure of British society.
See, this is an example of where I could be a reverse goodreads troll and write a nasty comment on the glowing review that led me to this book, snarking about how the reviewer misled me into wasting my time. But I won't.
Fay Weldon is witty and articulate and her books are readable, but I think she's just a bit over the top for me. The heroine (who's name I've already forgotten) is pregnant and finds her husband being mysteriously nasty to her, on and off. She ends up seeking the services of a therapist and learning that her husband is in therapy with her therapist's wife. Although the review I read led me to believe I was in for a wickedly funny skewering of therapists and the therapy industry, I found the behavior of the therapists too crazy to be even remotely believable. A little exaggeration is humorous; too much is farcical and just leaves me scratching my head and rolling my eyes. This book fell into the latter category.
I was tempted to finish it because it was a fast read and I want to complete my goodreads challenge already, but I decided not to waste any more time with it.
acerbic, funny, nasty little story of a woman deeply in love with a narcissistic husband who is having and affair with his Jungian therapist/astrologer (I read a bio. of Weldon which said that this is actually the way one of her marriages ended) who takes a long long time (the entire book) to get a clear view of who he really is, by which time his self-absorption has very nearly killed her. No she-devil-ish revenge here. Just the story of a smart woman made gullible by love, but not forever. Weldon at her best.
This should have been an easy read. It's written entirely in dialogue. It's not an easy read. It's punishing and depressing and doesn't commit to being satirical so everything comes off as mean spirited instead.
...about divorce The world loves weddings and doesn't like divorces. There are so many good books about love that lead to a happy life together; either it doesn't, and one of the characters, or both die; or it leads to an unhappy one with the search for a new love on the side. And so vanishingly little about divorce. But why, if three quarters of marriages end in divorce? Is it too tragic? Death is scarier, but they still write about it. There is something about divorce that feels painfully wrong and frightening. Faye Weldon, a mother of four who has been married three times and divorced three times, was not afraid to write about divorce and, unlike other, she did it well.
"Trouble" (1994). It's a terrible book, it hit me backhand when I read it for the first time, half a lifetime ago, young and happily married, I thought then: what a cruel fiction, this will not happen to me, it's impossible, my husband is not like that. Even now, when my ex-husband is suing me, trying to leave me homeless. And no, it's not fiction, the novel is based on the true story of the writer's second marriage, which, by an unthinkable coincidence, lasted the same thirty years as mine, and ended after the new woman convincingly proved that his wife was a bitch, wished him harm, and was not suitable for him at all.
It was the second marriage for both Anetta and Spicer. He, the owner of the inherited wine trading company, had a daughter from the first, she had a son, they were in love and happy, and he wanted to transfer half of the house to her when they got married. I didn't rewrite it, maybe because they never got married, that is, they had a wedding, a tent and treats were ordered, but she had some complications with the divorce process, because the registration was postponed, and then it was fine - both of them treated it lightly, and besides, They had their love. And the children. And the dream of having a child together: one of yours, one of mine, and one of ours," Spencer said. Anetta became pregnant in the tenth year of their marriage. At the same time, I wrote a book that was so postmodern, shocking, in the spirit of the 90s, with all these incestuous motives, with forbidden eroticism, imbued with a feminist spirit - well, you remember, it was then. I showed it to a publisher I knew without much hope. and he suddenly grabbed on.
Spencer, who felt that his wife was bypassing him, became sad, and turned to a Jungian psychoanalyst, who, rather, turned out to be a hypnotherapist at the same time. And, as you know, not all psychologists are impeccable in their professional ethics. And there was a time when anyone who completed three-month courses and picked up on the top could declare himself a graduate of the academy (remember our nineties and noughties, with all these charlatans). And then the husband begins to explain to the heroine that she cooks the wrong thing, says the wrong thing, and does not love him enough and is not as good in bed as she would like (this is in the sixth month). He stays late at work, he's always in a bad mood-well, you know how it is, and if you don't know, you're very lucky or you're still very young. The problem is compounded when someone tells Oprah about Anetta's book, she reads the layout and wants to make a story about it. Spencer's fragile soul can't stand it and he becomes a complete piece of shit. Although you should not discount regular hypnosis, backed up by sex with a woman who understands him (unlike his wife).
