false 130916 24 Unlike the Graces of Greek mythology, the ones in Patricia Gaffney's feel-good novel, <I>The Saving Graces</I>, are not in the business of dispensing charm and beauty. Though they possess some measure of good looks, Gaffney's Graces are more focused on the less ethereal problems of life: men, careers, babies, death. And there are four, rather than three, of them (Emma, Rudy, Lee, and Isabel), who have been getting together for regular dinners in their Washington, D.C., homes for 10 years.<p> The narration of <I>The Saving Graces</I> rotates among the four women and gets right to the heart of each Grace--the stories they tell stick close to the territory of their emotional lives. This intimate directness makes Gaffney's women seem, well, womanly. Serene Isabel, who has always been "the best champion, the kindest friend" to all the other Graces, is dying of breast cancer. Rudy needs to leave her ultra-controlling husband. Lee, usually the rational one, is possessed by her desire to have a baby. Ironic Emma wants to write a novel and has a hard crush on a married man. This group feels messy and real: they keep secrets from each other, grate on one another's nerves, and analyze each other. But ultimately, all four know that they've lucked into a very good thing. Not just because they share the sweetness and silliness that comes with friendship, but also because they are willing to act as soldiers for each other. When Rudy finally gets up the nerve to leave her husband, for example, she doesn't do it alone: "Isabel stood on my right, Lee on my left. Emma had taken a seat on the bed--an escalation of the offense, usurping more enemy territory." In Gaffney's universe, women armed with grace, humor, and a couple of good girlfriends can transcend even the most painful events in their lives. <I>--Katherine Anderson</I> 126092 1999 The Saving Graces: A Novel total:1473|5:354|4:525|3:458|2:115|1:21| 1473 5495 1875 233 4 0 false false Tue Aug 04 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Wed Aug 05 05:17:26 -0700 2009 Wed Aug 05 05:26:42 -0700 2009
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 figur...more...]]> 3 0 false false Tue Jul 07 20:38:18 -0700 2009 Tue Jul 07 21:02:25 -0700 2009 more...]]> 5 0 false false Wed May 13 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon May 11 18:05:20 -0700 2009 Thu May 14 13:20:23 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Mon Oct 05 17:33:15 -0700 2009 Mon Oct 05 17:44:45 -0700 2009 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 ...more...]]> 3 0 false false Sun Feb 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Tue Feb 24 09:27:11 -0800 2009 Tue Feb 24 11:32:16 -0800 2009 Saving Graces", supports each other through the pit-falls and the great joys of life. When these women feel they have con...more...]]> 5 0 false false Thu Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2004 Sun Sep 09 11:54:10 -0700 2007 Sun Sep 09 12:06:26 -0700 2007
But the problems of these women are more severe than ours. One woman fights against cancer, the second against childlessness, the third (toget...more...]]> 4 0 false false Sun Jan 25 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Thu Jan 22 15:12:50 -0800 2009 Sun Jan 25 22:49:19 -0800 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Tue Jan 27 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Mon Feb 02 13:56:03 -0800 2009 Mon Feb 02 13:59:22 -0800 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Wed Nov 04 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Wed Nov 04 06:48:26 -0800 2009 Wed Nov 04 06:51:19 -0800 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Fri May 30 09:23:14 -0700 2008 Mon May 12 19:24:20 -0700 2008 Fri May 30 09:23:14 -0700 2008 more...]]> 5 0 false false Thu Jun 01 00:00:00 -0700 2000 Wed Jan 23 08:02:57 -0800 2008 Tue Jun 17 12:33:47 -0700 2008 more...]]> 4 0 false false Sat Aug 16 20:51:27 -0700 2008 Sat Aug 16 20:55:45 -0700 2008 more...]]> 5 0 false false Mon Mar 30 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Thu Jul 02 09:14:30 -0700 2009 Thu Jul 02 09:19:19 -0700 2009 5 0 false false Mon Jun 02 09:56:25 -0700 2008 Tue Jul 15 08:17:49 -0700 2008 "Meet the Saving Graces, four of the best friends a woman could 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 Grace...more...]]> 5 0 false false Sun May 25 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Sun Mar 23 13:37:05 -0700 2008 Mon May 26 08:32:51 -0700 2008 more...]]> 5 0 false false Fri Oct 02 14:37:02 -0700 2009 Fri Oct 02 14:39:51 -0700 2009 3 0 false false Fri Apr 17 07:24:15 -0700 2009 Fri Apr 17 08:10:58 -0700 2009 5 0 false false Sat Jan 17 13:31:09 -0800 2009 Sat Jan 17 13:31:32 -0800 2009 3 0 false false Wed Oct 14 14:30:50 -0700 2009 Wed Oct 14 14:31:56 -0700 2009 3 0 false true Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2000 Sun May 17 20:04:46 -0700 2009 Sun May 17 20:06:35 -0700 2009
Spoiler.....

When of the characters died, I did cry.]]>