A Bigamist's Daughter

by Alice McDermott

book data

81 ratings, 2.94 average rating, 14 reviews (more data...)

rating	frequency	%
5		9%
4		17%
3		46%
2		13%
1		14%

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published

January 12th 1999 (first published 1982) by Dial Press Trade Paperback

binding

Paperback, 304 pages

setting

The United States

isbn

0385333293 (isbn13: 9780385333290)

description

Elizabeth Connelly sits in a New York office that looks like a real editor's, but isn't quite. Employed at a vanity press, Elizabeth watches the real ...more

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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 120)

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05/21/09

Laurel-Rain rated it:

Read in May, 2009

In a novel that dissects, deconstructs and recreates the fabric of life, love and literature, the author spotlights the world of publishing; the mythology of love, the elusiveness of the love object – all as the centerpiece of this work – formulate the basis for this story.

We begin with Elizabeth Connelly, a single woman living in New York – some time in the twentieth century, before computers or the current Internet generation – and discover her real life as an “editor-in-...more

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06/10/08

Catherine rated it:

(review of isbn 0747568251)

A well-done novel--particularly impressive that it was McDermott's first. I'm not very familiar with her work. I read That Night several years ago after watching its film adaptation on TV (back when C. Thomas Howell still had a career), but it didn't inspire me to seek out her other books. And then a few years ago she was the keynote speaker at a writers' conference I attended, and she was awful. I can't even remember why exactly; I think she just read a speech she had already presented somewher...more

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03/30/08

Amanda rated it:

(review of isbn 0747568251)

bookshelves: fiction

Has a copy to sell/swap — Read in March, 2008

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

The protagonist of this book, Elizabeth Connelly, works for a Vanity Press in New York where she charms the money away from people who have committed their hearts to paper in the hopes of being published authors. She manipulates them into signing contracts by playing the part of the glamorous New York editor discovering the rare literary jewel that each of them believes in their gut that they are. Behind closed doors she is scornful and mocking of these people and takes pleasure in her skill a...more The protagonist of this book, Elizabeth Connelly, works for a Vanity Press in New York where she charms the money away from people who have committed their hearts to paper in the hopes of being published authors. She manipulates them into signing contracts by playing the part of the glamorous New York editor discovering the rare literary jewel that each of them believes in their gut that they are. Behind closed doors she is scornful and mocking of these people and takes pleasure in her skill at manipulating them.
The thing is she lives her whole life in the same ingenuine way. She interacts with people by adopting a character that she deems appropriate and then just goes with it, keeping tight control over what she says and making sure never to reveal anything that comes too close to her genuine feelings.

"Whenever she is uncomfortable, she finds an extreme and sticks with it. Extreme boredom, extreme interest, extreme weariness, pleasure, love. Her first month in high school she yawned so often that the nuns mentioned it to her mother."

She is always casting herself as the heroine in a melodrama and pretending to feel deeply about something in order to test the people around her in some way-- possibly to see if they are intuitive enough to see through her act. She initiates an affair with one of authors that she meets through her job, setting herself up in a relationship where she is a powerful editor helping an incredible new author come up with the perfect ending for his groundbreaking novel, a relationship that is completely false and can only end with her being revealed as a manipulative phony.

I guess that the reader is supposed to feel touched by the deep turmoil in Elizabeth's soul that makes her too vulnerable to ever reveal the truth about who she is to anyone and by her longing for love, which "she could only think of... as a moment of consummate seriousness, consummate honesty". I, however, just felt irritated and bored by her. She just seemed like some sort of borderline personality to me who is constantly trying to spin everything into a drama that will make people admire her or feel compassion for her. And the book never really let me deep enough into her to really give a crap about finding out what exactly those precious hidden feelings were. I kept reading because I was sort of hoping that someone would figure out what a liar she was and confront her, but that never happened. I guess this is an interesting character study, but not a particularly interesting story. (less)

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11/25/08

Rachel rated it:

(review of isbn 0747568251)

bookshelves: mfa-school-faculty

This book is a striking look at the choices we all must make when deciding day to day who we are. It explores the nature of love and what we really want from each other. It offers a unique and significant perspective on the way in which our pasts influence us. It dispels myths about the essential natures of women and men. In short, yes, I recommend it.

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06/18/09

Suzie rated it:

(review of isbn 0747568251)

Read in June, 2009

YUCK! Why oh why do I keep reading a book that I don't like. I read this book during my lunch hour at work & felt like I was crawling out of my skin. I couldn't wait to finish it. Next time I don't like a book, I hope someone pulls it out of my hands before I waste my time.

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04/13/09

Royce Houthuijzen rated it:

(review of isbn 0747568251)

I liked this book the least of all her books. All the others were really good!!!

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07/26/08

Michelle rated it:

(review of isbn 0747568251)

Read in July, 2008

This was a very interesting tale, as all of Alice McDermott's books seem to be. You've got some Roman Catholic issues, and some interesting young woman identity issues, plus some issues of different ways of telling stories. Haven't thought about that, but all of these people are story tellers in one way or the other. A lot of her books seem to have something about the lies we tell each other and ourselves, and this one leaves you wondering if she'll change before the end of the book. I won't...more

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04/22/09

Meg added it (review of isbn 0394522028)

novel

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10/24/08

Mona rated it:

(review of isbn 0747568251)

bookshelves: pop-airport-best-sellers

Read in October, 2008

recommends it for: anyone with a bad case of insomnia.

I put down this book once because it was so boring. The second time I picked it up, I was determined to finish it...and it was still boring.

I kept forgetting who the protagonist was and why she started a relationship with the writer. The plot made no sense and got interesting around page 200 for about 50 pages then petered right back out.

This book was really disappointing considering her premise is interesting.

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02/24/08

Lisa rated it:

(review of isbn 0747568251)

bookshelves: books-from-the-vitale-library

Read in February, 2008

It was seriously difficult to believe that the same author wrote this book as well as Charming Billy. While Charming Billy was not the most enthralling book I read this year, the writing was so much better. This novel had an interesting premise, but the descriptive language was often trashy at the beginning and cost the author and story credibility for me. It was an easy read, but not nearly as well written as Charming Billy.

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05/12/08

Mary rated it:

(review of isbn 0747568251)

Read in March, 2008

The mian character is "executive editor" at a vanity publisher. She is also the daughter of a marriage that not exclusive on her father's part. What's real, what purpose to our delusions serve? Not McDermott's best (i loved "Charming Billy" and enjoyed "Child of My Heart"), but worth reading.

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06/21/07

Alexis rated it:

(review of isbn 0747568251)

I didn't finish this book. It was one of her early ones and as a writer, McDermott just gets better and better. I didn't think this was nearly as good as "Child of my Heart" or "After This" both of which have fuller characters and more inventive use of language.

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