Reviews

Away from Her by Alice Munro

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h3dakota's review against another edition

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3.0

A very real short story with characters full of flaws - in other words, perfectly human.

margaretmechinus's review against another edition

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4.0

Masterful writing. Bittersweet story.

flordelmal's review against another edition

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3.0

Me encantan este tipo de historias de amor, en las que sabes que lo que los personajes sienten entre ellos es completamente puro y real, pero que las complicaciones y dilemas que surgen de esa relación también son completamente puros y reales.

meimayy's review against another edition

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2.0

Found the writing so beautiful, yet I was so disconnected from the main characters.

Spoiler

Perhaps it was the glossing over and rationalising of infidelity (and other senseless excesses) because 'everyone was doing it'. No, thank you very much.

velvetcelestial's review against another edition

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sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

ldv's review against another edition

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4.0

I saw the movie Away from Her before reading the story in [b:Hateship friendship courtship loveship marriage stories|111126|Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage Stories|Alice Munro|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171648690s/111126.jpg|2457240], so that probably coloured my impression. In fact, my impression is one more of how well the story was adapted into a screenplay. First, Sarah Polley (director of the movie, who I think also did the screenplay) cast the movie wonderfully. The characters in the movie match my impressions of the characters in the book -- I know this is partly because I saw the movie first, but with other movie/book pairings I've encountered, the written characters don't always match the movie characters (when I saw the movie first). Julie Christie, Wendy Crewson, and Olympia Dukakis were perfectly cast -- or maybe they perfectly acted their roles.

I like the story because it is sorrowful but just at the same time -- there's a quiet, almost unmentionable poetic justice in Grant losing Fiona, first to Alzheimers and then to Aubrey. Poetic justice because of all the affairs he had when they were married and she stuck with him. It is to his credit that he sticks with her and continues to visit even though they barely have a friendship, let alone marriage after she moves into the Manor. So there is some vindication, yet it's mixed with sorrow for Grant. It's not a satisfactory vindication, at least. It's mixed with pity because even though he cheated, I don't think he deserves this desertion, this burden. And it's sad because the portrayal is so honest and real and you know that the disease is somewhat random (at least, cause unknown) and therefore could happen to any of us. That's where the true sorrow comes in, I think: that they could have done nothing to prevent the illness. She's not taking revenge on him, it just happened.
(I do think she's so sad after Aubrey leaves because she's lost her purpose -- she has no one to take care of anymore, nothing that needs her attention; so her will just slips away from her.)
Very moving and reflective.