Jane Stevenson enchanted readers with her first collection of novellas, Several Deceptions, which the New York Times lauded as an "elegant, surpris...
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reviews
Apr 15, 2009
Veronica
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This book surprised me. I'd read Jane Stevenson's historical novel, Astraea, a few years ago and was underwhelmed -- interesting premise, but the characters were unengaging. But I really enjoyed this collection of 3 novellas all centring round "good" (or not so good) women. All have an element of revenge, and all revolve around "unexamined assumptions".
The first story, in which an unpleasant and snobbish architect trades in his wife for a younger but less socially More...
The first story, in which an unpleasant and snobbish architect trades in his wife for a younger but less socially More...
Aug 27, 2009
Claudiamarshall
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These vivid and subtly suprising portrayls of three, very different women share few things aside from a dark, and subtle humor. Stevenson's 'Good Women" face some kind of not-uncommon challenge. A wealthy, aging woman fights to save her beloved home (and garden)from greedy ungratful adult children who want to plunk her in a crappy condo. A Middle aged housewife finds her husband is less than amused with her new hobby. A young, hottie is resltess in her marriage to a shipping execuitive
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Jun 16, 2009
Jennifer
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The three novellas in Good Women were each short enough that the book read rather like a short story collection. And from story to story, they just kept getting better. the three "good" women were all incredibly different, from different generations, backgrounds, and economic groups, but each story came down to a fundamental issue of defining oneself within the social and legal strictures of marital property.
By far, my favorite novella was the last one, Garden Guerillas, ab More...
By far, my favorite novella was the last one, Garden Guerillas, ab More...
Nov 21, 2011
Sharon
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Having read all of Jane Stevenson's books, I looked forward to this, my last one. The first story Light My Fire, totally did not light mine. Any man that stupid deserves the bimbo he got and to be taken to the cleaners! The second Walking With Angels concerns me that anyone could truly become involved in such things to that degree seriously. So two stories of totally unsympathic characters. But Garden Guerrillas...wonderful. I truly began to like Alice and was so happy she finally took ful
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Dec 28, 2010
Laurie
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enjoyed it very much, especially the wicked one about Guerrilla Gardeners!
Jul 27, 2008
Alesa
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My book group recommended this one. At first, I thought I hated the author. Persisting with the first novella, however, I realized that I hated the viewpoint character -- and this was just one of the wickedly funny tricks the author plays on the reader. She's oh-so-British, poking fun at the snobbishness of Brits in an insider's way. The twists plots in a devilish way, and is a true delight to read. Her characters have unusual depth for such short pieces. She made me laugh with delight.
Sep 02, 2008
Dalena
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It seems that many modern women don't think of what it means to be a "good woman". We live at a time where the definition is flexible and many of us can pick and choose our duties and how we perform them. This book was not preachy or old fashioned at all, but the snapshot it gave of these three women and their relationships with their families gave me a new perspective of womanhood.
Jun 09, 2009
Jin
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out of the 3 short novellas, i enjoyed one alot, one okay, and the other not at all (as in didn't read past first pages)
Apr 21, 2008
H. Palmer
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Jane Stevenson is probably best known for her historic novels (like The Winter Queen), but her true genre is the novella. Good Women is her second collection of three novellas and contains one short novella that is destined to become a classic of the field: Guerrilla Gardener. I am a huge fan of ehr work.
Aug 29, 2008
Rachel
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I didn't like the first story much. The main characters were both kind of annoying and the plot was dull. I enjoyed the second and third stories. I especially liked the ending of number two.
Aug 12, 2011
kasia
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3.5 stars. Entertaining, lively stories about mischievous older women discovering themselves. Fun, but not as good as you'd like it to be.
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