I called the "Trouble" terrible, it really is. I won't reveal all the details, but it twists, and mainly because, denying it, you realize: yes, that's exactly how it happens. And you know, if she hadn't been at my age of 27, today's situation would have crippled me more. Good books also come to us to help us through some violent life conflicts. And in Russia, where eight out of ten marriages end in divorce, it is also potentially the widest market, where are you looking, gentlemen publishers?
...о разводе Мир любит свадьбы и не любит разводов. Так много хороших книг о любви, которая ведет к счастливой совместной жизни; или не ведет, и один из героев, а то и оба гибнут; или ведет к несчастливой с поиском новой любви на стороне. И так исчезающе мало о разводе. Но почему, если разводом заканчивается три четверти браков? Слишком трагично? Смерть страшнее, однако о ней еще как пишут. Что-то есть в разводе, что воспринимается мучительно неправильным, пугает. Фэй Уэлдон, мать четверых детей, которая трижды побывала замужем и трижды развелась, не боялась писать о разводе и, в отличие от других (да, я про, хм, "Исповедь скучной тетки") делала это хорошо. В сборнике два романа о разводе, расположенных хронологически в обратном порядке, я буду рассказывать о них в той очередности, в какой писались.
"Беда" (1994). Страшная книга, меня ударило ею наотмашь, когда прочла впервые, полжизни назад, молодой и счастливой в браке, думала тогда: какая жестокая выдумка, со мной подобного не случится, это невозможно, мой муж не такой. Придавило и сейчас, когда бывший муж судится со мной пытаясь оставить без жилья. И нет, не выдумка, в основу романа легла реальная история второго брака писательницы, по немыслимому совпадению продлившегося те же тридцать лет, что и мой, и завершившегося после того, как новая женщина убедительно доказала, что жена стерва, желает ему зла и вообще ему не подходит.
Сюжет Для обоих, и Анетты, и Спайсера это был второй брак. У него, владельца перешедшей по наследству виноторговой фирмы, от первого осталась дочь, у нее сын, они были влюблены и счастливы и он хотел переписать на нее половину дома, когда поженятся. Не переписал, может потому, что так и не поженились, то есть, свадьбу они сыграли, шатер и угощение были заказаны, но у нее возникли какие-то осложнения с бракоразводным процессом, потому регистрацию отложили, а потом и так было хорошо - оба они относились к этому легко, а кроме того, у них была их любовь. И дети. И мечта о совместном ребенке: один твой, один мой и один наш - говорил Спенсер. Забеременела Анетта на десятом году совместной жизни. Тогда же написала книгу, такую, постмодернистскую, шокирующую, в духе 90-х, со всеми этими инцестуальными мотивами, с запретной эротикой, проникнутую феминистским духом - ну, вы помните, тогда такое шло. Без особых надежд показлала знакомому издателю. а он внезапно ухватился.
Спенсер, почувствовавший, что жена обходит его, загрустил, обратился к психоаналитику юнгианской школы, который, вернее которая, оказалась по совместительству гипнотерапевтом. А, да будет вам известно, далеко не все психологи безупречны в профессиональной этике. Да и время было такое, когда выпускником академии мог объявить себя любой, окончивший трехмесячные курсы и нахватавшийся по верхам (вспомните и наши девяностые-нулевые, со всеми этими шарлатанами). А дальше муж начинает объяснять героине, что она не то готовит, не то, не тем и не тогда говорит, недостаточно любит его и не так хороша в постели, как хотелось бы (это на шестом-то месяце). Он допоздна задерживается на работе, он всегда не в духе - ну, вы знаете, как это бывает, а если не знаете, вам очень повезло или вы еще очень молоды. Усугубляется проблема, когда о книге Анетты кто-то рассказывает Опре, она читает верстку и хочет сделать о ней сюжет. Этого хрупкая душа Спенсера не выдерживает и он становится совершенным дерьмом. Хотя не стоит сбрасывать со счетов регулярный гипноз, подкрепленный сексом с понимающей его (в отличие от жены) женщиной.
Я назвала "Беду" страшной, это на самом деле так. Не раскрою всех подробностей, но она скручивает, и главным образом потому, что, отрицая, ты понимаешь: да, именно так оно и бывает. И знаете, не будь ее в мои 27, сегодняшняя ситуация покалечила бы меня сильнее. Хорошие книги приходят к нам еще и затем, чтобы помочь в прохождении каких-то жестоких жизненных коллизий. А в России, где восемь из десяти браков заканчиваются разводом, это еще и потенциально широчайший рынок, куда вы смотрите, господа издатели?
