Reviews

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

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Dense, hard to read, read an overview of the plot, decided I didn’t care.

mdelguercio's review

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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

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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.

dylanperry's review against another edition

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4.0

My first Irving and it did not disappoint!

alice_horoshev's review against another edition

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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.

sabaileyreads's review against another edition

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my favorite more recent Irving

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