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Gossip
Lovie French è la proprietaria di una lussuosa boutique di abbigliamento a Manhattan, nell’Upper East Side. Discreta e riservata, assiste le sue affezionate clienti che, tra una giacca, un foulard e un tubino, si lasciano spesso andare a confessioni e pettegolezzi. Incluse le sue migliori amiche, due ex compagne dei tempi del collegio: Dinah, una sfrontata, talentuosa giornalista, e l’integerrima e timida Avis, esperta d’arte. Malgrado siano entrambe amiche di Lovie, tra Dinah e Avis non corre buon sangue, e per decenni hanno cercato di evitarsi. Ma adesso le cose sono cambiate: il figlio di Dinah e l’unica figlia di Avis si sono innamorati e sono felicemente fidanzati. Così le due nemiche sono costrette a mettere da parte i vecchi dissidi, con l’aiuto di Lovie, la depositaria di tanti segreti del passato… Ma il rancore mai sopito può essere esplosivo, e qualche chiacchiera di troppo avrà effetti devastanti sulle vite di tutti.
285 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
79 people are currently reading
1057 people want to read
About the author
Beth Gutcheon
31 books249 followersBeth Gutcheon grew up in western Pennsylvania. She was educated at Harvard where she took an honors BA in English literature. She has spent most of her adult life in New York City, except for sojourns in San Francisco and on the coast of Maine. In 1978, she wrote the narration for a feature-length documentary on the Kirov ballet school, The Children of Theatre Street, which was nominated for an Academy Award, and she has made her living fulltime as a storyteller (novelist and sometime screenwriter) since then. Her novels have been translated into fourteen languages, if you count the pirate Chinese edition of Still Missing, plus large print and audio format. Still Missing was made into a feature film called Without a Trace, and also published in a Reader’s Digest Condensed version which particularly pleased her mother. Several of her novels have been national bestsellers, including the most recent, Leeway Cottage. All of the novels are available in new uniform paperback editions from HarperPerennial.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 237 reviews
November 15, 2015
My rating: 1.5 of 5 stars
A copy of Gossip was provided to me by William Morrow for review purposes.
'Interesting how things change: the people you thought would be friends forever disappear, and others become more and more important to you over time.'
Lovie French is a sixty year old boutique owner living in Manhattan and is the narrator of the story. She is still close to her two best friends, Avis and Dinah, that she went to school with when they were young and over time their families have become family to her. Lovie details how their lives unfolded over time and who they loved and lost and the ongoing gossip that prevailed.
There was a strange detachment in the writing that made Gossip feel very lackluster which in turn made it hard to connect to any of the characters. It's written as a retelling of past events and I couldn't help but think it would have been more interesting and easier to connect to if it was written in present tense and as a form of flashback rather than a long series of recollections which would have lessened the 'info-dump' feel.
I felt Lovie was a strange narrator choice even though she was a part of the story she didn't seem to have as much relevance. The story being told from Nicky or maybe even Grace (or both?) would have been a better choice as their story became the main feature in the end. The focus on the rest of the family formed the story as a whole but I would have liked to see more focus on Nicky and Grace to get a better idea of what led them up to the end events.
There were some beautiful moments of writing and I felt that the story had a lot of potential if not for the loose stitching that bound the multiple characters story lines together. Lacking in depth and a true connection to the characters, this was ultimately quite forgettable.
A copy of Gossip was provided to me by William Morrow for review purposes.
'Interesting how things change: the people you thought would be friends forever disappear, and others become more and more important to you over time.'
Lovie French is a sixty year old boutique owner living in Manhattan and is the narrator of the story. She is still close to her two best friends, Avis and Dinah, that she went to school with when they were young and over time their families have become family to her. Lovie details how their lives unfolded over time and who they loved and lost and the ongoing gossip that prevailed.
There was a strange detachment in the writing that made Gossip feel very lackluster which in turn made it hard to connect to any of the characters. It's written as a retelling of past events and I couldn't help but think it would have been more interesting and easier to connect to if it was written in present tense and as a form of flashback rather than a long series of recollections which would have lessened the 'info-dump' feel.
I felt Lovie was a strange narrator choice even though she was a part of the story she didn't seem to have as much relevance. The story being told from Nicky or maybe even Grace (or both?) would have been a better choice as their story became the main feature in the end. The focus on the rest of the family formed the story as a whole but I would have liked to see more focus on Nicky and Grace to get a better idea of what led them up to the end events.
There were some beautiful moments of writing and I felt that the story had a lot of potential if not for the loose stitching that bound the multiple characters story lines together. Lacking in depth and a true connection to the characters, this was ultimately quite forgettable.
March 28, 2012
My thoughts: Gutcheon has a solid writing style and POV. I really have no strong opinions one way or the other with this book. It's about three women who went to an elite high school and had Lovie as the connecting point. Avis is the older of the three and much more refined. She marries rich albeit older and has a daughter named Grace.
Dinah's character is solid and remains unchanging. She is loud, fun and irreverent. She marries Richard and has two sons; one is responsible and the other is not. Her husband cheats and leaves to start a new family.
Lovie, the protagonist, is a scholarship kid in school who makes good connections and grows up to own a successful dress shop where designer names that mean nothing to me are dropped. I understand Old Navy, Gap and Kohl's. I know. Gasp. Anyway, Lovie is the recipient of secrets that are far too heavy to be responsible keeping but she generally does.
It's a lot of petty, rich women who have nothing more to do than go to parties, the theater, and summer in the Hampton's or some other place for people who don't work for a living. There is infidelity, death, friendship, broken promises, gossip, and recent history with the financial collapse along with the events of 9/11. There is also a shocking and senseless twist that is unresolved in the end.
