The Senator's Wife (Vintage Contemporaries) by Sue Miller
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Book Reviews of The Senator's Wife (Vintage Contemporaries)
Book Review: interesting, but disturbing
Summary: 3 Stars
It took me a while to get into this book. The first chapter introduces you to a somewhat dark, depressing character, some 4-letter words related to sex, and just generally read slow for several chapters. I wasn't sure I was going to want to continue reading.
Then the story picks up, and the character seems to be coming into her own and she befriends the Senator's Wife.
For the most part, I enjoyed reading this book, despite the fact that I didn't like how sex seemed to be on everyone's minds much of the time and some of the author's choice of words were uncouth and a bit offensive.
But I did enjoy the story as it developed and it held my interest throughout.
However....the culmination left me disturbed. On so many levels. Not only is "the surprise" so upsetting, but it sent me into this feeling of that awful haunting of guilt I imagined Meri was living with after that sinful act. How depressing. But then...the last few pages tells us that she seems perfectly comfortable with her decisions and wouldn't do them any differently. That's even more disturbing as a book's ending.
Book Review: Could Have Been Great
Summary: 3 Stars
The Senator's Wife by Sue Miller had the potential, in my opinion, to be a great read. However, it disappointed me and my book club in the end. The book started off strong, contrasting a young career woman and an older first lady type. A friendship forms between the two as each character questions her relationships, choices, and future. I thoroughly enjoyed the way Sue Miller set the stage, introduced the characters, and build tension in the story.
My disappointment arrived when I was three quarters through the book, and there was no climax or resolution in sight. The climax and resolution finally came in the last twenty pages of the book, seeming to not mesh with the characters and plot that Miller had originally set out to write. It felt as though the author hit a deadline and had to throw an end together.
Can we have secret or alternate ending written?
Book Review: Not As Satisfying As her Other Works
Summary: 3 Stars
I enjoyed The Senator's Wife, but found it less satisfying than other works of Ms. Miller's. The ending seemed contrived and I wasn't happy with it. The marriage between the main characters seemed much less likely in real life.Book Review: Left me sick to my stomach
Summary: 2 Stars
I read this book, because of high reviews on the back of another Sue MIller book - I'll admit I couldn't put it down, because like others mentioned I was waiting for Delia to wake up and take control of her life and for Meri to get caught. I kinda thought that Ethan was going to have an affair and then maybe Delia was going to finally give Meri the details her life with Tom, that is more realistic then this mess.
Of course the ending was a shock I didn't see coming and although it was disturbing what I did get from the book is a man like Tom will be that way until his death.........even when Delia so unselfishly took him and was determined to make his end of life with her happy, his own desires still were all he cared about and this to me was an important thing to see. A good lesson for those women who think their man will change.
As for Meri - everything about her was selfish as well I think this is what Sue Miller was trying to do, in the end bring the two selfish people together, but what she failed to do is show an ounce of regret in Meri we only see her in her little world now able to love her sons and enjoy her life which honestly, there is no way that can happen without some kinda of repentance, no one can enjoy life with those lies which may slip out and then what?
Book Review: Pointless and shallow
Summary: 2 Stars
I haven't read Sue Miller's books since "The Good Mother", which I remember as daring about a taboo subject, and well written. This book, though, just seems utterly pointless to me, as if written off the cuff, and half asleep. Is she trying to draw parallels between the two women, and if so, what are they? What is the point of the horrible last few chapters, and what is she saying about Meri's character that she would transgress in the way she does? I've begun to think that Miller can't help but be drawn towards the taboo even at the risk of destroying her story (although truth to tell, I couldn't tell you what this story is actually about). Characters are poorly developed, particularly Nathan, but also Delia, who is constantly described as a private, close-to-the-vest sort of person, when in fact her dialogue seems to offer just the opposite. Her work life is deathly dull to read about. The sex is drippy, if you like it like that. Maybe good beach reading for some (and I suppose that's why the marketing department titled it the way they did, to sell to readers, primarily women, who like this kind of cheap escapism). I found it an utter waste of time.