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Strange Fits of Passion
A labyrinthine tale of truth and deception from acclaimed novelist Anita Shreve Everyone believes that Maureen and Harrold English, two successful New York City journalists, have a happy, stable marriage. It's the early '70s and no one discusses or even suspects domestic abuse. But after Maureen suffers another brutal beating, she flees with her infant daughter to a coastal town in Maine. The weeks pass slowly, and just as Maureen begins to settle into her new life and new identity, Harrold reappears, bringing the story to a violent, unforgettable climax.
352 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1991
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4828 people want to read
About the author
Anita Shreve
107 books4,556 followersAnita Hale Shreve was an American writer, chiefly known for her novels. One of her first published stories, Past the Island, Drifting (published 1975), was awarded an O. Henry Prize in 1976.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 599 reviews
February 25, 2021
4.5 stars
There are a few weaknesses that keep this from being five stars for me, but it's orfly close.
Does anyone else out there feel like Anita Shreve's older works are far better than her more recent offerings? Maybe it's just my tastes.
This was the last book I bought at the last library book sale before my library shut down, almost a year ago. Remember library book sales? You could walk into a big room full of books, and full of people, and find a book you always wanted all your life for a dollar. Sigh. Small things matter. Now more than ever.
April 8, 2019
I started reading this because I wanted a light read (literally, I wanted a book that wasn't heavy to hold). I've had this book for about a year, but after three Anita Shreve books I took a small break from her work. I enjoy her writing, but I have to say this one is definitely my favourite by her so far.
It was tense and slow moving at the same time. I'd expected it to be a book where I read a few chapters at a time - instead I temporarily abandoned my other reads as I got completely caught up in Mary's story, the hypnotic place she took refuge in and the grounding presence of the baby she was trying to protect, juxtaposed against the abuse she was running from.
I liked the way this book handled spousal abuse. That feels odd to type, but I mean it conveyed both the complexities and the simplicity of the situation. Relationships and people are complicated and while there is no excuse for abuse, it's so easy for people to make excuses - and seems like sometimes the closer you are to the situation the easier it is to do. But at the end of the day, those excuses have no weight. It is not OK for someone to beat up their spouse (or abuse them in other ways, just to be clear).
It also handles how the way we view domestic violence has changed (this book is over 25 years old so I hope things have come even further, but the difference of views from the 70s to the 90s is startling).
I think everything is this book was beautifully written and incredibly thought provoking, and holds up well. It's still sadly relevant, especially as it gets into how the media portrays us and the sometimes unfair, untrue and even cruel repercussions this can have on peoples lives.
There ended up being a lot more to this reading experience than I had expected, and I'm very glad I finally picked it up.
It was tense and slow moving at the same time. I'd expected it to be a book where I read a few chapters at a time - instead I temporarily abandoned my other reads as I got completely caught up in Mary's story, the hypnotic place she took refuge in and the grounding presence of the baby she was trying to protect, juxtaposed against the abuse she was running from.
I liked the way this book handled spousal abuse. That feels odd to type, but I mean it conveyed both the complexities and the simplicity of the situation. Relationships and people are complicated and while there is no excuse for abuse, it's so easy for people to make excuses - and seems like sometimes the closer you are to the situation the easier it is to do. But at the end of the day, those excuses have no weight. It is not OK for someone to beat up their spouse (or abuse them in other ways, just to be clear).
It also handles how the way we view domestic violence has changed (this book is over 25 years old so I hope things have come even further, but the difference of views from the 70s to the 90s is startling).
I think everything is this book was beautifully written and incredibly thought provoking, and holds up well. It's still sadly relevant, especially as it gets into how the media portrays us and the sometimes unfair, untrue and even cruel repercussions this can have on peoples lives.
There ended up being a lot more to this reading experience than I had expected, and I'm very glad I finally picked it up.
February 1, 2018
A dark, engrossing tale of domestic violence and it's aftermath.
