Title: The Uncoupling
Author: Meg Wolitzer
Publication Year: 2011
Publisher: AudioGo
Edition: audio book
Reader: Angela Brazil (good)
Source: Library
Date Completed: 6/17/2011
Setting: New Jersey
Rating: 3/5
Recommend: probably not
In search of light read, The Uncoupling
, by Meg Wolitzer seemed like a good choice.Dory and Robby Lang, English teachers from Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Stellar Plains, New Jersey. They seem like the couple who has everything going for them. In their 40's, married fifteen years, and they are happy with their life, until one night when Robby's amorous advances send ice cold chills trough Dory's once responsive body. When this happens again and again, she doesn't understand what is happening to make her feel this way. She finds herself apologizing to Robby for the way she has been acting.
It's not long before Dory realizes that she is not alone. Her lack of interest in sex has hit other staff members at the school as well. It seems that this sudden disinterest in sex all began around the time students at the school began practicing for the school play, Lysistrata.
The book is an off shoot to the Greek play Lysistrata, where Greek woman had withheld sex in the hopes of ending the Peloponnesian War. I liked the way the author made this not just Dory and Robby's problem, but one that affected other staff members as well. To me this added interest to the sometimes funny, but other times flat writing. And, while I liked the message the novel drove home, about the importance of nurturing relationships, the ending, without giving spoilers, just didn't work for me, and in the end this novel fell short.
Did you read this one? What did you think?
I haven't read this one, but I've heard some good reviews about it. I'd be interested to try this one on audio, too!
ReplyDeleteI haven't read this book yet, but I do want to because of all the praise this book has garnered. I am sorry to hear that the book fell short. Perhaps I would read the author's other novels first.
ReplyDeleteSeems really interesting!
ReplyDeleteI love the sound of this book. It sounds like a really interesting storyline and I am intrigued as to why the play had that affect on them.
ReplyDeleteI've heard really mixed reviews about this one. Sorry this one fell short for you!
ReplyDeleteI also didn't love this one, and wouldn't recommend it. I hoped for more and it fell short.
ReplyDeleteI definitely want to read this one, although the reviews seem to be mixed.
ReplyDeleteI too have read many other mixed reviews. I think the concept sounds interesting and fun though!
ReplyDeleteI agree. I liked the internal stuff going on between the characters but the ending was downright silly.
ReplyDeleteI did read this a month ago. I actually liked the writing a lot, but the ending, bah. I don't do well with all that magical realism thing, so it was just an ok read for me.
ReplyDeleteI have been wanting to read this one for awhile now. It's interesting that it uses magical realism, and I would like to see how that works out. When magical realism is done well it can be amazing, but when done poorly, watch out!
ReplyDeleteI loved this book but hated the ending. It sounds like the ending bothered you even more than it bothered me. I've read a few books lately that were 4.5 or 5 stars reads until the ending, and it does color my view of the novel, even though I loved the experience of reading them.
ReplyDeleteI did read this one and while I thought it was an ok read, it's definitely not one of my favorites.
ReplyDeleteI have seen mixed reviews also. But I will probably pass on this one.Thanks for your review.
ReplyDeleteI agree completely about this one. There were a couple of ways Wolitzer might have gone with this one that would have appealed more to me.
ReplyDeleteBecause of the tie-in with Lysistrata, I was initially curious about this book, but most of the reviews I've read have been mixed at best.
ReplyDeleteI did enjoy THE UNCOUPLING (and "got" the satire much more than when I read her THE 10-YEAR NAP, which offended me).
ReplyDeleteYes, the ending was a bit rushed/tidy, but I looked at it as part of the fable package.
THE UNCOUPLING inspired me to read LYSISTRATA (for the first time), curious about where the idea originated.
I keep seing great reviews of this, but I just didn't think it looked like my cup of tea. Thank you for posting this review and helping me decide to pass on it.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely value your opinion so I'm going to pass on this one too. Thanks for reading/listening to it so that I didn't have to.
ReplyDeleteI haven't had the chance to read this one but I'm looking forward to reading it at some point. I'm curious to see how I end up feeling about the ending since you said that it didn't work for you...guess I'm going to have to give it a try :)
ReplyDeleteI had put this on my TBR list, and then read a series of reviews labeling it as just okay, eh or worse. It sounds as tho it was a good premise, that just didn't quite get there...Now, I think I will pass. Thanks for the honest review.
ReplyDeleteThe premise sounds so good! I'm not sure I'd read this but if I see it in my bookstore, I'd probably pick it up. I'm interested to know what happened to the characters.
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