It is written well but I felt little connection to the characters. There are nuggets of wisdom interspersed that I liked but as far as finding a commonality to the characters, it was mostly absent. Lifestyles of the rich and famous are lost on me.
Dinah's character is solid and remains unchanging. She is loud, fun and irreverent. She marries Richard and has two sons; one is responsible and the other is not. Her husband cheats and leaves to start a new family.
Lovie, the protagonist, is a scholarship kid in school who makes good connections and grows up to own a successful dress shop where designer names that mean nothing to me are dropped. I understand Old Navy, Gap and Kohl's. I know. Gasp. Anyway, Lovie is the recipient of secrets that are far too heavy to be responsible keeping but she generally does.
It's a lot of petty, rich women who have nothing more to do than go to parties, the theater, and summer in the Hampton's or some other place for people who don't work for a living. There is infidelity, death, friendship, broken promises, gossip, and recent history with the financial collapse along with the events of 9/11. There is also a shocking and senseless twist that is unresolved in the end.
It is written well but I felt little connection to the characters. There are nuggets of wisdom interspersed that I liked but as far as finding a commonality to the characters, it was mostly absent. Lifestyles of the rich and famous are lost on me.
October 18, 2012
I loved this book and could not stop reading it - a smart contemporary Edith Wharton mini-saga. Love Gutcheon's writing in general - her books have long been favorites. Then why not 4 stars?
The mean spirit that creeps in - not from the author but from the characters - hurt to read. I totally bought it but didn't like it.
The main - yet still minor - downgrade for me was the focus on how women look, and how that is part of their worth. Again, this is central to the story. I get that. But it pisses me off.
The main character owns a high end clothing store on Madison Avenue and I kept being put off by the asides to women's bodies. It wasn't how Beth wrote it - she was true to her character, the time, the setting and her theme. It was just hard for me at times.
I also found the times when the main character learns something important through gossip - again well done in terms of the theme and plot - but the device took me out of the story because it happens too often in the second half of the book.
But there is so much to love here - from the harkening back to a time when manners restrained life, to the Wharton-esque feeling, to peeking in on the very upper crust of New York, to the scrumptious descriptions of food and linens (without becoming romantic porn), and the main character as a working woman surrounded by women who do not work - I so resonated with that!
One thing that doesn't get talked about a lot in my life is how I work and many of my friends - including women "on line" do not "have to" work due to their partners or inherited wealth. There is sometimes a tension for us "working girls" with these friendships that Guthcheon captures with a keen eye and dignity.
Worth reading! Wish I could give it more stars. Actually hate the star system.
The mean spirit that creeps in - not from the author but from the characters - hurt to read. I totally bought it but didn't like it.
The main - yet still minor - downgrade for me was the focus on how women look, and how that is part of their worth. Again, this is central to the story. I get that. But it pisses me off.
The main character owns a high end clothing store on Madison Avenue and I kept being put off by the asides to women's bodies. It wasn't how Beth wrote it - she was true to her character, the time, the setting and her theme. It was just hard for me at times.
I also found the times when the main character learns something important through gossip - again well done in terms of the theme and plot - but the device took me out of the story because it happens too often in the second half of the book.
But there is so much to love here - from the harkening back to a time when manners restrained life, to the Wharton-esque feeling, to peeking in on the very upper crust of New York, to the scrumptious descriptions of food and linens (without becoming romantic porn), and the main character as a working woman surrounded by women who do not work - I so resonated with that!
One thing that doesn't get talked about a lot in my life is how I work and many of my friends - including women "on line" do not "have to" work due to their partners or inherited wealth. There is sometimes a tension for us "working girls" with these friendships that Guthcheon captures with a keen eye and dignity.
Worth reading! Wish I could give it more stars. Actually hate the star system.
April 30, 2012
About halfway through this book I remember thinking that it was exactly what I needed. I'd been doing some heavier reading and Gossip seemed like a nice, light, chick-lit book that I could really enjoy without becoming super emotionally involved.
I was wrong. First, I hated the ending. Absolutely hated it. Second, nothing good happens in this book. Out of all the characters there are seriously no "happy ever afters". None. Third, the writing felt kind of empty, almost like someone was telling you the story who had never met any of the characters. If the book had ended a different way I might have been able to get past the other complaints, but the ending left me feeling awful.
I will say that for the most part I enjoyed reading the book (up until the end!) It was a quick read and the story kept moving. I would recommend it if you have nothing else to read and really need a good cry.
I was wrong. First, I hated the ending. Absolutely hated it. Second, nothing good happens in this book. Out of all the characters there are seriously no "happy ever afters". None. Third, the writing felt kind of empty, almost like someone was telling you the story who had never met any of the characters. If the book had ended a different way I might have been able to get past the other complaints, but the ending left me feeling awful.
I will say that for the most part I enjoyed reading the book (up until the end!) It was a quick read and the story kept moving. I would recommend it if you have nothing else to read and really need a good cry.
April 28, 2012
Rambling monologue with too many characters, too many unappealling characters, and a bad ending. I think if you live in NYC and are of a certain socioeconomic status you may be able to relate to these characters and this life. It seemed trite and empty to me.
April 5, 2012
Loviah French is stuck. Having come from the wrong side of the tracks she has gotten into an elite prep school on scholarship. While there she belongs without belonging, ultimately graduating with two opposite, but life long friends. Instead of attending college like them, she instead interns with a high end dress shop, ultimately becoming an in-demand dresser for the rich and famous; including her friends. She has a relationship with a married family man, stealing bits of time and happiness around his life. She is a women stuck on the edge of all the grand social status that New York has to offer, but is never quite able to take those final steps into that sphere.
