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A review by robinsbooks
Mrs. Kimble by Jennifer Haigh
5.0
Even though I have alredy sent this, I am updating for my Best of 2009 list:
Over a period of years three women marry the same man, a man so self-absorbed and selfish that you will wonder what they see in him. However, this is an interesting story of why women marry with much for book groups to discuss.
Long version:
This is a book I’ve been meaning to read since it was published. Patrons and colleagues have raved about this and it again commanded my attention after I read Haigh’s latest book, THE CONDITION. This is a character study of the highest order and I loved reading the stories of the three women who married the same man. The first “Mrs. Kimble” marries Ken Kimble at age 19 (he is 34) and would have been completely happy taking care of her husband for the rest of her life, but after Mr. Kimble runs off with a college student, Birdie is left dealing with two young children and her dependence on cheap wine. The second Mrs. Kimble is a successful woman who has survived breast cancer and has received a sizeable inheritance from her father. The third Mrs. Kimble is a young woman Ken Kimble knew when he was married to the first Mrs. Kimble. Not too many characters are terribly likeable (although I did end up loving Birdie's son, Charlie) and you will wonder why these women are all so stupid as to marry this self-absorbed and selfish man, but no doubt you will turn the pages as fast as I did to learn more about these people. I highly recommend this for book groups as there is much to discuss about marriage.
Over a period of years three women marry the same man, a man so self-absorbed and selfish that you will wonder what they see in him. However, this is an interesting story of why women marry with much for book groups to discuss.
Long version:
This is a book I’ve been meaning to read since it was published. Patrons and colleagues have raved about this and it again commanded my attention after I read Haigh’s latest book, THE CONDITION. This is a character study of the highest order and I loved reading the stories of the three women who married the same man. The first “Mrs. Kimble” marries Ken Kimble at age 19 (he is 34) and would have been completely happy taking care of her husband for the rest of her life, but after Mr. Kimble runs off with a college student, Birdie is left dealing with two young children and her dependence on cheap wine. The second Mrs. Kimble is a successful woman who has survived breast cancer and has received a sizeable inheritance from her father. The third Mrs. Kimble is a young woman Ken Kimble knew when he was married to the first Mrs. Kimble. Not too many characters are terribly likeable (although I did end up loving Birdie's son, Charlie) and you will wonder why these women are all so stupid as to marry this self-absorbed and selfish man, but no doubt you will turn the pages as fast as I did to learn more about these people. I highly recommend this for book groups as there is much to discuss about marriage.