Goodreads asked Mitchell R. McInnis:

Who is your favorite fictional couple, and why?

Mitchell R. McInnis Ted and Marion Cole from John Irving's "A Widow for One Year." The mixture of pain, love and loss is so tangible in their depiction. The aching complexity that comes from that mix is entrancing. In a culture (United States) where complexity in relationships, as well as loss, is so seldom handled well or depicted with verism, this novel is rare and darkly beautiful. And then there's the conflict! It's a fiction writer's dreamscape without resorting to unicycle-riding bears. Overall, this book isn't given enough credit or attention. In musical terms, this novel is the equivalent of catching an arena rock band do a small venue, acoustic show, where you can tap out every beat and sing every syllable. This book's alternative title might have been, "Love is the Devil."

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