The story of her two friends is told through the eyes of Loviah, as she goes from awkward teen to matronly godmother. And it is the term godparent that the title gossip is derived from. In the book the word gossip was a historical term for the godparents, as it would be their job to talk about the godchild over the years. Gossip was a good thing discussing a child you both loved. We see this talk between Loviah and her wild roommate Dinah, always the contrarian; and between Avis, the older more prim and proper girl.
The two opposing friends endure each other for the sake of their love of Loviah; and ultimately they are fused together, for better and for worse, through their association for her. I see this book as Loviah’s endless struggle to love both her friends without disparaging the other. To balance their eccentricities and walk the highroad; to be a good friend.
What is never explicitly discussed in the book, but is central is how Loviah must have walked her own path through life. A scholarship girl, who works in a service capacity to the society women, who also is having an open affair with a married man; her life must have been subject to the small minded gossipers who definitely did not have her best interests at heart. Her experiences must have refined her so much that she is able to hold her head up high, to proudly be a friend to those around her.
One of my favorite quotes in life is to treat all those you meet as damaged in some way, having secret struggles, and most of the time you would be right. Loviah’s is a life that has seen a lot of struggles, yet she triumphs as a friend. Through all the vicissitudes of life, she is there for the ones she loves, even if they do not necessarily care for each other. It should be noted that this book finishes with a bang a little out of step with the first 85%, but in a good way. Sort of sprinting for the tape at the end of a race. A great story well worth reading.
The story of her two friends is told through the eyes of Loviah, as she goes from awkward teen to matronly godmother. And it is the term godparent that the title gossip is derived from. In the book the word gossip was a historical term for the godparents, as it would be their job to talk about the godchild over the years. Gossip was a good thing discussing a child you both loved. We see this talk between Loviah and her wild roommate Dinah, always the contrarian; and between Avis, the older more prim and proper girl.
The two opposing friends endure each other for the sake of their love of Loviah; and ultimately they are fused together, for better and for worse, through their association for her. I see this book as Loviah’s endless struggle to love both her friends without disparaging the other. To balance their eccentricities and walk the highroad; to be a good friend.
What is never explicitly discussed in the book, but is central is how Loviah must have walked her own path through life. A scholarship girl, who works in a service capacity to the society women, who also is having an open affair with a married man; her life must have been subject to the small minded gossipers who definitely did not have her best interests at heart. Her experiences must have refined her so much that she is able to hold her head up high, to proudly be a friend to those around her.
One of my favorite quotes in life is to treat all those you meet as damaged in some way, having secret struggles, and most of the time you would be right. Loviah’s is a life that has seen a lot of struggles, yet she triumphs as a friend. Through all the vicissitudes of life, she is there for the ones she loves, even if they do not necessarily care for each other. It should be noted that this book finishes with a bang a little out of step with the first 85%, but in a good way. Sort of sprinting for the tape at the end of a race. A great story well worth reading.
June 26, 2014
Gossip is a book that I probably wouldn't have picked for the blurb on the back alone but I did like the cover and felt that this would have pushed me into buying it.
To be honest I didn't really connect with the book; I found there was little to keep me interested, the characters were flat and I found it hard to relate to them, the story line was very slow and I really struggled to keep up with what was going on with all the jumping about in the past and present. It felt a confusing read not one that I particularly enjoyed.
The story is about three women who all went to an elite high school; Lovie who is now in her sixties is the narrator who owns a high end clothing store on Madison Avenue in Manhattan where she is privy to a lot of gossip from her very high profile clientele. She remains friends with two particular girls from her high school days, Avis and Dinah. Avis is the eldest of the three and is more genteel and refined than the others and ends up marrying a man older than herself and has a daughter Grace. She appear to be more concerned in a career than bonding with her daughter Grace. When Grace and Nicky get married Lovie has to play the go between watching what she says and to whom she says it to is difficult for Lovie.
Dinah is quite a different character, loud, in your face, a fun person who people find they are irresistibly drawn to. She has two sons but dotes on one son, Nicky. Her other son RJ is settled and happily married but it is Nicky that she worries and frets over and she is desperate for him to make something of his life. Add to the mix his marriage to Grace Avis' daughter and the friends lives become ever more tangled.
The basis for a good story was there but I really never felt a connection with the characters, some of the descriptive passages were good and showed Gutcheon's skill at writing but overall it was just a little lack lustre for me. It felt that it wasn't really going anywhere and got a little bit boring which made it difficult to stay with until the end. To be honest it left me a little flat, I am not really sure what the point of the novel was other than perhaps you should be careful with secrets and who you share them with - no pizzazz for me, like a damp squib. I can only really justify giving this 2.5 stars (rounded up to 3 for Goodreads and Amazon) - in a word - disappointing.
To be honest I didn't really connect with the book; I found there was little to keep me interested, the characters were flat and I found it hard to relate to them, the story line was very slow and I really struggled to keep up with what was going on with all the jumping about in the past and present. It felt a confusing read not one that I particularly enjoyed.
The story is about three women who all went to an elite high school; Lovie who is now in her sixties is the narrator who owns a high end clothing store on Madison Avenue in Manhattan where she is privy to a lot of gossip from her very high profile clientele. She remains friends with two particular girls from her high school days, Avis and Dinah. Avis is the eldest of the three and is more genteel and refined than the others and ends up marrying a man older than herself and has a daughter Grace. She appear to be more concerned in a career than bonding with her daughter Grace. When Grace and Nicky get married Lovie has to play the go between watching what she says and to whom she says it to is difficult for Lovie.
Dinah is quite a different character, loud, in your face, a fun person who people find they are irresistibly drawn to. She has two sons but dotes on one son, Nicky. Her other son RJ is settled and happily married but it is Nicky that she worries and frets over and she is desperate for him to make something of his life. Add to the mix his marriage to Grace Avis' daughter and the friends lives become ever more tangled.
