Before "Sex and the City."..before "The Starter Wife."..there was "The First Wives Club"
The sharp-witted and sexy "New York Times" bestseller <... read full description
The sharp-witted and sexy "New York Times" bestseller <... read full description
reviews
Dec 01, 2008
I liked this book because the premise was that men underestimated their wives and their wives showed them that one should never underestimate anyone. I liked the attitude that the first wives take. It has a bit of man-hating in it, which I don't agree with.
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Mar 23, 2009
April
rated it: 
One of the grandmothers of the chick lit genre. Funny, if a bit mean-spirited at times, though it's hard *not* to empathize with the long-suffering first wives who are tossed aside like yesterday's leftovers when their husbands decide it's time to bag trophy wives. The story of how they work together to wreak vengeance on those cads, and improve their own futures and that of their community at the same time, is an entertaining read.
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Jan 04, 2009
Lisa
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I read this book before the movie came out. I think if I had seen the movie first, I would have never read the book. The movie was horrible! This book is way more interesting. The characters had much more emotion & substance. Don't get me wrong... this is not going to be a literary classic, but in the book you get to see them much more vindictive, angry, sad, and hurt; and the revenge that they achieve is much more fun (and cruel) than the movie allowed you to see. Again... if you're lookin
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Nov 14, 2011
Boogenhagen
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Dec 08, 2009
Rin
rated it:
Synopsis: Three former college friends are reunited by the death of the fourth member of their group, who commits suicide when her husband replaces her with a younger model. As 'first wives' themselves, they come together to form a club which has just one important goal - revenge.
Review: If you've seen the film of this book, forget it - save for the name and one or two basic plot points, they're completely different animals. While the film is a laugh-a-minute comedy, albeit with a go More...
Review: If you've seen the film of this book, forget it - save for the name and one or two basic plot points, they're completely different animals. While the film is a laugh-a-minute comedy, albeit with a go More...
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Aug 07, 2011
Harmonybites
rated it: 
If you've seen the film based on this, well, this is quite different in a lot of the details, and is much raunchier, darker, crueler, meaner and more vindictive. It's a breezy fast easy read despite its thick length, but although light in that sense, I'd hardly call it fluffy.
The novel follows three women: Elise Eliot Atchison, Annie MacDuggan Paradise and Brenda Morrelli Cushman are seemingly very different people. Elise, born to a WASPy rich, high society family, was a glamorous mov More...
The novel follows three women: Elise Eliot Atchison, Annie MacDuggan Paradise and Brenda Morrelli Cushman are seemingly very different people. Elise, born to a WASPy rich, high society family, was a glamorous mov More...
Dec 16, 2009
Anne
rated it: 
I've always been mad at what that stupid movie did to this awesome book. The movie made these characters into idiots, when in the book they were smart, strong women. But hey, isn't that what life in our society likes to do to strong, intelligent women - try to take their power from them by turning them into charicatures - if you're ambitious, you're a witch, if you're angry you're just being emotional.... UGH
It's really a great read.
It's really a great read.
Jul 08, 2009
Olivia
rated it: 
I read Goldsmith's The Bestseller for my ELang 410 Editing Fiction class--it really is a good look into publishing if you are interested in that field. After finishing Bestseller, which talks a lot of the difficulties of getting published, particularly with a first novel, I was curious about Goldsmith's first novel: how she broke in. I had also heard about The First Wives Club the movie, though I had never seen it.
As you can see, I was not very impressed with the book. I'd call it " More...
As you can see, I was not very impressed with the book. I'd call it " More...
Jan 26, 2012
Roberta
rated it:
Cosa succede quando un gruppo di amiche si rende conto di essere state usate, scartate e gettate dai loro ex mariti? Nella vita normale, le donne in questione si sfogherebbero parlandosi, mangiando e uscendo insieme.
Nel mondo di Olivia Goldsmith le cose sono un po’ diverse.
Tutto inizia con il suicidio di Cinzia, che prima di togliersi la vita spedisce una lettera alla sua cara amica Annie, che però non ha visto per lungo tempo. In questa lettera, Cinzia racconta i continui soprusi sub More...
Nel mondo di Olivia Goldsmith le cose sono un po’ diverse.
Tutto inizia con il suicidio di Cinzia, che prima di togliersi la vita spedisce una lettera alla sua cara amica Annie, che però non ha visto per lungo tempo. In questa lettera, Cinzia racconta i continui soprusi sub More...
Apr 12, 2011
Katie
rated it:
This book is hilarious. It's no great feat of writing, but if you're bitter and need something funny, this is the way to go. The premise of first wives getting back at their husbands for trading up for new and better models plays out well with Olivia Goldsmith's writing style, and like all good revenge books, you're rooting for the schemes to work (and work they do, in satisfying ways). It may not be for everyone, but what good revenge novel is? Men may find themselves a little intimidated a
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Dec 08, 2008
Leigh
rated it:
1000000 times better than the film! The stories of the three women seem very realistic.
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May 09, 2011
esterb
rated it: 
I have to be honest here, I struggled to get through. The plot never became interesting enough to really grab me and the characters were too “one-dimensional” for my liking. That may work in a film, the movie version is funny, but it isn’t enough when you want to make a funny book. And that’s another thing:
Where authors like Helen Fielding and Marian Keyes are funny, Olivia Goldsmith tries hard to be, but she just doesn’t get it done in my humble opinion.
