Scan barcode
theresa_mysteries_and_mayhem's review against another edition
5.0
This was a quick little book that packed a punch!
The year is 1972, the women's rights movement is a hot button issue. And over here we have Ira Levin writing a book about an entire town full of women who want nothing more than to keep themselves presentable for their spouses and to keep their homes sparkling! What's going on? Why are they acting like this? What happened to the women's group in town that disbanded with no explanation a few years ago? Joanna is new to town and trying to get to the bottom of these questions and more. She fears time is running out ...
I'm glad I hadn't seen the film before I read the book. This book has an intro written by Peter Straub which opened my eyes to a few things to watch for in Levin's writing style. One of which is how seamlessly he keeps time flowing throughout the book with so few words. I will say if you haven't read the book or seen the film, you might want to save Straub's intro until after you've read it. He gets just a tiny bit spoilery with it, in my opinion. But it's definitely not something you'd want to miss.
Ira Levin has a way of writing that keeps you guessing what's going on. The characters and story drew me right in. I wanted to know what was going on just as much as Joanna did. There was a good deal of suspense and the closer I got to the end, the quicker I turned the pages.
I loved this book. I'm giving it five stars for keeping me so engaged.
The year is 1972, the women's rights movement is a hot button issue. And over here we have Ira Levin writing a book about an entire town full of women who want nothing more than to keep themselves presentable for their spouses and to keep their homes sparkling! What's going on? Why are they acting like this? What happened to the women's group in town that disbanded with no explanation a few years ago? Joanna is new to town and trying to get to the bottom of these questions and more. She fears time is running out ...
I'm glad I hadn't seen the film before I read the book. This book has an intro written by Peter Straub which opened my eyes to a few things to watch for in Levin's writing style. One of which is how seamlessly he keeps time flowing throughout the book with so few words. I will say if you haven't read the book or seen the film, you might want to save Straub's intro until after you've read it. He gets just a tiny bit spoilery with it, in my opinion. But it's definitely not something you'd want to miss.
Ira Levin has a way of writing that keeps you guessing what's going on. The characters and story drew me right in. I wanted to know what was going on just as much as Joanna did. There was a good deal of suspense and the closer I got to the end, the quicker I turned the pages.
I loved this book. I'm giving it five stars for keeping me so engaged.
cluelessjr's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
mcuthill's review against another edition
5.0
A chilling commentary on the state of modern gender relations as both struggle with the changing expectations and ambitions of women in liberated society. Short, sweet, and deeply creepy.
rg1026's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
mittland's review against another edition
5.0
im pretty sure ira levin hates women. thats just my analysis though.
crimsonbookshelf's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
prog51's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
cassiecat's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.75
🎧3.75⭐️
A modern classic retro psychological suspense narrated by January LaVoy, a favourite narrator for me, she does a great job with the narration.
The book cover is effective portraying a faceless generic woman.
I hadn’t read the book, I think the old film might be floating around somewhere in my head with no clear memories so as it was a fav narrator I opted to give it a go. It’s very compact,it feels more like a novella, I don’t know if this was a popular book length of the time.
Although published in 1972, it feels like a throwback to the 1950’s/ 60’s with the stereotypical woman busy looking after the home and children with an emphasis on looking good for when her husband gets home. Joanna is a modern woman. Behind the idyllic facade there lies a terrible secret.
Joanna, Walter and their 2.2 children consider themselves lucky to have moved to idyllic Stepford, until Joanna’s suspicions are roused.
It’s interesting to see that the book stands the test of time against modern psychological suspense, with the slow dawning of a big problem, isolation of the main character with being gaslit, tension due to impending doom, it even manages a decent creepy vibe, exiting with an open ending leaving the reader to draw their own conclusions. Ok it lacks the massive twists associated with modern equivalents. For me an easy listen, however it’s examined in more literary detail by Peter Straub in an afterword.
kookeybird's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
5.0
Quick suspenseful read with lots of fun details and reread value. Really enjoyed the narrators voice and the mystery of it all