PrePub Book Club Single Wife by Nina Solomon Buy book: $16.06 A mischievous debut novel about a husband who goes missing and a wife who finds someone she lost--herself. In the spirit of Laura Zigman and Jennifer Weiner, Solomon gives a portrait of a young woman unraveled, who attempts to pull herself back together in the face of a most unusual crisis.
I can't wait for the next chapter. What a great premise. I keep wondering where Laz is? Does he have another life somehow? How does his workplace not know he is missing?
The writing has kept me fascinated so far. Excellent inner dialogue for Grace.
Me, too. I'm also wondering several things myself: Why isn't she angry? This wasn't the first time he took off; Why is she wasting so much of her energy, and it does take a lot of energy, to live a pretend life, and last, but not least, I have a personal philosophy that bad things only keep happening to you,if you allow them; and doesn't she have a "best" friend to confide in? All these questions, and so I have to wait until tomorrow. Inquiring minds want to know!!!
It's not as simple as you make it out. A lot of people ask why women don't leave domestically violent situations, as if it were an easy choice, but it's not.
There's something called "denial" and this is a brilliant depiction of it. Breaking through denial is a process, generally a very long-term process. If I'm guessing correctly, that's what this book is going to be about: a woman going through the process and discovering that she is all she really needs in order to be fulfilled.
I can relate to the character in many ways. I separated from my husband last year, but we continued to go to couples counseling. It was very much as if we had separate lives. Pretty much outside of the counseling room, he was out of my life. And I was out of his. It took me four months to go through the process to realize that I was much happier without him. But during that process, denial was very strong. I would have told you that I loved him and that I needed him in my life. I would have put just as much energy into that as the protagonist is putting into her elaborate denial of his absence. She will only let go of her denial, her need to create his presence in her life, once she realizes that she doesn't need him to be happy.
Ironically, once she comes to that realization, she would be a much healthier partner in marriage. But that's a topic for the next book that I hope will follow this one.
Liz, I agree with you. Psychologists have said that going through divorce or separation is very much like experiencing a death in the family. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross wrote that there were seven stages of dying, which had to be gone through in stages. The same principle seems to apply to major changes in life, such as divorce or separation. At the beginning IS denial, but later on the anger can come. Eventually (hopefully) there comes acceptance and life goes on and she'll become a survivor, whether her husband comes home or not, in its own good time.
I loved your book. I reserved it through my local library as soon as I read the first couple of paragraphs on Chapter-A-Day. I hope I see more of your work.
I am new to this forum and did not receive excerpt 1 and 2, from Monday and Tuesday. If you still have the email please forward a copy. Thank you! [email protected]
Christine, I think if you email Suzanne@chapteraday she will forward you the emails. I am not in this club but have been reading the responses and sounds like a very interesting book.
I can't beleive no one notices this man is gone? Whats the deal with the other characters in this book. Is it that the wife is not important to any of the other characters. How long is she going to pretend? I am buying this book. It is so different. Refreshing.
If you follow the rhythm of the book, it becomes clear, that Grace has created a perception of normalcy for everyone to buy into when he does disappear. That point was made patently clear in today's chapter.
It makes perfect sense. We all create illusions so that family "outsiders" have a perception of normalcy about our homelives. In truth, very few are willing to hang out their shortcomings for all to examine, dissect and gossip about. It is a defensive, even self-preserving, action.
I think I'll be reading this book in its entirety.
Loved this one, I couldn't wait to turn on my lap top every morning to read the next excerpt. I ordered the book after reading the second installment and can't wait for it to arrive in the mail!
What a beautiful writing! I enjoyed reading it and can't wait the book come out so I can read all of it. I am mesmeraized by Grace's unreal reality. It feels do mystical and enchating like an adventure in 1001 nights