Maureen English runs away from. her abusive marriage with her 6 month old daughter Caroline, ekes out a life for herself in the remote , cold fishing village..
Her wickedly clever husband sniffs out her trail and encounters her.
The tragic aftermath is brilliantly described as excerpts from a journalist interview .
We come to know Maureen, Howard, Jack and many others through their letters and interview with the journalist.
Enjoyed the book despite its slightly boring pace.
Maureen English runs away from. her abusive marriage with her 6 month old daughter Caroline, ekes out a life for herself in the remote , cold fishing village..
Her wickedly clever husband sniffs out her trail and encounters her.
The tragic aftermath is brilliantly described as excerpts from a journalist interview .
We come to know Maureen, Howard, Jack and many others through their letters and interview with the journalist.
Enjoyed the book despite its slightly boring pace.
January 22, 2009
I rarely rate novels 5 stars, yet this one deserves to get 5. A novel by Anita Shreve “Strange Fits of Passion” is so absorbing a story that you simply can’t put the novel down until you finish reading it at one time. A story of a turbulent tragic story of domestic abuse. A woman who is sentenced to a life prison for a first degree murder she did for self-defense against her brutal husband. Unlike other novels that use a lot of “I” and seem to have only one character speaking and playing role the whole story, this novel is different and to tell you the truth the kind of writing she uses in this novel Strange Fits of Passion is new to me. Anita Shreve does not write her novel “Strange Fits of Passion” based on chapters of accidents, yet she writes the story as if you were reading memoirs or testimonials from people who are directly or indirectly related to the main character, so sometimes there are some flashbacks. It is not only ONE character who speaks, yet MORE than ONE. There is even the Reading Group Guide Inside; in this Guide, there are some questions about each character who testifies on Mary Amesbury alias Maureen English. The story might be just usual story, yet the way Anita Shreve tells it to the world make it unusual story and become an interesting story to read. To me, this is a really impressive style of writing that brings to an excellent story, a powerful portrait of truth and deception.
ISBN : 0-15-185760-1
Lu2Ar
ISBN : 0-15-185760-1
Lu2Ar
September 30, 2011
I read this book for a book group, otherwise I would never have chosen a book about domestic violence myself. The story was compelling but I am not a Shreve fan. As in her past books, the characters are unlikable and I feel she is a very manipulative, intrusive author. The characters feel like puppets on a stage; I never feel transported by the writing. In this case, the narrative is intentionally disjointed because the bulk of the story is related in a series of writings and interviews by the major and minor players in the tragedy. These versions of the truth are then distorted by a reporter into an expose that makes her career. I found the take-away message depressing and at odds with my opinion of human nature. The characters were unable to overcome their base desires which seems to be excused in some way by their personal circumstances or time in which they lived (ca. 1970, for goodness' sake). I prefer to believe that even in the worst circumstances people have some control over their actions and are only doomed when they give up on themselves. No one in this sorry tale is able to rise to the challenge: a very sad commentary indeed.
February 5, 2009
Curious book. Up until the last 30 pages, I thought this was very compelling. Then, it felt like Shreve did a quick wrap-up that included a lot of explanation of how society didn't understand abuse in the 1970s. But we all know that, and many writers have written much better on the topic. In addition, the bits about the reporter in the end were shallow and felt like they'd been thrown in for a twist. But I didn't buy them at all. It felt totally tacked on. POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT? Finally, supposedly at trial, nobody could corroborate the abuse. But earlier in the book there was a mention of a neighbor who appeared concerned and made halting comments about hearing noises. Shreve needed at least a sentence stating that the neighbor couldn't be located for trial. Otherwise, a lack of mention blows the idea of no witnesses to the abuse. Small point, I know, but it was easily fixed with a smarter edit.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 28, 2014
Anita Shreve writes a gripping story. In this one, the setting of a small town on the coast of Maine, during a frigid winter, had me turning pages very quickly. A lot of sympathy is generated by Mary, a battered wife, who has left her former life behind. Much nuance is added to the tale by having events described by different characters.