Where authors like Helen Fielding and Marian Keyes are funny, Olivia Goldsmith tries hard to be, but she just doesn’t get it done in my humble opinion.
Jun 14, 2009
Ami
rated it:
Much more graphic than the movie in terms of language and sex scenes. But on some level, much more realistic than the movie. The book deals with high Manhattan society, alcoholism, obesity, down's syndrome, and lesbianism while the movie glossed over or skipped entirely these topics. The characters in the book aren't as likeable as the actors in the movie, but you do know them better. If you are looking for something light, this is not your book.
Jan 18, 2011
Kellie
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I think the most interesting aspect of this novel is the person who wrote it. Olivia Goldsmith went thru a messy divorce which prompted the writing of this and many other novels where women are treated badly by the men in their lives, the men leave and the women end up better off. In this case, revenge is sweet. Sadly, the novelist died in 2004 due to complications from plastic surgery. This novel was just OK for me. The plot was interesting, the characters were likeable enough but there was
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Jan 11, 2010
Ria
rated it:
DON'T GET MAD, GET EVEN....
That's the lesson by learning from this book about women who got dumped by their husband simply because they are getting old and how society make it worst by turning their back....
Don't disgrace yourself by doing something stupid when someone do terrible things to you.... GET EVEN!!! In the smartest way :)
That's the lesson by learning from this book about women who got dumped by their husband simply because they are getting old and how society make it worst by turning their back....
Don't disgrace yourself by doing something stupid when someone do terrible things to you.... GET EVEN!!! In the smartest way :)
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Jun 30, 2010
Joanne
rated it:
This is one of those "male bashing with cause" scary (to men especially) reads that many of us guiltily succumb to at the beach every so often. Ashamed and embareassed; but I kept on reading. The main characters could be (and perhaps are) you and your friends. You don't have to be done in by a spouse to relish this.
Apr 02, 2009
Jennifer
rated it:
Got to page 69 and stopped so I don't know if I'm really qualified to rate it. But in those 69 pages there were already two intimate sections, one described in detail, and more language than I cared for. I tried skipping to the end to see if it got better. Nope. If I could give 0 stars I probably would.
Jul 18, 2010
Kristin
rated it:
I tried to read this book because I knew it was popular and they even made a movie about it, but I just couldn't get into it. I thought it took too long to get into the meat of the story, and I didn't really enjoy reading about vindictive wives who'd been screwed over. I found it too dark for my tastes.
Jul 22, 2011
Mamajoy333
rated it:
A good summer fun fluff read; was made into a movie several years back with Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler. Several first wives get jilted for younger models, and give their husbands a run for their money (literally). Not a model for life mind you, but a good way to vicariously get some sweet revenge.
May 12, 2009
Susan
rated it:
The movie was a bit more tame than the book. This one is a rollicking fun trip with a little bit of everything that relationships handle ... and then some! I think adding the artist into it made for some dark comedy even though I don't think it was intended that way.
Jan 25, 2010
Molly
rated it:
It's darker (waaay darker with respect to the Phoebe/Bill plotline) than the movie makes it out to be. At the same time, the book is much more satisfying, both in terms of character development and the sweet revenge portion of the plot. Highly recommended.
Mar 28, 2011
Ann
rated it:
Not as good or as clever as the movie! More romance novel; disappointing. Most interesting was to see how differnt it was from the movie. (It was in the 'free' bin at a yard sale this weekend. I plan to return the favor and give it awaY!)
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Apr 09, 2010
Daniela
rated it:
Every time I see the movie I have to go and re-read the book. I can never decide what I like more but I think in the end the book wins out. I think by now I've read it 7 or 8 times.
I find it very inspiring and empowering. I just love this book.
I find it very inspiring and empowering. I just love this book.
Mar 28, 2010
I loved Lipstick Jungle... but I want to figure out if Olivia Goldsmith copied Candice Bushnell or the other way around, because these books are strikingly similar. Still great beach reading (where's my beach???). :)
Aug 24, 2009
Rose
rated it:
If it were a movie it would be rated R. It is much different from the movie. Not only is the story more involved, but there are more characters (which is no surprise), but the "payback" is more intense too.
Nov 18, 2008
Bunny
rated it:
HELLO.
Wow, with the difference between this and the movie!
I do love the movie to little bits and pieces. Goldie Hawn and Bette Midler are my girls, and I couldn't imagine any other actresses playing the main three.
But holy bajooties, was this a different spin on the story. I found it so utterly disturbing at some parts. Not that that's a bad thing, really.
I gave it a low score because a lot of what is in there just feels unnecessary. I loved the v More...
Wow, with the difference between this and the movie!
I do love the movie to little bits and pieces. Goldie Hawn and Bette Midler are my girls, and I couldn't imagine any other actresses playing the main three.
But holy bajooties, was this a different spin on the story. I found it so utterly disturbing at some parts. Not that that's a bad thing, really.
I gave it a low score because a lot of what is in there just feels unnecessary. I loved the v More...
May 16, 2009
Billy
rated it:
Wonderful book--very different from the film but thoroughly enjoyable. My only regret is that the ending is so different--the ending to the film seems to fit the book very well....
Oct 10, 2009
This book was shocking, funny and often time made you want to burn your bra! Great read, wonderful characters and shocking at times.....
Dec 22, 2010
Megan
rated it:
This is a book that I read as a teenager, and have read probably 6 or 7 times since then. Just a good story to get lost in.