The basis for a good story was there but I really never felt a connection with the characters, some of the descriptive passages were good and showed Gutcheon's skill at writing but overall it was just a little lack lustre for me. It felt that it wasn't really going anywhere and got a little bit boring which made it difficult to stay with until the end. To be honest it left me a little flat, I am not really sure what the point of the novel was other than perhaps you should be careful with secrets and who you share them with - no pizzazz for me, like a damp squib. I can only really justify giving this 2.5 stars (rounded up to 3 for Goodreads and Amazon) - in a word - disappointing.
January 11, 2017
Ummm what just happened here?!
First of all - this book started off like a regular chick-lit novel, but ended like a bad drama ... It was the writing style that I had the biggest problem with - everything was too distant and detached- in a manner that I did not feel like I could connect to any of the characters or understand them! Some things are talked to death, while the others (that feel like they should be important) are just skimmed or skipped altogether and leave the reader feeling confused and unsatisfied.
What I disliked the most about this book was that there is no happy resolution for ANY of the characters. Generally, they all lead sad, pathetic lives (despite their money) and end up old, sad and pathetic , too ! The story revolves around three women (friends from boarding school) and their lives into old(er) age, as well as the daughter of one of them (Grace), who marries the son (Nicky) of the second one. Nicky was a despicable character, to me, from the beginning of the book, despite the author making everyone in the book adore him and his immaturity. He was a spoiled, immature loser, who couldn't keep a job or do anything worth-while , including keeping his marriage together (due to the fact that he - for some reason - refused to sleep with his wife!). Nicky and Grace's marriage was falling apart , but the author did not really want to give us any details on the how and why , except to mention (through third-party gossip) how they no longer slept together. Was the failing marriage of two people , who were central to the plot, not important enough for the author to give us a few more pieces of "first-hand" information as to what was happening with them and WHY ?! The ending was even more bizarre,
Overall - very awkwardly written - shallow writing for such delicate topics that are touched upon!
First of all - this book started off like a regular chick-lit novel, but ended like a bad drama ... It was the writing style that I had the biggest problem with - everything was too distant and detached- in a manner that I did not feel like I could connect to any of the characters or understand them! Some things are talked to death, while the others (that feel like they should be important) are just skimmed or skipped altogether and leave the reader feeling confused and unsatisfied.
What I disliked the most about this book was that there is no happy resolution for ANY of the characters. Generally, they all lead sad, pathetic lives (despite their money) and end up old, sad and pathetic , too ! The story revolves around three women (friends from boarding school) and their lives into old(er) age, as well as the daughter of one of them (Grace), who marries the son (Nicky) of the second one. Nicky was a despicable character, to me, from the beginning of the book, despite the author making everyone in the book adore him and his immaturity. He was a spoiled, immature loser, who couldn't keep a job or do anything worth-while , including keeping his marriage together (due to the fact that he - for some reason - refused to sleep with his wife!). Nicky and Grace's marriage was falling apart , but the author did not really want to give us any details on the how and why , except to mention (through third-party gossip) how they no longer slept together. Was the failing marriage of two people , who were central to the plot, not important enough for the author to give us a few more pieces of "first-hand" information as to what was happening with them and WHY ?! The ending was even more bizarre,
Overall - very awkwardly written - shallow writing for such delicate topics that are touched upon!
April 5, 2012
Some books I just can’t connect with, and unfortunately Gossip by Beth Gutcheon was one of those. I was looking forward to this book – who doesn’t love some gossip and I thought the cover was really cute - but it just fell flat for me. The beginning started off slowly – way too slowly – and it was downhill for me from there. The story is narrated by Lovie Walker, yet the POV is divided amongst her and two other characters. There’s a lot of jumping between past and present and POV that made it hard for me to stick with what was happening. About a third of the way through the book, I gave up and started speed reading. There just wasn’t anything happening to keep my attention. I believe readers are supposed to take away that even the rich and privileged go through hardships, but I’m really not positive on that. I’ve seen other reviews that talk about a “shocking ending” so I went back and re-read it, but since I really didn’t have a clue who any of the characters were and had no attachment to them, I simply didn’t get it. Gossip wouldn’t be a recommendation from me.
August 7, 2012
Read as more of a history of Lovie and her friends than as a narrative. Had trouble keeping characters straight, didn't see a lot of continuity between the characters in their youth vs as they aged. Just didn't care about their problems.
August 31, 2022
The only good part of this book was the end. I got lost about three or four times, but I’m not a quitter so I finished it.
December 25, 2023
I almost DNFed, but am glad that I stuck with it. The end was a shock and I *think* it was worth the months I wasted trying to motivate myself to read it.
March 23, 2012
Ever read a book and thought, "It's ok, but not great." That's what I was thinking as I was nearing the end of Gossip by Beth Gutcheon. ... But then you get to the end, and you're opinion TOTALLY changes. You start thinking deeper about everything you just read.
Gossip, what does it really mean? I always thought it was a rumor spread by a bunch of spiteful and nosy people. I still think that, but the original meaning was talk between two people who are the godparents of the same child. Interesting right? How did this word get so far away from it's original intent? Gossip these days can make or break your career, destroy friendships, destroy families, or (like all of these hack reality stars) it can make you famous. In the case of this book, it can cloud your judgment.
