A Widow for One Year

So many characters! Eddie, Marion, Ted, Thomas, Timothy, Ruth, Hannah, Harry, Mrs. Von, Alan, Graham; I would write Mr. Irving to tell him how I loved this book; how it made me feel, but when you read the book, you would know why I won't.

Give this book a try. I disagree with those that cannot find the beauty in it. I never have made comments on books I've read before because I've never felt I could write in a way that would have accurately conveyed how they make me feel.

You will be able to relate to the story and the characters. You will envy the author and his imagination. You will know and understand the characters. You will enjoy this book; immensely!

John Irving has a fascination with the red-light districts of Amsterdam, detailed in another novel "Until I Find You." This setting and the author's exploration of many controversial sexual themes keep his books lively, entertaining, and engaging. His tight control of the narrative is also an hallmark of his method. I have enjoyed all but one of John Irving's books and would welcome audiobook versions of all of older works. We have too few of his many great works.

I had seen the film A Door In The Floor which was based on this book and The Cider House Rules, and I was intrigued about John Irving's work. The book delves much further into the character of Ruth as both a child and an adult. Although I was disappointed with the ending because it felt like it ended too tidy, over all I thought it was amazing, and I am working my way through other Irving novels. His sense of irony and the way he gives the reader tidbits of information of what happens in the characters future, which they themselves don't know, leaves you wanting more all the time. The Narrator was amazing in this, and I recommend it just based on that.

I've read this book 4 times in the past couple of years, and enjoy it more each time I read it. John Irving is a master of character development, and the writing is impecable. A totally satisfying story.

John Irving writes good, satisfying stories, with good characters. This long book has some great characters but Irving seems to think that all men have breast fixations that just won't quit, and it gets very tiresome. He just won't let up on the breasts, and pity the woman who is underendowed in that department. The story (or interwoven stories) move right along, and aside from one horrific, depressing incident in the later part of the book, it's believable within Irving's frame of reference. The bummer incident could have been modified or reconstructed in any number of ways to be more believable and not give the reader such an unpleasant kick in the pants. (It left me in a shocked, unhappy mood for hours after that part of the book.) Anyway, I do recommend the book, and I did enjoy it, but I bet lots of people will not care for it.

I love John Irving. But his books run from can't put down to can't pick up. This books falls under the latter category. This book just goes on and on and on and never really gets interesting. I bought it because of it's 5 star rating, but cant imagine why it even has 3 stars. I quit listening with 3 hours to go. Just couldn't get to the end.

This was an OK book for me. I wanted to give it a higher rating since I couldn't stop listening to it but Geez Louise --- well, I'm just confused.
George Guidall does an excellent job of narration but the story still leaves me with major brain fog.
Parts of the story were exciting and even funny - I couldn't wait to hear what would happen next. Then there were big chunks of it that felt like being led down a dark alley and left there for way too long.

Owen Meany, Cider House Rules. and now Widow....Irving touches the core of our existence on this planet, and our relationships with those both close to, and distant from us, like no one else for me, save Dickens.
Even though the end is a shade too tidy, the tides of how we both save and wound those closest to us resound for me repeatedly in this novel.
The narrator is superb.
Get this book. You will not be disappointed. I am quite sure I will remember these characters for a long ,long time.

I listened to this book after finishing Irving's previous book: "A prayer for Owen Meany" which I loved. "A widow for one year" was a disappointing follow up. Irvin's ridiculous referrals to women's breasts and their lingerie and clothing was funny in Owen Meany, but there was far too much of it in this book to the point of it ruining the story. Since there was not much of a story either, the book was very disappointing and I feel like I wasted my credit this month!

Pick this one up. He is a good writer. Not his best but good enough entertainment.