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The Wife

A Novel

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The Wife

Written by: Meg Wolitzer
Narrated by: Dawn Harvey
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About this listen

Meg Wolitzer brings her characteristic wit and intelligence to a provocative story about the evolution of a marriage, the nature of partnership, the question of a male or female sensibility, and the place for an ambitious woman in a man's world.

The moment Joan Castleman decides to leave her husband, they are 35,000 feet above the ocean on a flight to Helsinki. Joan's husband, Joseph, is one of America's preeminent novelists, about to receive a prestigious international award, and Joan, who has spent 40 years subjugating her own literary talents to fan the flames of his career, has finally decided to stop. From this gripping opening, Meg Wolitzer flashes back to Smith College and Greenwich Village in the 1950s and follows the course of the marriage that has brought the couple to this breaking point - one that results in a shocking revelation.

With her skillful storytelling and pitch-perfect observations, Wolitzer has crafted a wise and candid look at the choices all men and women make - in marriage, work, and life.

©2003 Meg Wolitzer (P)2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Women's Fiction Marriage

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Excellent

Creative writing at its finest! Beautiful, descriptive, flowing prose. Narration was strong except when portraying someone inebriated.

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Well Written Exploration of Discontented Marriage

Wow, so much to unpack having listened to this book. Joan is at the breaking point of a fifty year marriage as her husband wins a famous literary award in Helsinki. All her anger and discontent is focused on ending an unequal marriage. As the novel continues, with flashbacks over the years, there is much justifification for the anger, but while Joan is an observant narrator there is much lying to self and others throughout the novel.

To say more would be giving out spoilers, but this was an amazing listen.

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