Loviah "Lovie" French has always been stuck in the middle. As the owner of a small dress shop, Lovie is privy to a lot of secrets and gossip.Who is marrying who? Who is cheating with who? Who is getting a divorce? The list could go on. People feel they can talk to Lovie. They know Lovie will keep their secret. They know she won't pass judgment. There are times when Lovie wants to say more during these exchanges. If they're bashing one of her friends, Lovie is tempted to speak up but sometimes it just isn't worth it to get in a fight over gossip. When it's her turn and she needs a shoulder to lean on, Lovie turns to her long-time lover, Gil, who also happens to be married. In private, Gil and Lovie can be themselves in private but in public they have to tone it down, otherwise people might spread "gossip."
Lovie's best friend Dinah Wainwright has made a career out of writing about the rich and famous people of New York. Her personality is very in your face. She loves to talk. She wants to be your friend. She has two sons, but to hear her speak you would think Dinah has only one child. RJ is settled in his life with a wife and kids, but Nicky is the one she worries the most about. She wants badly to see him succeed.
Avis Metcalf is the total opposite of Dinah. Avis is quieter and more reserved. She's more obsessed with her career than forming a bond with her only daughter, Grace. But Avis' friendship with Lovie is extremely strong. It is put to the test when Grace and Nicky get married. Lovie is like the middle man. It must be daunting to people who are really in this situation. You have to watch what you say around one friend. What one friend might find funny, the other won't. It doesn't help matters when Grace and Nicky's marriage takes a drastic turn. I can't say what it is (read the book to find out), but I will say I wasn't expecting it. Towards the end of the book I was in totally shock. I'm thinking, "did she just write that?"
If I'm going to judge a book by it's cover, I was expecting a light, chick-lit story. By the end, it was very thought-provoking. It doesn't hurt you to spread gossip, but what about the person you're talking about? Did you ruin their life? How will it effect that person's career? Their family? What satisfaction do you get by talking about a person? This book was a little slow to start, but by the end it was a very worthy read.
Rating: Superb
Note: I received a copy of the book from FSB Associates in exchange for an honest review.
Gossip, what does it really mean? I always thought it was a rumor spread by a bunch of spiteful and nosy people. I still think that, but the original meaning was talk between two people who are the godparents of the same child. Interesting right? How did this word get so far away from it's original intent? Gossip these days can make or break your career, destroy friendships, destroy families, or (like all of these hack reality stars) it can make you famous. In the case of this book, it can cloud your judgment.
Loviah "Lovie" French has always been stuck in the middle. As the owner of a small dress shop, Lovie is privy to a lot of secrets and gossip.Who is marrying who? Who is cheating with who? Who is getting a divorce? The list could go on. People feel they can talk to Lovie. They know Lovie will keep their secret. They know she won't pass judgment. There are times when Lovie wants to say more during these exchanges. If they're bashing one of her friends, Lovie is tempted to speak up but sometimes it just isn't worth it to get in a fight over gossip. When it's her turn and she needs a shoulder to lean on, Lovie turns to her long-time lover, Gil, who also happens to be married. In private, Gil and Lovie can be themselves in private but in public they have to tone it down, otherwise people might spread "gossip."
Lovie's best friend Dinah Wainwright has made a career out of writing about the rich and famous people of New York. Her personality is very in your face. She loves to talk. She wants to be your friend. She has two sons, but to hear her speak you would think Dinah has only one child. RJ is settled in his life with a wife and kids, but Nicky is the one she worries the most about. She wants badly to see him succeed.
Avis Metcalf is the total opposite of Dinah. Avis is quieter and more reserved. She's more obsessed with her career than forming a bond with her only daughter, Grace. But Avis' friendship with Lovie is extremely strong. It is put to the test when Grace and Nicky get married. Lovie is like the middle man. It must be daunting to people who are really in this situation. You have to watch what you say around one friend. What one friend might find funny, the other won't. It doesn't help matters when Grace and Nicky's marriage takes a drastic turn. I can't say what it is (read the book to find out), but I will say I wasn't expecting it. Towards the end of the book I was in totally shock. I'm thinking, "did she just write that?"
If I'm going to judge a book by it's cover, I was expecting a light, chick-lit story. By the end, it was very thought-provoking. It doesn't hurt you to spread gossip, but what about the person you're talking about? Did you ruin their life? How will it effect that person's career? Their family? What satisfaction do you get by talking about a person? This book was a little slow to start, but by the end it was a very worthy read.
Rating: Superb
Note: I received a copy of the book from FSB Associates in exchange for an honest review.
March 18, 2012
How tenacious is that inborn instinct to know all there is to know about other human beings and to distribute our knowledge to those around us. Most of us prefer to think gossip is just a "sharing" of information, but often this sharing is destructive and occasionally even deadly.
GOSSIP is the new offering by Beth Gutcheon that relates the story of Dinah, Avis and Loviah "Lovie", three women from diverse backgrounds who form an unlikely bond while at boarding school, and follows their relationship through years of life's highs and lows as each confronts the subjects of divorce, companionship, motherhood, friendship, jealousy, and ultimately examines the various aspects of love. We see love, some nurturing - some destructive, in its many incarnations as it is experienced by and between men and women, parents and children, and friends and "frien-enemies".
Told entirely from the perspective of Lovie French, owner of a small women's boutique that caters to the who's who of Manhattans Upper East side, the reader only gets her single point of view as it relates to others who inhabit her world. It is only Lovie's convictions and sentiments, Lovie's impressions and judgements, and Lovie's perception of others feelings that the reader is privy to. This could be a positive or a negative for the reader since you can accept Lovie's rather myopic views and insights about the other characters in the story or use those observations to form your own opinion. For example, Lovie appears to be the "sounding board" her friends use to vent their personal life traumas and frustrations. Her apparent admiration of Dinah is difficult to understand since (to this reader) the Dinah character was over-bearing, self-absorbed and vindictive while Lovie came across as nothing more than a passive, often gullible and less than objective observer of even her own life. The people in this narrative were primarily one dimensional with an occasional second dimension popping up here and there.
As a text-book lesson in the destructiveness of rumor, innuendo and gossip as well as a vehicle lending veracity to the old saw that "life goes on" the book achieves some measure of success, however, in the realm of well developed, multi faceted characters it leaves much to be desired. Perhaps the author's true intent was to show her audience via these cardboard characters that those whose lives are devoted to the propagation of gossip possess no genuine depth. 2 1/2 to 3 stars
GOSSIP is the new offering by Beth Gutcheon that relates the story of Dinah, Avis and Loviah "Lovie", three women from diverse backgrounds who form an unlikely bond while at boarding school, and follows their relationship through years of life's highs and lows as each confronts the subjects of divorce, companionship, motherhood, friendship, jealousy, and ultimately examines the various aspects of love. We see love, some nurturing - some destructive, in its many incarnations as it is experienced by and between men and women, parents and children, and friends and "frien-enemies".
Told entirely from the perspective of Lovie French, owner of a small women's boutique that caters to the who's who of Manhattans Upper East side, the reader only gets her single point of view as it relates to others who inhabit her world. It is only Lovie's convictions and sentiments, Lovie's impressions and judgements, and Lovie's perception of others feelings that the reader is privy to. This could be a positive or a negative for the reader since you can accept Lovie's rather myopic views and insights about the other characters in the story or use those observations to form your own opinion. For example, Lovie appears to be the "sounding board" her friends use to vent their personal life traumas and frustrations. Her apparent admiration of Dinah is difficult to understand since (to this reader) the Dinah character was over-bearing, self-absorbed and vindictive while Lovie came across as nothing more than a passive, often gullible and less than objective observer of even her own life. The people in this narrative were primarily one dimensional with an occasional second dimension popping up here and there.
As a text-book lesson in the destructiveness of rumor, innuendo and gossip as well as a vehicle lending veracity to the old saw that "life goes on" the book achieves some measure of success, however, in the realm of well developed, multi faceted characters it leaves much to be desired. Perhaps the author's true intent was to show her audience via these cardboard characters that those whose lives are devoted to the propagation of gossip possess no genuine depth. 2 1/2 to 3 stars
May 14, 2012
Gossip
By
Beth Gutcheon
My summary...
Girls from various backgrounds attend Miss Pratt's Boarding School. The novel follows them throughout their lives but the focus is mostly on Lovinia, Dinah and Avis. You can tell from their names that it is sort of the olden days.
My thoughts...
Oh my...I really did love this book. From the girls first meetings...some in the right clothes, others in the not so right clothes, and still others in homemade clothes...I was into this book.
It mostly takes place in New York...early New York...where wealthy women attended functions and made appointments to shop for frocks from various department store stylists...only then they weren't called stylists. And the frocks were usually expensive designer ones. But aside from the clothing this book was like stepping back into that time...people were dressed up all of the time and summered in Nantucket and had affairs...there were lots of "dalliances" in this book. Some of them seemed to last for years. The book is mostly the story of Lovinia and Dinah and Avis and their families. Lovinia has a dress shop. Avis works as an art buyer and Dinah was a writer, then a mother and then a foodie.
And although the women live during what I call "Mad Men" time...we follow them to almost the present time.
Their lives connect...they spend time together...dinners and summers in Maine and Nantucket. They lunch. They are there for the marriages and births and divorces and deaths that intersect their lives. Lovinia is the narrator and the glue...Dinah and Avis...although united by a grandchild...always seem to truly irritate each other. There is true lovely joy within this book and a bit of sadness.
What I loved...
I loved the roses in the garden of the little house that Lovinia loved. I loved the fun food descriptions. I loved the fussiness of that era. I loved how tea and cookies could soothe things sometimes. I loved all the dressing up and the carrying of favorite books around. I loved all the lunch dates and the theatre events.
What you might love?
The way this novel unfolds. The characters are amazing. The story is sweet and fascinating and there is a dynamic ending...actually quite a few endings...lol...when you read this book you will know exactly what I mean!
By
Beth Gutcheon
My summary...
Girls from various backgrounds attend Miss Pratt's Boarding School. The novel follows them throughout their lives but the focus is mostly on Lovinia, Dinah and Avis. You can tell from their names that it is sort of the olden days.
My thoughts...
Oh my...I really did love this book. From the girls first meetings...some in the right clothes, others in the not so right clothes, and still others in homemade clothes...I was into this book.
It mostly takes place in New York...early New York...where wealthy women attended functions and made appointments to shop for frocks from various department store stylists...only then they weren't called stylists. And the frocks were usually expensive designer ones. But aside from the clothing this book was like stepping back into that time...people were dressed up all of the time and summered in Nantucket and had affairs...there were lots of "dalliances" in this book. Some of them seemed to last for years. The book is mostly the story of Lovinia and Dinah and Avis and their families. Lovinia has a dress shop. Avis works as an art buyer and Dinah was a writer, then a mother and then a foodie.
And although the women live during what I call "Mad Men" time...we follow them to almost the present time.
Their lives connect...they spend time together...dinners and summers in Maine and Nantucket. They lunch. They are there for the marriages and births and divorces and deaths that intersect their lives. Lovinia is the narrator and the glue...Dinah and Avis...although united by a grandchild...always seem to truly irritate each other. There is true lovely joy within this book and a bit of sadness.
What I loved...
I loved the roses in the garden of the little house that Lovinia loved. I loved the fun food descriptions. I loved the fussiness of that era. I loved how tea and cookies could soothe things sometimes. I loved all the dressing up and the carrying of favorite books around. I loved all the lunch dates and the theatre events.
What you might love?
