John Updike

Advantages: GREAT READ
Disadvantages: NONE

...is describing the physical characteristics of a person or a landscape, he has the ability to make you draw in breath in admiration. His knowledge on so many different fields. Tennis, pop art, impressionism, Bach, piano and the cello is always an impressive. Everything else is entertaining and wonderfully written, from the characterisation to the quality of the prose. John Updike was born in 1932, in Shillington, Pennsylvania and since 1957 has lived in Massachusetts. His novels have won the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, the American Book Award, the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Rosenthal Award, and the Howells Medal.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Really well-written
Disadvantages: Annoying characters

...Introduction In my quest to widen the type of books that I read, I borrowed this from a friend, who strongly recommended it. I've read some good reviews of John Updike's books in the past, although have never read any of his work. Realising that he wrote Witches of Eastwick did make me wonder what I'd let myself in for and to be honest, until nearly half way through the book, I nearly gave up. Luckily for me, I didn't, because I would have missed a good novel, if somewhat irritating at times. The story Marry Me is the story of two couples, Jerry and Ruth Conant and Richard and Sally Matthias. Both couples are successful, wealthy and have three children each. However, having reached comfort point, Jerry becomes restless and his eyes don't have to wonder very far - to big, blonde Sally who is also fed up with her adulterous husband... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Ambitious, complex, well-crafted writing
Disadvantages: Some stabs at satire don't quite come off

...is crisp and authentic. In this it harks back to the previous generation of American writers such as John Updike or Philip Roth. Franzen, still in his early forties, already deserves to be spoken of alongside writers of such stature. The novel falters only in a couple of long passages of superfluous history about acquaintances of Chip and Denise, and Chip’s involvement with a post-Soviet Baltic state. Franzen loads these with satirical squibs which sometimes hit their mark, but they add little to the stories of the main characters. In a book this length, we could have done without such diversions. Because even without these asides, this would be a book of breathtaking scope and complexity. Franzen has pulled off a novel which takes in the whole of modern American society, but which does so through living, breathing characters in which you... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful