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17th out of 297 books
—
494 voters
The Saving Graces
Meet The Saving Graces, Four Of The Best Friends A Woman Can Ever Have.
For ten years, Emma, Rudy, Lee, and Isabel have shared a deep affection that has helped them deal with the ebb and flow of expectations and disappointments common to us all. Calling themselves the Saving Graces, the quartet is united by understanding, honesty, and acceptance -- a connection that has gro...more
For ten years, Emma, Rudy, Lee, and Isabel have shared a deep affection that has helped them deal with the ebb and flow of expectations and disappointments common to us all. Calling themselves the Saving Graces, the quartet is united by understanding, honesty, and acceptance -- a connection that has gro...more
Paperback, 416 pages
Published
March 30th 2004
by Harper Perennial
(first published January 1st 1999)
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This was just the thing I needed to read these days. Some sort of sisterhood of the travelling pants with women on their forties.
Lee, Isabel, Rudy and Emma have created a group about 10 years ago which they've called "The Saving Graces". They meet usually twice a month, at each others place, and over dinner they catch up on each their lifes, chat and support each other. Initially on their meetings they had topics to discuss, but that was probably when they were't true friends yet.
They are all di...more
Lee, Isabel, Rudy and Emma have created a group about 10 years ago which they've called "The Saving Graces". They meet usually twice a month, at each others place, and over dinner they catch up on each their lifes, chat and support each other. Initially on their meetings they had topics to discuss, but that was probably when they were't true friends yet.
They are all di...more
This is the 4th time I've read this book...I've read it for various groups: with varied friends/groups of friends, book club, and now, for a "book club" with my 3 sisters-in-laws. Each time I've read it, the "star ratings" increase. That is perhaps because I've lived more of life, and appreciate more and more the sharings and discussions between friends (and yes, I consider my sisters-in-laws true friends). I appreciate FRIENDS and the wonder and depth and fun they bring to my life. So, discussi...more
5 likes · like · see review
Es geht um vier unterschiedliche Frauen, die sich über zehn Jahre regelmässig treffen, ihre großen und kleinen Probleme besprechen und ihre Geheimnisse teilen. Jede dieser Frauen hat Schwierigkeiten, die sie überwinden muss: Kinderlosigkeit, die Liebe zu einem verheirateten Mann, eine Krebserkrankung und einen überaus dominanter Ehemann. Gemeinsam überwinden sie jedoch alles und jeden und alles wird gut.
Die Grundlage der Geschichte ist auch gleichzeitig ihre Schwäche: die Probleme sind so klar a...more
Die Grundlage der Geschichte ist auch gleichzeitig ihre Schwäche: die Probleme sind so klar a...more
This is simply the story of four best friends.
This is the sort of book I would normally avoid like the plague. I read for escapism, not to experience middle aged women and all their various (real-life) issues. Plus, lately I've been reading exclusively romance and YA, because I figure: Why not just read the books I really WANT to read, instead of reading the books that others think only the "intelligent" people read? I love the guarantee of a happily ever after that romances provide.
However, I'...more
This is the sort of book I would normally avoid like the plague. I read for escapism, not to experience middle aged women and all their various (real-life) issues. Plus, lately I've been reading exclusively romance and YA, because I figure: Why not just read the books I really WANT to read, instead of reading the books that others think only the "intelligent" people read? I love the guarantee of a happily ever after that romances provide.
However, I'...more
7 likes · like · see review
Well, okay, it was formulaic. You have your obligatory women's group with one of each personality type. You have your uptight organized one, your wild insecure one, your wise spiritual one and your neurotic damaged one. And you have your usual women's group themes. There's someone struggling with infertility, someone trying to get over a damaged childhood, someone with cancer and someone fighting the urge to commit adultery. Still, Gaffney is a good storyteller. The chemotherapy scenes are so vi...more
A truly heart-warming tale of friendship and relationships. Four friends - Emma, Ruby, Lee and Isabel have been friends for ten years and have created a group that they call 'The Saving Graces'. Each woman has a different personality, adding interest to the group yet it seems that the one trait each person is lacking is found in abundance among the other members and they play off this system of helping each other through the rough spots in their lives. When a tragedy brings all four women togeth...more
Gaffney has a nice style of authoring The Saving Graces: Emma (vibrant and sassy - fun, but full of desire for the kind of love it seems she's destined to go without), Rudy (big-hearted and searching for healing from a rough childhood), Isabel (the older of the Saving Graces, very classy, gentle, and wise), and Lee (organized, prepared, lucky in love) each take turns telling this story from their own points of view. There is no "outside narrator." This gives the reader an inside look at each of...more
Each chapter alternates between the thoughts and events of four friends who have maintained a 10 yr plus friendship. I.e. chpter one is titled Ruth. She describes her life and the life of her friends through her eyes, with her opinions and thoughts that are not always expressed to the women. A unique way to read/write a book and I enjoyed the concept of it. An easy read. However, unneeded was the swear words (some are pretty strong) and the use of the "G" word. I did finish the book, by placing...more
This book tells the intertwining stories of 4 women, close friends who make up a women's club (NOT a book club), meeting for dinner every month. Essentially it's four different narratives, with the overlaying story of their friendship connecting everything. I found the most interesting part to be about how they all relate to each other and support each other over the 10 years over which the book is set. There are many trials and tribulations, of course--each character has her own struggle, cover...more
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I was ordering some books on Barnes & Noble's website, and I was up to about $22. If you order $25 worth of books, then you get free shipping. So, I skipped to the bargain books and added this to my cart on a whim. Some things are just meant to be.
I loved the story lines in this book. I never wanted to put it down because I wanted to know what was going to happen next for each of the women in the book. As a bonus, the book is based in DC. Books based in your own city are always a little more...more
I loved the story lines in this book. I never wanted to put it down because I wanted to know what was going to happen next for each of the women in the book. As a bonus, the book is based in DC. Books based in your own city are always a little more...more
The Saving Graces by Patricia Gaffney takes us on a journey of friendship between 4 women who have been together so long, and are so close, they have a name for themselves. Each chapter is narrated by one of the women in turn, so we get each one's story from all 4 perspectives.We follow their lives and the decisions they make, becoming exasperated and exhilarated by their stories.
During the time this book takes place, each of the women are hit with real adversity and affliction virtually at onc...more
During the time this book takes place, each of the women are hit with real adversity and affliction virtually at onc...more
I read this book for book club. It was okay. Kind of predictable. And some of the characters (there were only four main characters) were kind of annoying. This was written in 1997 and is very dated. I found it amusing to read things like, "I wish I had brought the video camera!" or "My mom called me from the car phone." And my favorite: "Did you know you can look stuff up on the Web?" Oh geez. 1997 was a real time.
But that has nothing to do with the book, really. Like I said, the story was pred...more
But that has nothing to do with the book, really. Like I said, the story was pred...more
When women bond, something truly special happens. Patricia Gaffney has captured that something special is this story of four women - Emma, Rudy, Lee and Isabel. Together, they refer to themselves as the Saving Graces.
Each woman is at a crossroads in her life. Marital woes, illness, or family crisis all can be weathered when supported by true friends. There are misunderstandings and hurt feelings among the women, but these are worked through.
My Aunt Peg had a group of friends who called themselv...more
Each woman is at a crossroads in her life. Marital woes, illness, or family crisis all can be weathered when supported by true friends. There are misunderstandings and hurt feelings among the women, but these are worked through.
My Aunt Peg had a group of friends who called themselv...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Well, This book was so hard to get into at first, but it was something different from what I usally read and I wanted to read outside my normal comfort zone. I'm very glad I finished it. It was moving, emotive, sad, funny and interesting and had me constantly comparing parts of these womens lives to my own. It talks in depth about love, life, and makes you take a step back and re-evaluate what you think is import to yourself.