Okay. So this book was an arbitrary choice. For some reason the name Fay Weldon popped into my head when I was at the library, and for some other reason, of the books on the shelf this and the novella "The Rules of Life" appealed most to me. When you have a shelf of choices and you don't pick the most highly ordained title, you have to leave some wiggle room in your ratings. Thus 2 stars, though I'm flirting with 3. So let's just say 2.5
So, this is my first Fay Weldon. Is it possible to say that a book bites? I understand that she's taking jabs at New Agey psychotherapy and that it was supposed to be humorous. Well, I didn't laugh at all, not even a snide little chuckle. From page one the stereotypical conversations and actions of a couple in desperate need were just over-the-top painful to read. It was quite obvious that this was written by a woman an angry at men and therapists. But also at submissive women.
And just as the story seems to be gain credibility and there is some explanation, the end spirals out into la-la-land.
Lots of dated stuff in here. Swinging 60s sexual attitudes, advanced phone technology that went out-of-date before the book could gather dust on the shelf, and well all that new age astrological psychotherapy stuff (Or does that still exist? Geez I hope not!)
I don't really know who I'd recommend this to. I guess women who are angry over failed relationships might get something out of this. Or maybe, if you're a guy you could read it to learn what NOT to say to your female significant other.
Creative story, with a dose of humor, but the characters were tedious beyond measure. They had similar "voices" too, which made them seem false. I've read other works by Fay Weldon that I've enjoyed a lot more.
Pregnant woman is having to combat for the affection of her husband with his therapist. The husband accuses her of killing his inner joy and child. She goes to see a therapist herself who turns out to be the husband of her husband's therapist.
The therapist doesn't seem to be helping either husband or wife. Seems that the therapists have ulterior motives.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Mani šī grāmata kaitināja. Viena zvaigzne par to, ka tulkojums bija daudz maz ok un otra zvaigzne par to, ka tas murgs nebija izstiepts garāks. Pieļauju domu, ka kādam/ai šāds psiholoģiskais tirlleris [?] varētu patikt, bet es no grāmatas pilnīgi neko neguvu, ja vien to, ka biju nokaitināts par tizliem dialogiem un stulbiem raksturiem.
I read this in college for a class called Tragedy & Comedy, and I remember thinking this book was a very interesting way of exploring how the two can intersect. Sometimes laughter and tears of pain can be nearly indistinguishable.
Annette, pregnant after ten years of trying, about to publish her first book, is increasingly unhappy with her husband Spicer's inconsiderate, emotionally abusive behavior. He's been seeing a new age psychotherapist, professionally and romantically.
Had I not read that TROUBLE was supposed to be witty and satirical, I would not have guessed this novel was anything more than a one-dimensional take on a troubled relationship. I know I was supposed to root for and empathize with Annette, but I found her to be as inactive and needy as Spicer was insensitive and duplicitous.
The dialogue in TROUBLE never seemed to flow, with each line spoken followed by "said Annette" or "said Spicer". Additionally, the words in speech felt inauthentic. Perhaps this was a function of an American reading British dialogue, although I've never encountered this with other British novels.
I can't think if a reader this book might interest and I doubt I'll read another from this writer.
Okay Seester, I am now reading a book by Fay Weldon, at your insistence. The cover is not so terrible, and in fact the highly ridiculous author photo on the back is very nice.
On the front flap, Fay Weldon is said to be "an insightful and persuasive social commentator with an exhilarating mind," which is quite a coincidence because that's how I've always thought people should describe me!
So far I find this book weird, silly, and kind of depressing, which is probably closer to the way people do feel about me in real life. The book is entertaining enough, though, and a lot better than reading about Schema Therapy, which is what I'm supposed to be doing.....
This is a really dark comedy about a relationship being sabotaged by outsiders in the guise of psychologists who dabble in hypnosis and all manner of esoteric practices. The novel is almost all conversation and what conversation. Whatever Annette says her partner Spicer is able to twist so that Annette is made to seem inconsiderate, irresponsible, selfish,etc. But Annette who is an extremely intelligent woman is able to understand in the end what happened and why. Fay Weldon s dialog is incredible and I was apalled and entertained on every page.
Told entirely through dialogue, this was both absurd and boring. So sorry I wasted my time on it. It was because I ran across high praise for Fay Weldon that I read this book, but it was so awful I won't read anything else by her.