May 25, 2023
The central story to this book was pretty good actually. A woman fleeing from her abusive husband, hiding out in a small town a long way from home until he found her, with inevitable consequences. I say inevitable because you're told early in the book what happens, it's only a question of when and how.
What I didn't understand was the framing of the story. The events took place in the early 1970s and it was being related by means of notes taken by (or sent to) a journalist by people involved at the time (the woman herself, and various townsfolk) for the purposes of an article. Now (now being about 20 years later) the journalist was giving the notes to the woman's daughter. Apparently to try and apologize and absolve herself because the article she'd written from the notes wasn't very sympathetic to the woman, and actually didn't really reflect accurately what she'd been told.
I didn't really understand why it was presented this way. It seemed very contrived and unnecessarily complicated. Partly because by the time I'd finished the "story" bit I'd forgotten about the journalist and what she was up to.
There seemed to be some possible points of interest: different attitudes towards domestic abuse and marital rape between then and "now"; and some idea that events can be presented in different ways, and nobody really knows the truth apart from those at the centre of them. But that felt like a flimsy premise, and I didn't see the point of it. Unless it was to give book groups something to discuss?
I had one other specific beef; a lot was made of the fact that nobody else knew about the abuse, but what about the neighbour? When she took the woman to hospital to have her baby there was a definite implication that she'd heard / suspected what was going on. And a neighbour would seem like an obvious person to ask.
What I didn't understand was the framing of the story. The events took place in the early 1970s and it was being related by means of notes taken by (or sent to) a journalist by people involved at the time (the woman herself, and various townsfolk) for the purposes of an article. Now (now being about 20 years later) the journalist was giving the notes to the woman's daughter. Apparently to try and apologize and absolve herself because the article she'd written from the notes wasn't very sympathetic to the woman, and actually didn't really reflect accurately what she'd been told.
I didn't really understand why it was presented this way. It seemed very contrived and unnecessarily complicated. Partly because by the time I'd finished the "story" bit I'd forgotten about the journalist and what she was up to.
There seemed to be some possible points of interest: different attitudes towards domestic abuse and marital rape between then and "now"; and some idea that events can be presented in different ways, and nobody really knows the truth apart from those at the centre of them. But that felt like a flimsy premise, and I didn't see the point of it. Unless it was to give book groups something to discuss?
I had one other specific beef; a lot was made of the fact that nobody else knew about the abuse, but what about the neighbour? When she took the woman to hospital to have her baby there was a definite implication that she'd heard / suspected what was going on. And a neighbour would seem like an obvious person to ask.
October 21, 2019
4 extraordinary stars! I have long been an Anita Shreve fan, and this book will most certainly make the list of favourites. This story was published way back in '91, and had been sitting on my shelf for quite some time. The title itself, Strange Fits of Passion is odd, and I can see potential readers passing it by...however, I will start by saying that this book had me riveted right from the beginning. The story of Maureen English fleeing an abusive marriage and attempting to put her life back together takes place over a six week time period in the late winter of 1970/71. We are brought into Maureen's life- both before she left her marriage and the short time frame that she spent in St. Hilaire, a small coastal fishing village in northern Maine. The story is told from Maureen's point of view as well as the main residents of St. Hilaire who got to know Maureen.
Shreve's writing is phenomenal, and she keeps a very steady tension that is released slowly as we the reader become more and more absorbed in this tale.
This is a story of love, of fear, of hate, of redemption, of connection, and of passion. I could not put it down. I highly recommend!
Shreve's writing is phenomenal, and she keeps a very steady tension that is released slowly as we the reader become more and more absorbed in this tale.
This is a story of love, of fear, of hate, of redemption, of connection, and of passion. I could not put it down. I highly recommend!
February 12, 2018
This is an older work of Shreve’s, published in 1991, but a timely one, what with the “Me too” movement and the controversy involving freedom of the press and fake news.
The novel takes place in 1971, twenty years prior. It is told from the perspective of several individuals acquainted with the main character, Maureen English, aka Mary Amesbury, fleeing from an abusive husband, taking her infant daughter with her. She stops in a small coastal town in Maine for the night at a motel and signs in as Mary Amesbury. It is below freezing weather. She then decides to rent a small cheap cottage and stay until she can figure out what to do with very little cash that was in her husbands pocket when she abruptly took flight. She needs a few groceries and stops at the only place available in town, picks up a coffee cake, milk and a 6-pack of beer. An odd selection, I thought. She is a nursing mother, so the beer gave me pause, not to mention it’s freezing outside. Coffee anyone? I then remembered that this is the 70s and the no-drinking rule for nursing mothers wasn’t yet as well focused on as it is today. She evidently didn’t worry about it anyway, as through-out the novel she partook in hard liquor as well. The proprietor of the store is also the only law-enforcement the town has. He notices her bruised face and cut lips. She says she was in a car accident, but that’s just the beginning to this complex story. I won’t say more. Read it.
I’ve had this in my personal library for some time but hadn’t read it as I find the topic of domestic violence hard and depressing to read at times. Knowing Shreve’s talents I was sure it would offer more than standard fare in this genre.
Page one however, should have been sub-titled “Helen.” Her other chapters were sub-titled by the person’s perspective of the main character. I thought I was reading comments by the author Shreve because it refers to books she has written and why, but no, it is the novel. The story opens with Helen, a journalist, an investigative reporter, who has gathered notes and information for an article and a book about what went on in the case of Maureen/Mary, who at the opening of the novel is in jail. It goes into what her life was like before coming to St. Hilaire, Maine and how her short residency ultimately affected many of the local towns-people. After you figure that out, you get the rhythm of the writing as it unfolds from past to present.
One thing that bothered me was the summary towards the end referred to as “the article” entitled (in the Maine dialect) as “The Killing Over to the Point” written by Helen Scofield. This is a 19 page summary of everything you’ve already read, which I admittedly had a tendency to skim through until I figured out it had a way of swaying the reader as to what actually was true and what may have not been. It begs to open your mind in question. Appropriately in this day and age of leniencies taken by the press. It gives the reader a good realization of how reporting can influence, sway and determine the outcome of certain situations. The ending did bring some surprises, some closure and a gratefulness for the support of abused women in today’s climate.
A very good read. I’m glad I dusted it off my library shelf.
The novel takes place in 1971, twenty years prior. It is told from the perspective of several individuals acquainted with the main character, Maureen English, aka Mary Amesbury, fleeing from an abusive husband, taking her infant daughter with her. She stops in a small coastal town in Maine for the night at a motel and signs in as Mary Amesbury. It is below freezing weather. She then decides to rent a small cheap cottage and stay until she can figure out what to do with very little cash that was in her husbands pocket when she abruptly took flight. She needs a few groceries and stops at the only place available in town, picks up a coffee cake, milk and a 6-pack of beer. An odd selection, I thought. She is a nursing mother, so the beer gave me pause, not to mention it’s freezing outside. Coffee anyone? I then remembered that this is the 70s and the no-drinking rule for nursing mothers wasn’t yet as well focused on as it is today. She evidently didn’t worry about it anyway, as through-out the novel she partook in hard liquor as well. The proprietor of the store is also the only law-enforcement the town has. He notices her bruised face and cut lips. She says she was in a car accident, but that’s just the beginning to this complex story. I won’t say more. Read it.
I’ve had this in my personal library for some time but hadn’t read it as I find the topic of domestic violence hard and depressing to read at times. Knowing Shreve’s talents I was sure it would offer more than standard fare in this genre.