What I found so likeable about the book was that I could actually envi...more
What I found so likeable about the book was that I could actually envi...more
In The Saving Graces, Patricia Gaffney gives us a story of four women tied together by the bond of friendship. Covering a decade in time, this alliance, known as the "Saving Graces", supports each other through the pit-falls and the great joys of life. When these women feel they have conquered all, a devastating crisis will make them question everything. Can their unity hold together this love through even the ultimate test?
Touching, funny, at times frightening....Gaffney offers a look into the...more
Touching, funny, at times frightening....Gaffney offers a look into the...more
The “Saving Graces” are a group of friends that are there for each other through thick and thin. They got their name after hitting a dog, then saving it by carrying it to the vet. Later the dog was named … Grace and found a home with Isabelle. Isabelle has been diagnosed with breast cancer and as she reflects on her life she remains positive, living day-by-day. Other members of the group include, Rudy, trapped in a controlling marriage, Emma, in love with a married man, and Lee, who is unsuccess...more
I've been reading a lot of really bad "women's fiction" lately, most of which left me feeling like I shouldn't even read anymore if that's what's popular. Brutal, I know, but it's how I felt! But this one was different. In my humble opinion, it's well worth the read, and it was just what I needed. It's the first book I've read in a while that actually made me FEEL something, and made me come away with new perspectives. I love a book that changes me in some way. In short, no it may not be The Bes...more
Excellent! This is the first book I ever read that I cried buckets of tears, I was distraught and probably could have used therapy, it was that moving! My daughter found me like this and was amazed that a book could move me in this way. I have re read this one many times, I just have it in a little paperback novel, and it is so beat up and worn, yet it is one of my most cherished books. It was my first read of this author and I just love her. One of her next novels, "A Circle of Three" was also...more
It was okay. But as other reviewers thought this was a great female "friends" book, I never thought the characters in this book liked each other that much. I've read other "friends" books where I come away wishing I had friends like the ones in hte book. But this group of four gals never really seemed that into each other like the author kept stressing how wonderful of friends they were. They seemed mroe like acquaintances that got together periodically. I don't know - I really didn't feel it. I...more
This was one of my all time favorite books. I recommended this to my sisters and they recommended it to their friends and within a month (without exaggeration) there were at least a dozen of us who had read the book and were all in love with it. It was witty and full of the substance of life. I didn't want it to end! From the first page I was "part of their lives" and didn't want to "come home." I laughed out loud and cried ... not little tear ... BIG SLOPPY WET TEARS!
Excellent book. Would love...more
Excellent book. Would love...more
This is a definite "chick flick" in a literary form. I enjoyed the book plot -- a tale of 4 women's lives woven together through a social club -- and also the storytelling format -- chapter by chapter is through the voice of another woman. I just felt like at times the characters were a bit contrived and that the author tries "too hard" to work their individual voices.
Still, the tale of unwavering friendship that last the test of time was an easy, comfortable read.... if not a bit predictable, a...more
Still, the tale of unwavering friendship that last the test of time was an easy, comfortable read.... if not a bit predictable, a...more
I really enjoyed The Saving Graces & I loved the close bond between these women. The author, Patricia Gaffney, weaved a very realistic tale of four modern women who formed a special group, The Saving Graces, where they would meet, eat, laugh, cry, discuss female topics, and provide ten years of friendship like no other.
