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iceangel32's review against another edition
3.0
I will go with I will possibly read this again... probably not but since it is a maybe i will give this book a 3. I would have given it a 2 1/2 again if there was half stars.
During the first hundred pages or so of this book I just wanted to put it down, however I endured. Mary just took forever to figure out what the reader already knew in the first few chapters. The book was not a page turner and when I put it down I had no impulse to pick it up right away.
Once Mary got to California and met the array of people there, I feel the story improved. The cam the end....I have to say that the end left me both fulfilled and yet empty. I liked it but hated it at the same time. Mary gave away all her money, was living with her mother-in-law, working for free and not saying anything about the home she left in Canada or Gooch taking out money (was it him?? she did lose her card. She was living at his mother house too, wasn't she eventually bound to see him. But I did like the way that Mary accepted herself and fought her demons.
During the first hundred pages or so of this book I just wanted to put it down, however I endured. Mary just took forever to figure out what the reader already knew in the first few chapters. The book was not a page turner and when I put it down I had no impulse to pick it up right away.
Once Mary got to California and met the array of people there, I feel the story improved. The cam the end....I have to say that the end left me both fulfilled and yet empty. I liked it but hated it at the same time. Mary gave away all her money, was living with her mother-in-law, working for free and not saying anything about the home she left in Canada or Gooch taking out money (was it him?? she did lose her card. She was living at his mother house too, wasn't she eventually bound to see him. But I did like the way that Mary accepted herself and fought her demons.
pickyreader23's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
rmarcin's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this tale, but felt it was left unfinished - I had questions about so many things at the end.
judithdcollins's review against another edition
3.0
"A must read as Lori knows how to capture each emotion and moment...main character Mary Gooch comes to life..you will not be able to put it down! "
ridgewaygirl's review against another edition
4.0
Mary Brody is in a rut. She's committed to living her life in the routine it's grown accustomed to. She also struggles with her weight (which she calls the obeast, an issue affecting her daily life, her confidence and her relationship with her husband. When he leaves her on the eve of their 25th wedding anniversary, Mary is forced to take action and she decides to go and find her husband.
What elevates The Wife's Tale by Lori Lansens is the fairy tale tone of the story, with ordinary events and suburban locations described in a way that feels like a fable. Lansens simultaneously allows for a sense of the fantastic (conjoined twins in cornfields, a fairy godmother in the form of an Israeli limousine driver) while keeping the story grounded in reality. The transformation of Mary Brody depends not on a man (present or missing), weight loss or supernatural influences, but on her own intrinsic good nature. Here, a willingness to help out by cleaning a kitchen or babysitting a trio of pre-schoolers is what is rewarded, rather than her beauty or especial goodness. She stumbles with that willingness to help, too, with clumsy but heart-felt attempts to do the right thing. It's impossible not to root for Mary as she negotiates situations she's avoided her whole life.
What elevates The Wife's Tale by Lori Lansens is the fairy tale tone of the story, with ordinary events and suburban locations described in a way that feels like a fable. Lansens simultaneously allows for a sense of the fantastic (conjoined twins in cornfields, a fairy godmother in the form of an Israeli limousine driver) while keeping the story grounded in reality. The transformation of Mary Brody depends not on a man (present or missing), weight loss or supernatural influences, but on her own intrinsic good nature. Here, a willingness to help out by cleaning a kitchen or babysitting a trio of pre-schoolers is what is rewarded, rather than her beauty or especial goodness. She stumbles with that willingness to help, too, with clumsy but heart-felt attempts to do the right thing. It's impossible not to root for Mary as she negotiates situations she's avoided her whole life.
crazymom414's review against another edition
3.0
I really like this book. It is about an obese woman and her struggles in life. I was kind of disappointed with the ending because it just ended and I just wanted to keep going and see how things turned out for her.
k_cavacini's review against another edition
1.0
I couldn't even finish this book, I really did not like it. The main character was annoying and I didn't even care to find out what happened to her husband. I just had to stop reading it because it was not an enjoyable read.
cleah's review against another edition
4.0
On the eve of their 25 year anniversary, Mary Gooch's husband leaves for work and never comes home. Weighing in at 302 pounds, she finds herself suddenly alone and clueless as to what to do next. The one thing she knows for sure is that she needs to find her husband and bring him home. And so she sets out with a few clues to find him. But what she finds instead is the little bit of herself that she was missing.
THE WIFE'S TALE is slightly slow to start, but once Mary has momentum, the book will carry you along with a will of it's own. It is uplifting to read about Mary's adventure and the extremely trusting and nice people she meets along the way. Lansens writes with flowing prose and soft tones that make for a very enjoyable read. I wanted Mary's story to continue for another 200 pages!
THE WIFE'S TALE is slightly slow to start, but once Mary has momentum, the book will carry you along with a will of it's own. It is uplifting to read about Mary's adventure and the extremely trusting and nice people she meets along the way. Lansens writes with flowing prose and soft tones that make for a very enjoyable read. I wanted Mary's story to continue for another 200 pages!
littlebookontheprairie's review against another edition
3.0
A great story about a women who struggles with many things in her life. From the beginning you feel like you are her confidant. You go through her trails and tribulations with her and by the end, you are so proud of her. Worth the read.