Page one however, should have been sub-titled “Helen.” Her other chapters were sub-titled by the person’s perspective of the main character. I thought I was reading comments by the author Shreve because it refers to books she has written and why, but no, it is the novel. The story opens with Helen, a journalist, an investigative reporter, who has gathered notes and information for an article and a book about what went on in the case of Maureen/Mary, who at the opening of the novel is in jail. It goes into what her life was like before coming to St. Hilaire, Maine and how her short residency ultimately affected many of the local towns-people. After you figure that out, you get the rhythm of the writing as it unfolds from past to present.
One thing that bothered me was the summary towards the end referred to as “the article” entitled (in the Maine dialect) as “The Killing Over to the Point” written by Helen Scofield. This is a 19 page summary of everything you’ve already read, which I admittedly had a tendency to skim through until I figured out it had a way of swaying the reader as to what actually was true and what may have not been. It begs to open your mind in question. Appropriately in this day and age of leniencies taken by the press. It gives the reader a good realization of how reporting can influence, sway and determine the outcome of certain situations. The ending did bring some surprises, some closure and a gratefulness for the support of abused women in today’s climate.
A very good read. I’m glad I dusted it off my library shelf.
June 25, 2009
Maureen English is a 26 year old up and coming reporter who becomes involved with a fellow reporter. Their relationship is never a healthy one, based as it is on drinking, sex and secrets. But she marries him and spends two years getting beaten by him before she takes her infant daughter and runs. She takes on a new name and identity as Mary Amesbury. If Mary's husband is boxing her in, Anita Shreve is certainly boxing us readers in as well. I sympathized with Mary but I didn't see her making choices that would be in her best interest or the interest of her child. She wanted too many things; not to have to run any more, to be in love even when the circumstances made that a bad choice, to keep her secrets from those who may have been able to help her. If the Real Estate motto is location, the Social Services motto is document. She couldn't document her case whatsoever. She was also weak in a way that I found self-destructive. I mean what was with letting that guy Willis act like he could just come and go? I know that often police and social services can't help with domestic violence, but at least if you have it documented then you have a leg to stand on when you shoot the guy, right?
May 7, 2015
I really really enjoyed this book! It was one of those books that you are sad to say good-bye to.. .you know the ones, the ones where you start savoring the chapters and put off reading the ending because you don't want to part with it! Fortunately, this was a library book so I couldn't employ my usual stall tactics. Don't let the name of the book fool you into thinking this is a hot steamy love story. . .it is not. There are many different types of passion, and not all of them are good. I don't want to give too much away but this book explores the "psyche" of the domestic violence victim in a way I have never seen done. There are many different characters in the book, some I loved, and some I couldn't stand, but I felt I had the opportunity to know each and every character. The book is set in Maine in the middle of the winter. The author depicts the city in such a way that I actually felt physically chilly at times as I was reading the book in my humid Texas climate! Wow, now that is what I call a great author! I have read several books by this author and have enjoyed all of them, but I have to say that this one is my favorite so far. Next I'm going to read Sea Glass. In fact, I just checked it out of the library. :-)
August 19, 2013
I wish I had read this before I began writing creatively because it is so instructive, and I was really intrigued by her craft--the method she used to unravel this tale. Pacing and revelation in this work are everything a reader expects from this author.
While I love her penchant of teasing out only what readers need to know to stay engrossed in the story, her main characters are always somewhat thin. I couldn't relate to her protagonists though I did feel for the battered woman. I just didn't get her.
And of course Shreve's books are unrelentingly sad. Would it kill the author to throw in an affirming ending once in a while? (Yes, I think it would. Just not her style.)
Yet, she draws attention to an important social ill without being preachy.
I inhaled this book rather than read it. Definitely a good read, even if I saw where it was headed, even if she was a little stingy in the character development.
While I love her penchant of teasing out only what readers need to know to stay engrossed in the story, her main characters are always somewhat thin. I couldn't relate to her protagonists though I did feel for the battered woman. I just didn't get her.
And of course Shreve's books are unrelentingly sad. Would it kill the author to throw in an affirming ending once in a while? (Yes, I think it would. Just not her style.)