As a woman of Christian faith, I do believe it is necessary to add that there was profanity within the story, which could have been reduced or totally deleted. Despite this on...more
As a woman of Christian faith, I do believe it is necessary to add that there was profanity within the story, which could have been reduced or totally deleted. Despite this on...more
I am done! It took me a week to read this book, which is a long time for me. It is not that I didn't like this book, because I I'd like it, but something didn't keep me hooked. I knew If I put it own, it would still be there. But none the less, it was a nice story, build up was a climb and I feel the Rudy conclusion was rushed and a little empty, the Isabel story line through put was great! I enjoyed reading each chapter through a different "graces" eyes, but perhaps this was also my down fall,...more
Told from the perspective of four friends who call themselves The Saving Graces, we get a story of friendship that endures through the ups and downs of life. That seems so trite as I write it but, as we all know, the ups and downs are far from trivial and what they experience touches on some of the hardest things women have to go through. Each chapter is told by one of the graces points of view, so we get a close up look at all of them, but it's what they say when the other one is speaking that...more
This book is about 4 women who meet regularly, cook together and share their problems. I also have three best friends who I know since childhood.
But the problems of these women are more severe than ours. One woman fights against cancer, the second against childlessness, the third (together with her therapist)against her craziness and (together with her friends) against her bastard of a husband. The fourth woman fights against the feelings she has for a married man. Since the first three problem...more
But the problems of these women are more severe than ours. One woman fights against cancer, the second against childlessness, the third (together with her therapist)against her craziness and (together with her friends) against her bastard of a husband. The fourth woman fights against the feelings she has for a married man. Since the first three problem...more
Okay, this I had not expected. When I last read this, I gave it 5 stars and listed it as one of my favourites. I've dialled down a rating before, but never before by this much!
Back in 2004 I wrote: A very sweet book about lasting friendship. Nice light book, but still has enough depth to leave you thinking about things. I ended up feeling really jealous of the people in the book. I would LOVE to have so many such good girl friends...
Yes, it is a sweet and light book with quite some depth, but ho...more
Back in 2004 I wrote: A very sweet book about lasting friendship. Nice light book, but still has enough depth to leave you thinking about things. I ended up feeling really jealous of the people in the book. I would LOVE to have so many such good girl friends...
Yes, it is a sweet and light book with quite some depth, but ho...more
I decided to clean out my books and this was the first I picked up. Figured I had read it but couldn't remember the story (scary isn't it?) So I started reading it and really could relate to it. Kept thinking about my friendships and how we have all gone through stuff and how it has changed us. Woke up this am and finished the book and was really bawling, something I don't usually do as sappy stories are usually too trite. But this one got me...Anyone want my copy or should I recycle it?
Page 256
... he’s one of those rare men who don’t feel bound to have an opinion on everything. Or worse, a solution.
Page 260
Yesterday’s revelations continue. Ultimately, in the very grand scheme of things, it’s irrelevant whether my life lasts fifty more years, or five. Or two. The point is to live it, not wait through it. And I’m alive now – I can pick flowers, pet the dog, eat cinnamon toast. How foolish I would be to let my mortality, which has been there all along, since he second of by birth...more
... he’s one of those rare men who don’t feel bound to have an opinion on everything. Or worse, a solution.
Page 260
Yesterday’s revelations continue. Ultimately, in the very grand scheme of things, it’s irrelevant whether my life lasts fifty more years, or five. Or two. The point is to live it, not wait through it. And I’m alive now – I can pick flowers, pet the dog, eat cinnamon toast. How foolish I would be to let my mortality, which has been there all along, since he second of by birth...more
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Patricia Gaffney was born in Tampa, Florida, and grew up in Bethesda, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, D.C. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English and philosophy from Marymount College in Tarrytown, New York, and also studied literature at Royal Holloway College of the University of London, at George Washington University, and at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
After college, G...more
More about Patricia Gaffney...
After college, G...more
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“I hate jealousy. At least it's its own punishment; it makes me feel like hell.”
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14 people liked it
“laughter is cathartic and cleansing, that it's good for the body and the soul, and when it's real it's better than sex.”
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13 people liked it
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Mar 26, 2012 07:20am
Aliás, lembrei-me de voces a ler o livro :)
Mar 26, 2012 07:34am