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What Members Thought

Robin
May 01, 2009 rated it it was amazing  ·  review of another edition
Shelves: 2009-list, fiction
Wow. This is the first book published this year that I could not put down! Oh, gosh, it's such a good story. What a revelation this story was to me and I had seen a lot of buzz about this book so I wasn't sure whether this book would be any good. But it's a book that I stayed up until midnight reading and for those who know me, I am usually early to bed and most nights I fall asleep reading. This is not a book that I fell asleep reading. I woke up and kept reading in the morning! (Please note th ...more
Teresa
Feb 15, 2010 rated it it was ok  ·  review of another edition
Shelves: read-in-2010
The Reliable Wife is a gothic and dark novel,. The setting of Wisconsin during the winter of 1907 is perfect. A dark and gothic place with tragedy surrounding all. The book is very Shakespearian. ***Spoiler***The wife loving the son, then falling for the father; the son hating his father and wanting his wife; the father wanting redemption, even to the extreme of letting himself be poisoned.

I didn't really like tis novel. I wonder as time passes if I will come to like it better. The characters ar
...more
Katrina
Feb 21, 2010 rated it it was ok  ·  review of another edition
This book was okay. I skimmed through most of it because it just didn't hold my attention. I only finished it to "see what happens". On the other hand, the detail in the book was good. I didn't "learn" anything or "walk away" with anything....it was just okay. ...more
K
Jan 12, 2009 rated it liked it  ·  review of another edition
A Reliable Wife is a beautifully written tale of three souls - ralph, catherine and antonio - linked for eternity by rage, love, greed and yes, passion. there are more than a few surprises, and goolrick does a wonderful job of presenting the barren and maddening landscape. it was interesting and painful to be inside his character's heads...which is where we spend most of the book. there's little dialogue here. it's well worth reading, the ending brought closure for me that was comforting. i just ...more
Ellen
Apr 27, 2009 rated it liked it  ·  review of another edition
Despite a slow start, this book kept me turning pages right until the surprising conclusion. Great characterization and settings, but definitely a depressing story about people with few other options who desperately need love.
Elizabeth
I was intrigued by the premise: mail-order bride with murder in her eyes who does the unthinkable -- falls in love with her husband! Yet every time I thought I had something figured out something else would happen to make me rethink all my assumptions. None of the characters are what they seem, and while I found some believable I just can't believe that Truitt could be so endlessly forgiving. Could one small town really have that much insanity? It does make one wonder what is really going on in ...more
Deb
May 21, 2009 rated it really liked it  ·  review of another edition
Shelves: audible
I started out really liking this book--it was compelling, it provided a great sense of the time period (turn of the 20th century, a period I love to read about for some reason), and the "real" story behind each character was revealed in an interesting way.
By the end, I thought the book got a bit too dramatic, but it still held my interest and I would recommend it as an entertaining read.
...more
Elise
Jun 01, 2010 rated it did not like it  ·  review of another edition
Good for a book club discussion because of differing opinions but otherwise I wouldn't recommend it. ...more
Chris
Mar 29, 2009 rated it liked it  ·  review of another edition
I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't this. The subject caught me off guard and I think it made me not enjoy it as much. Plus the fact that it took place in the dead of winter in Wisconsin (burrrr). There were some odd twists and some parts that were difficult to read (how can she be doing that???). But at least the ending wrapped things up nicely and didn't piss me off. ...more
Liz
May 07, 2009 rated it liked it  ·  review of another edition
Good premise - didn't like the way it developed. ...more
Irene
Feb 23, 2010 marked it as to-read  ·  review of another edition
Shelves: have-a-copy
Deborah
Apr 22, 2010 rated it really liked it  ·  review of another edition
Jennifer
May 03, 2009 rated it it was amazing  ·  review of another edition
Nancy
Apr 05, 2010 rated it really liked it  ·  review of another edition
Heather
May 26, 2010 marked it as to-read  ·  review of another edition
Shelves: wishlist
Stacie
Mar 15, 2011 marked it as to-read  ·  review of another edition
Meg
Apr 18, 2009 rated it liked it  ·  review of another edition
Ann
Mar 26, 2010 rated it really liked it  ·  review of another edition
Shelves: read-in-2010
Linda Sexauer
Jul 03, 2009 rated it really liked it  ·  review of another edition
Shelves: 2009
Ann
Apr 01, 2010 rated it it was ok  ·  review of another edition
Lisa
Mar 11, 2009 rated it really liked it  ·  review of another edition
Shelves: book-club
Serena
Dec 27, 2009 marked it as to-read  ·  review of another edition
Carol
Mar 03, 2010 rated it liked it  ·  review of another edition
Shelves: 2010, cov-bookclub
Julie
Mar 11, 2009 marked it as to-read  ·  review of another edition
Deb
Mar 28, 2010 rated it really liked it  ·  review of another edition
Shelves: bookclub
Kathleen
Nov 16, 2009 rated it it was amazing  ·  review of another edition
Rita
Mar 16, 2013 rated it really liked it  ·  review of another edition
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