Yet, she draws attention to an important social ill without being preachy.
I inhaled this book rather than read it. Definitely a good read, even if I saw where it was headed, even if she was a little stingy in the character development.
November 1, 2015
This isn't the Anita Shreve book I'd recommend to others. I didn't enjoy reading this emotionally unsatisfying story filled with alcoholism, domestic violence and other forms of violence. On the surface, the Ivy League educated husband and wife have an ideal marriage, but as we all know appearances can be deceiving.
The story, which is set in the late 1960 or early 1970s, follows a sequence of events set mostly in a small cold town in Maine filled with a cast of colorful characters that you'd find in small cold Maine towns. I skimmed parts of the book just to see what happens at the end although you can tell from the first couple of pages what the ending is likely to be since the story starts off from the adult daughter's perspective. I'd recommend "The Last Time They Met" if you want to read one of Shreve's best works of fiction.
The story, which is set in the late 1960 or early 1970s, follows a sequence of events set mostly in a small cold town in Maine filled with a cast of colorful characters that you'd find in small cold Maine towns. I skimmed parts of the book just to see what happens at the end although you can tell from the first couple of pages what the ending is likely to be since the story starts off from the adult daughter's perspective. I'd recommend "The Last Time They Met" if you want to read one of Shreve's best works of fiction.
September 25, 2007
The story of the dreadful marriage is presented twice - first by the escaping wife and then by the reporter who wrote the ensuing glossy magazine article. These two versions are presented to the daughter of the wife 20 years later, and the whole idea - I think - is to show how our views about this nasty subject have changed, and how repulsive the attitudes of the early 1970s were towards women in this situation.
That's not a bad idea for a novel, but Anita Shreve spends such a lot of time painting the setting and atmosphere in thick slabs of local colour (winter in a Maine fishing village) that what seems to be the main point of the thing loses focus. She spends pages on the dull stuff and a couple of lines on the interesting stuff. Frustrating.
That's not a bad idea for a novel, but Anita Shreve spends such a lot of time painting the setting and atmosphere in thick slabs of local colour (winter in a Maine fishing village) that what seems to be the main point of the thing loses focus. She spends pages on the dull stuff and a couple of lines on the interesting stuff. Frustrating.
August 3, 2013
This is a beautifully written book, collected as a series of interviews and anecdotes that form an article. The article in question revolves around a murder case that took place in St Hilaire. We are offered a series of insights into the motives of the characters and most importantly, the central character, Mary, or Maureen as she was known; she assumed a new identity as she sought to escape from her violent husband.
The writing is amazing, especially the change of pace as the character goes from a bustling New York to the quieter lobster town. The landscape and atmosphere is drawn superbly and I felt a keen sense of cold as the harsh winter and fog closed in.
This is not a light read, the subject matter being what it is, but is a satisfying one and this book comes highly recommended.
The writing is amazing, especially the change of pace as the character goes from a bustling New York to the quieter lobster town. The landscape and atmosphere is drawn superbly and I felt a keen sense of cold as the harsh winter and fog closed in.
This is not a light read, the subject matter being what it is, but is a satisfying one and this book comes highly recommended.
August 8, 2015
The first half of this book was so hard for me to read. I love Ms. Shreve and have read every book that she has written (this being my last until she writes a new novel), but this book was disturbing. The first half deals with domestic violence. The second half deals with the promise of a new life which was a little bit easier reading. I will not even mention what happens because I know that would ruin it for so many readers.
Although I found this book difficult to read most of the time, I still found it even more hard to put down. Her writing just throws you right into the setting and you can picture and feel everything.
Although I found this book difficult to read most of the time, I still found it even more hard to put down. Her writing just throws you right into the setting and you can picture and feel everything.
January 9, 2008
I really liked this book until just about the last chapter.
The ending ran like a term paper that had to be exactly so many words, and with the ends of the story snipped off and stuffed back into the seam, it barely made it, limping to the finish.
