Kyra

by Carol Gilligan

An unforgettable novel about love–and the first work of fiction by the author of the groundbreaking nonfiction bestseller In a Different VoiceKyra is an architect, involved in a project to design a new city. Andreas, a theater director, is staging an innovative production of the opera Tosca. Both have come through political upheaval and personal loss. Neither wants to fall in love. Yet when she asks him, “What is the opposite of losing?” and he says, “Finding,” it galvanizes a powerful attraction, and they risk opening themselves to love once again.When their love affair leads to a shocking betrayal, Kyra’s fierce determination to see under the surface, to know what was true and real, brings her to Greta, a remarkable therapist. As the therapy itself repeats the themes of love and loss, Kyra challenges its structure, and the struggle that ensues between the two women opens the way to a larger understanding.Passionate and revolutionary, Kyra is an exquisitely written love story, imbued with gentle humor. This is an extraordinary work of fiction by one of the most brilliant writers of our time.“A triumph. Carol Gilligan has always dazzled and moved us with her brilliant mind, visionary wisdom, and compassionate heart. Now she gives us, as well, an irresistible novel about the power of history to hurt us, but the power of love to heal these wounds and redeem us. She is amazing.” –Catharine R. StimpsonFrom the Hardcover edition.

Genres: Fiction, Book Club

Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Carol Gilligan is an American feminist, ethicist, and psychologist best known for her work on ethical community and ethical relationships.

Reviews

[Mary · Rating 1 out of 5]

Carol Gilligan had a big affect on me, years ago, with her book "In A Different Voice." So I thought I would give this a try. Not sure if it's the style, or what the characters were doing with their lives, but I just couldn't get into it.

[Dianne · Rating 1 out of 5]

My advice - don't read books by academics who write a novel just to promote their philosophy. The characters, the dialogue and the situations in this book were so contrived. Don't bother reading this one...

[Gabrielle Jarrett · Rating 2 out of 5]

Actually, it was less than okay, but I take into account my subjective viewpoint and experience. Quite simply, I was bored. Before the days of Goodreads, I would've put it down after 100 pp. Now, I feel an obligation to finish and review. The writer's mantra: show don't tell. Gilligan not only told, she reported. In her reporting emotion, I felt a distance from mine. They were also bored. Too much of the old story: woman meets man, man leaves, woman deeply upset, man shows up, she believes him once again...all without feeling. Whatever.

[Kelsey Grissom · Rating 1 out of 5]

Two academics have the love affair to end all love affairs (I guess?) that is also remarkably dispassionate. They are immigrants who survived brutal regimes and wars but somehow that doesn’t really figure into anything. Also there’s a therapist, and a *really* bizarre, over-thought, under-developed client-therapist relationship. Also you pretty much have to love opera because they talk about Tosca non. stop.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not a flawless novel, but one that remains in one's heart. I often think about it, how love is amazing and the greatest shaper of the self, yet love for another can't be enough. Kyra had the chance to love again, to recover from her grief, only to feel betrayed once more. But she will go on, with the new love inside her - for her lover, for the world and for herself. Who knows what the future will bring?

[Nan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked this book up at a campground in Virginia and thought it would be a good read on the road. I seldom give up on a book, no matter how it is to get through. Well, after suffering through 84 pages, Kyra was left behind in Vermont. I tried, no way!!

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story of relationships (women-men, women-women), music (opera), art, architecture, aesthetics, psychology and analysis. I found some of it nuanced and beautiful, some theorizing obscure, and the psychoanalysis and patient-analyst relationship elusive - as always. Loved much of the music and aesthetics.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the mid 80's, I met the author when she was teaching at Harvard and pushing the edges of gender studies. So smart, articulate, visionary, Gilligan's seminars and earlier research informed my work as an educator. This first novel reflects all those qualities and more. Literature, opera, architecture, history and art are seamlesslly woven throughout the novel that deals with almost unspeakable loss and love. I reread passages out loud for the sheer beauty of the words and writing, and many times, simply to understand. The conversations among and between the characters are rich, edgy and thought-provoking. I am left with much to think about and know I will reread the entire novel because I must.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished this novel. It is really unusual - it doesn't follow a simple narrative form which makes it intriguing. Most of all it addresses that most basic of questions - why do people who love each other mess up. I think the book is easier to understand if you've read Carol Gilligan's book "The Birth of Pleasure" because this novel plays out almost as a fictional account of the issues she raises in that non-fictional book.

How many books have you read in which the main characters are children of refugees from Nazi Germany who then, themselves, become refugees from Cyprus and Hungary respectively; then end up collaborating on operas in European capitals as well as staying on islands off the coast of Massachusetts and Wales?
A good, heartfelt and thought-provoking read.

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Carol Gilligan is a brilliant woman who has written a better than average debut novel. I found the protagonist to be a fascinating woman and was especially interested in how beautifully Gilligan crafted descriptions of her career, daily life and traumatic history. The love story also was well drawn. I think that the passages about her therapy were overly complex for this novel (perhaps because I have read all Gilligan's scholarly writing my reaction to this was stronger and more critical than people who have not done that reading will experience). I thought the ending was weak although I think I "got" what she was trying to achieve with it.