The way this novel unfolds. The characters are amazing. The story is sweet and fascinating and there is a dynamic ending...actually quite a few endings...lol...when you read this book you will know exactly what I mean!
February 28, 2025
I've read all of Beth Gutcheon's books years ago. I love how each chapter usually deals with a separate character in the book and then later on in the book it all comes together. Gossip had about every other paragraph dealing with another character's story/life moment. It was too scatter-brained for me to really follow the story line without getting annoyed with some other non-necessary tid-bit of information on someone that just didn't seem to fit the mood of the page I was on.
Halfway into the book I just want to get it over with. I am so bored with the characters pathetic boring lives (I feel this is their own complaint from reading their stories too). Of course, cancer has to be thrown in to add effect or drama, but it's just not needed to be the main upset of every book now a days (no matter how all our lives are actually affected by it).
Pathetic ending that I guess was supposed to shock but was like " yeah whatever...what else would be written"?
Out of all the other books of Beth's that I've loved and recommended, this ( along with the 2 before this one) will not be one of them.
Halfway into the book I just want to get it over with. I am so bored with the characters pathetic boring lives (I feel this is their own complaint from reading their stories too). Of course, cancer has to be thrown in to add effect or drama, but it's just not needed to be the main upset of every book now a days (no matter how all our lives are actually affected by it).
Pathetic ending that I guess was supposed to shock but was like " yeah whatever...what else would be written"?
Out of all the other books of Beth's that I've loved and recommended, this ( along with the 2 before this one) will not be one of them.
May 26, 2016
This is a weird book. Ending and dramatic occurrence was very odd. Beth Gutheon is a very good writer but reading this book you wonder what's the point. She had a potential for an award-winning great novel, but this is just rambling, disjointed almost a collection of short stories about New York. I enjoyed the characters and the stories but there is no point or theme, it sort of just rambles on. You read it hoping that you will discover what it is about. Gossip really isn't an appropriate title for the book, because the book isn't titillating, there's no juice - there is loose talk throughout the book but it isn't the controlling thesis at all. Lovie the all-knowing first person narrator lets life happen to her instead of seizing the day. She keeps up with her boarding school friends and the book is a synopsis of American pop culture history from 1960 to present day. The chapter about 9-11 tragedy was particularly poignant. Then all of sudden there is a bam moment and then the book is done. Very odd.
February 19, 2014
I loved this book. I can't explain all the 'whys' right now. I loved it. period. I'm not going to try to pick it apart and explain. It fit me at just the right time or maybe it would fit me at anytime. I don't know what other books this author has written but I will look into them.
I was thinking a bit more about Gossip. I felt it had a bit of an abrupt ending, Part of me feels like that abruptness was perfect and echoed some aspects of abruptness throughout the book. Another part of me was annoyed - felt like I almost went over the cliff without warning. I would not have thought that I would like Gossip let alone love it, but I did - I loved it; bump, lumps, crisp and sometimes quirky descriptions, and more. I could harp on every little bauble boo-boo in Gossip but I truly enjoyed it and I've decided that that was good enough for me. Other people may read Gossip eye balling for flaws but I just went with it and had a grand time. I hope you do too!
I was thinking a bit more about Gossip. I felt it had a bit of an abrupt ending, Part of me feels like that abruptness was perfect and echoed some aspects of abruptness throughout the book. Another part of me was annoyed - felt like I almost went over the cliff without warning. I would not have thought that I would like Gossip let alone love it, but I did - I loved it; bump, lumps, crisp and sometimes quirky descriptions, and more. I could harp on every little bauble boo-boo in Gossip but I truly enjoyed it and I've decided that that was good enough for me. Other people may read Gossip eye balling for flaws but I just went with it and had a grand time. I hope you do too!
October 24, 2014
I think I've loved every other Beth Gutcheon book I've ever read, so I was delighted to discover this one--I thought I had read all of her books already! But I didn't really like this one very much. It's kind of dry, I guess because it's told from the perspective of an elderly lady. But more than that, almost nothing positive happens in it. Almost everything is bad, bad, and more bad. I guess I should have expected that from a book called Gossip, but if anything, I figured the gossip would be amusing and salacious tales about people we don't know, not hurtful and sometimes extremely serious things about characters we know and like. I guess that's the point--gossip hurts--but I was looking for a fun read, not a moral lesson with so many likable but ultimately disappointing bad guys.
February 4, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. It's one of those quiet novels that tells a story of 3 women who first met at a private boarding school and later met again in New York. The women are friends of sorts but there are tensions and problems with their relationships, many caused by or involving their children. Our narrator is Loviah, a cooly detached, mannered character who rarely shows others what Shen is feeling.
The book dwells in another time where manners, protocol and form are followed, men and women have clear and distinct roles and appearances are often everything.
This book took me out of my own world and time and showed me somewhere new, that's why I enjoyed it. I also liked many of the characters, they were well drawn and I felt sympathy for them, despite their flaws.
The book dwells in another time where manners, protocol and form are followed, men and women have clear and distinct roles and appearances are often everything.
This book took me out of my own world and time and showed me somewhere new, that's why I enjoyed it. I also liked many of the characters, they were well drawn and I felt sympathy for them, despite their flaws.
July 22, 2012
From the book jacket, I kept waiting for the main chick to open her mouth and disaster to follow.
Not how the book goes.
You will be almost finished with the book when what you are waiting for happens. And it has nothing to do with what the main chick knows. Nothing to do with her opening her mouth. Nothing to do with what the book jacket says the story is about other than her two friends don't care for each other and their kids hook up. It was a ridiculous waste of my time.
Also...granted that I'm not a New York socialite...but...do they really use so many British terms back east? I checked to see if the author was from England...
Not how the book goes.