As a side note: Are there books written about spousal abuse where the wife picks up and flees to the city? Because I can't seem to find any....
The ending ran like a term paper that had to be exactly so many words, and with the ends of the story snipped off and stuffed back into the seam, it barely made it, limping to the finish.
As a side note: Are there books written about spousal abuse where the wife picks up and flees to the city? Because I can't seem to find any....
December 23, 2019
A compelling read giving insight into how abusive relationships evolve and the reasons people become trapped in them. I liked the style Shreve uses here- adopting viewpoints from may different characters. A cleverly thought out book; well written, as always, by Shreve. I wished there had been one more chapter giving Mary's final viewpoint...
May 18, 2024
En kvinna som rymmer iväg från sin man som utsatt henne för kvinnofridskränkning, misshandel, våldtäkt etc. Man får följa hennes liv på ny ort och försök till att starta om livet.
Jag hade lite svårt för berättar- och skrivstilen till en början. Kom in i det mer desto längre jag läste så då började jag uppskatta innehållet mer. Så en helt okej bok ändå!
Jag hade lite svårt för berättar- och skrivstilen till en början. Kom in i det mer desto längre jag läste så då började jag uppskatta innehållet mer. Så en helt okej bok ändå!
January 22, 2014
I am reading the quick purchases from the Naseby book sale! I quite enjoyed this; the violent husband seemed a timely topic. However the multiple voice and time frames were less successful, I thought.
April 10, 2008
i was a little hard up for reading material at the time.
March 7, 2021
After reading 2 books by Anita Shreve, I’ve definitely found a new author whose collection of work I want to completely consume. The themes in this book were a lot different than the first book I read of hers, but it still had the drama of human experiences that is drawing me into her writing.
I loved the way the story was laid out by starting from present day and working backwards in showing the reader how the events unfolded. You have a vague idea of where the story will end up, but there are enough questions to keep you guessing until the final chapters. I also really liked the true crime novel vibe when the storytelling switched over to the interviews of people who knew the main character. However, the thing that I ate up was the entire “escaping to a sleepy coastal town in Maine” element of the story. I already have a weird, romanticized fascination with the state, and I enjoyed seeing a city girl try to disappear and adapt to a lifestyle so foreign to what she is used to.
While I did enjoy the way the story is laid out through interviews and as a magazine article about the crime, I felt somewhat removed from certain scenes in the story. When we were in the main character’s POV, while everything is essentially described through her eyes, it still had a memoir feel to it. This was especially evident in dialogue between characters. I think I would have preferred to jump between interviews with secondary characters and a true first-person perspective when we switched over to the main character. Another issue I had that I’m hesitant to even put any stock in, was the development of the main character’s relationship with her husband/abuser. I’ve not ever been faced with these circumstances and I know there is a lot of psychological manipulation involved in abusers controlling the abused. It also could be that we see essentially summarized descriptions of the main character’s life events so that the development of their relationship plays out quickly for the reader. However, I just couldn’t see what could endear the main character to her eventual husband in the beginning. There was definitely a certain “chemistry” or feeling of a real relationship later in the book but in the beginning, I couldn’t reconcile how this woman ended up with this man.
This book was probably my favorite of the 2 books I’ve read by Anita Shreve so far and I know a lot of it has to do with it being set in Maine and all the trappings that come along with that. However, I’m really enjoying the human drama of her stories, and the 3 books I have left of hers on my shelves promise more of the same. The stories might not always be so happy, but I come away very satisfied when the book is done.
I loved the way the story was laid out by starting from present day and working backwards in showing the reader how the events unfolded. You have a vague idea of where the story will end up, but there are enough questions to keep you guessing until the final chapters. I also really liked the true crime novel vibe when the storytelling switched over to the interviews of people who knew the main character. However, the thing that I ate up was the entire “escaping to a sleepy coastal town in Maine” element of the story. I already have a weird, romanticized fascination with the state, and I enjoyed seeing a city girl try to disappear and adapt to a lifestyle so foreign to what she is used to.
