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akbhatia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I’m so mad at this book; it made John Irving one of my favorite rants. The first 2-300 pages are really good, there’s a clear story, the writing is so vivid, it’s like a movie playing in your head. And then he veers wildly off path. And I hung in there for 400 pages more thinking he’d get somewhere. But I don’t think he did. If you like John Irving, odds are you’ll love this book, too - but I don’t get it. It would have been a 4 if he had found some way to end it after 300 pages.
edinareads's review against another edition
Dense, hard to read, read an overview of the plot, decided I didn’t care.
mdelguercio's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
ckadams5's review against another edition
3.0
I can't decide whether my favorite novel of all time is "To Kill A Mockingbird" or "A Prayer for Owen Meany." So I decided I would read all novels by both authors. Harper Lee is is easy (though I haven't gotten around to Go Set A Watchman, yet.) John Irving not so much. So I have been working through two or three Irving novels a year. I had to take a break after the last one I read (Until I Find You), though--it nearly put me off of the Irving project for good. A Widow For One Year is better--there are flashes of the insight into human nature (simul iustus et peccator, saint & sinner, total depravity & created in God's image) that I see in the best of Irving's writing. But Irving also clearly has issues with women--his female characters are mostly unbelievable or transparent or built around one characteristic--and his fixation on certain twisted forms of sexuality make him hard to take at times. This is not A Prayer for Owen Meany. But it isn't Until I Find You, either. I didn't get much out of it, but your mileage might vary.
alice_horoshev's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Loved the bit about the gardener.
karenbacke's review
1.0
HATED this. I tried a few other Irvings to get the high I did w/Owen Meany, but this was another array of the same Irving stock characters, events and sexcapades, but even more tiresome.
alixgb's review
3.0
The book is written in three parts. It begins with the main character's (Ruth) childhood from the point of view of her mother's lover and then jumps to her in adulthood. The last part is from a separate character's point of view and felt disjointed. A majority of the characters are writers and the excerpts of their writing within the story didn't help the chunky feel of the novel. It literally feels like a different book is written into the middle. I appreciated the unique characters and gender themes. Strangely told, but an interesting read.