You will be almost finished with the book when what you are waiting for happens. And it has nothing to do with what the main chick knows. Nothing to do with her opening her mouth. Nothing to do with what the book jacket says the story is about other than her two friends don't care for each other and their kids hook up. It was a ridiculous waste of my time.
Also...granted that I'm not a New York socialite...but...do they really use so many British terms back east? I checked to see if the author was from England...
December 12, 2015
I think the best way to describe this book is its title: "Gossip", the book sounded pretty much like the bubbly chatter of maids between chores, more than once I had to stop and make sure the pages were truly in order and not in disarray because it surely felt that way jumping from one topic -or date- to another then turning all the way back to pick up a thought.
But there was something intriguing about the characters,you really feel like you want to know about them, it just felt pretty strange and more than a bit cruel through the narrative point of view.
the end I didn't truly see coming which is good.
But there was something intriguing about the characters,you really feel like you want to know about them, it just felt pretty strange and more than a bit cruel through the narrative point of view.
the end I didn't truly see coming which is good.
July 15, 2013
At first I thought this was simply a stylish and entertaining read about New York society, spanning several decades. But as I continued I realised there was a much more serious message here too. Why is it that we are so inclined to talk about the things we shouldn't, and to avoid talking about the things we SHOULD?
July 10, 2025
I loved this book. Don't get me wrong, I didn't love all of the characters or some of the more heart-rending plot lines. I normally tend toward lighter or fantastical fare, however I made an exception because I love Beth Gutcheon's books so much. This book was a "slice of life" story of women over the course of their (almost) entire lives. Just because I have never inhabited the same sphere as these characters (East coast/Manhattan) I was still so interested and involved in their lives, their fears, their experiences, successes and losses that I literally could not put it down.
Beth Gutcheon's writing is so captivating that she could (and does) write about just about anything and it evokes emotion. Her storytelling is mind-boggling in its inventiveness and the imagery is so vivid one cannot help but get drawn into the story.
I would recommend this book to anyone that finds other people's life experiences interesting and worthwhile, even if (and especially when) it bears no relation to one's own. I would also add that Beth always does a phenomenal job exploring the evolution of very different women's journeys throughout the decades. There is always something to be learned from another person's path or past.
I give this book an enthusiastic 5 stars.
Beth Gutcheon's writing is so captivating that she could (and does) write about just about anything and it evokes emotion. Her storytelling is mind-boggling in its inventiveness and the imagery is so vivid one cannot help but get drawn into the story.
I would recommend this book to anyone that finds other people's life experiences interesting and worthwhile, even if (and especially when) it bears no relation to one's own. I would also add that Beth always does a phenomenal job exploring the evolution of very different women's journeys throughout the decades. There is always something to be learned from another person's path or past.
I give this book an enthusiastic 5 stars.
December 10, 2025
I didn't think I would like this book as well as I did. The title sounds like its about a bunch of people exposing the secrets of friends, acquaintances and each other. But I learned that the word gossip comes from god-sibb, referring to the godparent of a child. The subject matter is much more serious than I expected. This novel covers about 50 years and involves three female characters and all the history from the 1960's to 2000's they experience. The setting is primarily Manhattan and I found the writing and characters very engaging and of interest. So far, I have read four of Beth Gutcheon's ten novels, and have several on my "to-be-read" list. I enjoy finding a new (to me) author!
February 27, 2017
This was the second book of hers I read. There are many others, and I read the newest first, then the oldest, then the middle-ist. I started this one not sure that I would like it very much, but her writing compelled me to keep going, and I am glad I did. All 3 of these books have Maine in them, a recent fascination for me, since my son and daughter-in-law (a Mainer) got married there, and I loved it. This book was mostly NYC, however. Interesting lives of all kinds of people from the 60's until post 9-11, living "the life" in the Big Apple through the decades, with gossip popping in and out, affecting lives significantly.
May 8, 2017
Well it's no Gossip Girl but it isn't a hit either. With a title like Gossip, you expect juicy details and a lot of drama but the only thing that this novel provides is an accompany buddy to help you fall asleep. I honestly think the best chapter was the ending although there is no real explanation as to what happens to the characters, it just ends abruptly. The back and forth of timelines doesn't help either. I couldn't see how it was connected, it just felt like one huge ramble. For living on the Upper East Side, it was a real snoozer.
January 2, 2019
The writing at the beginning seemed slightly convoluted and the narrative didn’t have a clear point, it was a hodgepodge of different recollections with few moments where the writing style stood out. However, with time as you got invested into the lives of the characters it picked up pace albeit slowly. The twists along the story were well crafted and enough for one to want to keep on flipping but the initial inertia in the tale was off putting.
May 19, 2020
This is my first Beth Gutcheon book, it won't be my last.
If you are an aspiring novelist, check out this book for it's brilliant dialogue (completely fitting for a book of this name).
Rich characters, complex social motives, nice pacing. The only reason I didn't give out all the starts is because the ending isn't quite what I hoped for. Beautifully written, yes. What I wanted for the main character, no.
If you are an aspiring novelist, check out this book for it's brilliant dialogue (completely fitting for a book of this name).
Rich characters, complex social motives, nice pacing. The only reason I didn't give out all the starts is because the ending isn't quite what I hoped for. Beautifully written, yes. What I wanted for the main character, no.
March 26, 2022
3 1/2 stars. Hard to rate. Loved the writing , the story kept me entertained, but ultimately it left me - meh. Hated the ending! And yes, a lot of focus on women's looks and fashion, but (not being of that upper crust world) I guess those were the important things for them. Dinsh was entertaining but had a real mean streak, especially where Avis was concerned. Lovie tried to balance between the 2 women but that meant never really confronting Dinah. And her own affair - ugh.
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