While I did enjoy the way the story is laid out through interviews and as a magazine article about the crime, I felt somewhat removed from certain scenes in the story. When we were in the main character’s POV, while everything is essentially described through her eyes, it still had a memoir feel to it. This was especially evident in dialogue between characters. I think I would have preferred to jump between interviews with secondary characters and a true first-person perspective when we switched over to the main character. Another issue I had that I’m hesitant to even put any stock in, was the development of the main character’s relationship with her husband/abuser. I’ve not ever been faced with these circumstances and I know there is a lot of psychological manipulation involved in abusers controlling the abused. It also could be that we see essentially summarized descriptions of the main character’s life events so that the development of their relationship plays out quickly for the reader. However, I just couldn’t see what could endear the main character to her eventual husband in the beginning. There was definitely a certain “chemistry” or feeling of a real relationship later in the book but in the beginning, I couldn’t reconcile how this woman ended up with this man.
This book was probably my favorite of the 2 books I’ve read by Anita Shreve so far and I know a lot of it has to do with it being set in Maine and all the trappings that come along with that. However, I’m really enjoying the human drama of her stories, and the 3 books I have left of hers on my shelves promise more of the same. The stories might not always be so happy, but I come away very satisfied when the book is done.
December 23, 2024
TW: sexual violence and domestic abuse throughout
Not my favourite of this author’s books but still a compelling read. The subject matter is really tough and made more heartbreaking by the fact that in 1971 there was no such thing as marital rape and beating your wife was quietly acknowledged as part of a marriage!!
The characters and remote scenery are the best aspect of this book and both are very well written. The storytelling by various characters was also good (I loved Julia). The pace was slow in places and I found the way the ending was written a bit odd. Probably a 3.5 all round.
Not my favourite of this author’s books but still a compelling read. The subject matter is really tough and made more heartbreaking by the fact that in 1971 there was no such thing as marital rape and beating your wife was quietly acknowledged as part of a marriage!!
The characters and remote scenery are the best aspect of this book and both are very well written. The storytelling by various characters was also good (I loved Julia). The pace was slow in places and I found the way the ending was written a bit odd. Probably a 3.5 all round.
July 4, 2023
“unputdownable” is really the only word i can use to describe this right now. i read about 25 pages first, set it down, and then finished the rest in a few hours—it was just magnetic. this is a gorgeously written but INCREDIBLY painful narrative of abuse, redemption, and the messy in-between. difficult to read at times, extremely vivid depictions of physical and mental abuse… but a stunning read & one i will remember forever
November 28, 2024
When Maureen English takes their baby and flees from an abusive relationship, she knows what will happen when her husband finds her. Strange Fits of Passion, set fifty years ago and written 30 still makes for compelling reading. Anita Shreve’s clear writing appeals and produces vibrant, frequently dislikeable characters. And while some of Maureen’s decisions seem unusual, the horrors of the attitudes of the time together with the poignant result make for a worthwhile read.
May 28, 2025
3.5 ⭐ Maybe a bit generous with the 1/2 star bump up, but I really did enjoy 3/4 of this book. I did not care for any of the "present day" stuff. Shreve did a wonderful job creating her characters in the past, that the present day characters felt weak and sort of irrelevant....I did not connect or really care about them, which is a shame because one of them was a crucial piece to the past.
July 21, 2019
A journalist meets a woman in her college room to give her some transcripts of her mother’s murder trial. Told from different perspectives, the book goes into the details of the murder case, including what led to her killing her husband.
I really liked this book. I would recommend it to others.
I really liked this book. I would recommend it to others.
September 22, 2018
This was such a good book. I could hardly put this book down! This was my first book by Anita Shreve and I really like her as an author so far!!
October 17, 2022
A very good book. I was drawn in immediately and loved the style of the various characters giving their views on what happened. An engrossing story.
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