[Wendy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Although certain aspects of this book were interesting (e.g., learning a little bit about opera and architecture), I wasn't able to feel any sort of attachment to the protagonist. I couldn't relate to her and found her choices to be somewhat inexplicable and maddening which left me feeling less than sympathetic to her plight. I also thought that the description of the book created an expectation that was not delivered upon. The "shocking betrayal" wasn't overly shocking (in my opinion), and I found the whole therapy aspect of the story line to be tedious and that it didn't really add alot to the overall story.

[An · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't really know how I feel about this novel. Some parts I liked and the characters had some interesting views. But other parts went on a bit too long, and were less interesting to me, personally. For example, the discussions with Kyra's colleagues at the faculty, the lectures about architecture and design, the parts about Tosca and the other operas, literary references to plays I'm not familiar with, some parts with Greta. Still, I finished reading it, even though I'm good at abandoning books and I did leave it in my book case for a fews months. But something inside me wanted to finish it and find out the rest of the story, so I suppose that's something positive :)

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hadn't read any reviews of this - just found it on the browsing collection shelf at UNC's Undergraduate Library. I was disappointed, even with no knowledge of the book. Gilligan is an important writer, but this was a bit too obtuse at times -- I found some of the plot hard to follow. And the character's behavior was unexpected, but not quite in a good way. There was foreshadowing of a "horrible event" but the event didn't ring true to me. I read this book & thought I'd have understood it better if I were smarter. I don't think that's a good quality for a book. Then again, I read it to the end, so it wasn't that bad.

[Amy]

This fiction novel by Carol Gilligan, noted academician, researcher, and theorist in the development of Women and Girls, as well as in morality theory, is a first novel. It is a love story in the first half, a therapy story in the second. Gilligan uses her insightful work on inner and outer structures to weave a story about trauma, love, loss, and learning how to re-open the heart. I think this is a great read if you are a therapist or like minded, but its not for everyone. I thought the book raised some challenging questions about how we work and the way change and transformation happens. I rather enjoyed it and it stayed with me.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmm... I chose to read this being at least somewhat familiar with In a Different Voice. I knew it didn't get the greatest of reviews, but since I generally don't put much stock in reviews, that really didn't bother me. Well, it was... ok. I think the main reason I read it was because I was curious about the counseling relationship alluded to on the book jacket. I feel like there are very few helpful fictional depictions of that therapeutic relationship. Don't know that this one qualifies, either.

[Julie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't find this book to be a very enjoyable read. It was trying too hard to be profound and revolutionary. It was difficult to care about the main character; the plot was plodding; the "shocking betrayal" not that shocking, and the therapy sessions were vague and lame. It felt like the author wrote this book from the top down. If she was going to try her hand at fiction again, I recommend that she follow the basic writing advice: "Show, don't tell."

[Li · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't understand what Kyra's problem was, with Andreas nor with Greta. Then, to top it off, I felt like Gilligan was suggesting that what Kyra wanted within the therapist/client relationship was unquestionably the right thing. I disagree. I think what Kyra was demanding from the therapist/client relationship was based on her own insecurities, and Gilligan's development of a new relationship from that place was misdirected.

[Suzanne Kreps · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is a meditation on evolving from loss and grief to an acceptance of love and life. The patient/therapist relationship was the most interesting part of the book for me. Gilligan is a lyrical writer.

[Kiandra Haaf · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like it becaused Eve Ensler gave it a great review. Maybe my life is just too vanilla in contrast to these was stories of love. One thing I liked was the interplay of Kyra and her therapist. The rest was pretty boring.

[Arlene · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is thinly written and the characters seem like projections or wish fulfillments. Gilligan wrote a book that challenged the reigning view of women's psychology, so I was curious to read her novel. There are ideas in the book but they aren't, I think, really embodied.

[Leslie Angel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yes, the same Carol Gilligan of notable gender studies, which is why I picked it up. Love story, very internal in spite of some architecture and opera stuff. Nice read, not a wow, but that could just be me.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Random library stumble-upon. Molls, did you know Carol Gilligan wrote a fiction book???

(Also, the characters went to the Vienna Staatsoper. Major name-check points for my favorite place on Earth!)

[Candace · Rating 2 out of 5]

I started it but couldn't finish. I'm a huge fan of Gilligan's work in feminist psychology but perhaps she's too scholarly/intellectualizing and detached?? for romance.

[Kishwar Jaffer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not so great as a novel but i could empathize more with the central character as I got further into the book. It did make me interested in reading her non-fiction works.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautifully written, but goes nowhere. I was drawn enough to the characters to care about them, and to suffer through some ponderous (but beautiful) prose, but the end left me cold.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found it hard to get into at first, but am now enjoying it a little bit more. Love the descriptions of the island scenes.

[bryan boyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main character is a GSD prof. in the landscape which is interesting but everything else about it is not so great.

[Vicki Bocchicchio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gilligan's novel is a marvelous meditation on love, loss, and art. She writes fiction as beautifully as she writes essays. I highly recommend this book.

[Carey · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't get past chapter two. The book is full of overt metaphors and symbols. And it takes place in an impossibly rich academic setting that I don't even want to allow myself to fantasize about.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting more "scholarly" love story from a college professor who wrote In a Different Voice