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A Reliable Wife
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Start date
August 1, 2009
Finish date
September 30, 2009
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What Members Thought

Denise
Jan 01, 2010 rated it really liked it
I read this novel in one day, my first novel of 2010, and I could not put it down. It is the type of novel that gets under your skin and is difficult to shake for several days. It was a unique story, the characters were extremely compelling, and the atmosphere was very dark and Gothic. If this novel was ever made into a movie, I would expect it to be set in perpetual snow and gray fog.

Other reviewers here have set forth the main story here so I won't reiiterate it. I agree with those who said t
...more
Amy
Apr 11, 2009 rated it really liked it
Shelves: fiction
Although I can see why this is not a book that would be enjoyed by everyone, I really did enjoy every moment of reading it. It was very dark, very twisted and relatively sexual but it was really well written with interesting characters that leapt off the page for me. The writing just pulled me into each and every scene, the author made the places he described come alive. I found the story itself riveting, sad and very suspenseful. I love that the novel was so accessible yet very suspenseful. I d ...more
Bookmarks Magazine
Jun 01, 2009 rated it really liked it
Shelves: july-aug-2009

The Boston Globe described A Reliable Wife as "a historical potboiler, an organic mystery rooted in the real social ills of turn-of-the-century America." Certainly, the novel's characters have their share of secrets and motives while illuminating the social milieu of early 20th-century rural Wisconsin and Gilded Age St. Louis. Psychologically driven, the novel boasts an unusual depth of characters and hypnotic, if at times overly sensuous, prose. Indeed, noted the Washington Post, it is "a gothi

...more
Julie
Mar 08, 2010 rated it really liked it
Shelves: kindle-book
While I was enjoying the book from the start, I had some problems with it. There was almost no action (I mean NONE) for the first half of the book. It was entirely narrative descriptions, some few internal musings, etc. Just SOOOOO much. Like the author was terrified of dialogue or any kind of action scene. He had mastered one way of writing and he was sticking to it. Eventually, some things happened, there was more going on, and it got much better. I ended up really liking it. A pretty novel wa ...more
Margaret
Jun 15, 2009 rated it it was ok
Shelves: audio-books, 2009
I do not like this book very much. The characters are not very sympathetic - not people I am very interested in spending time with. Also, it is kind of slow. Lastly, I am listening to it on my iPod and for the second time I find the narrator to be almost to aggravating to listen to.

In the end I really did not enjoy this novel> There was a lot of atmosphere, but the characters did not come alive for me and the plot was uninteresting.
Sarah
Mar 11, 2009 rated it did not like it
I had such high hopes for this book but was really disappointed. A mail-order bride travels to Wisconsin in 1907(?) with intentions to murder her husband but he also is not exactly what he seems. It sounds so intriguing but this book fell flat for me. I didn't care for any of the characters; they were cold, awful people. And the characters (and author's) obsession with sex drobe me crazy. All of the characters had an unhealthy obsession with sex or used sex to manipulate people. Okay fine but th ...more
Sera
Jul 13, 2009 rated it it was amazing
Twisted and disturbing, raw and heart-wretching, graphic and captivating - this book may be my favorite one of the year so far. I loved every moment of it.
Jamaie
Dec 25, 2009 rated it really liked it
This book was a bit twisted..but in a very good way. Some of the things I just didn't see coming til they were right in front of my face. This book was just shocking...again, in a very good way. ...more
Charisse
Jun 14, 2009 rated it liked it
Shelves: fiction
Meh...It just didn't do it for me. I had no problem with the sexual content of the book, I just wasn't enamored with the story. Goolrick's writing was fine... as I said before, it was interesting the way it all unfolded. ...more
Patti
Apr 08, 2009 rated it it was ok
Not one of my favorite reads. I thought this book was just okay.
Laura
Sep 29, 2009 rated it really liked it
A story of despair. As sensuous as it is dark.
Laura Ellis
Mar 24, 2009 marked it as to-read
The Sassy Bookworm
Apr 08, 2009 rated it really liked it
Mary
Jun 15, 2009 rated it liked it
Shelves: 2009
Gabby
Jun 26, 2009 marked it as to-read
Melissa
Aug 16, 2009 rated it it was ok
Linda
Aug 25, 2009 rated it it was ok
Shelves: chcpl
Beth Knight
Jan 18, 2010 marked it as to-read
Dottie
Jan 19, 2010 rated it it was ok
Kathy
Jan 22, 2010 marked it as to-read  ·  review of another edition
Karen
Jan 23, 2010 rated it really liked it  ·  review of another edition
Michelle
Jan 24, 2010 rated it really liked it
Belinda Burkhart
Feb 16, 2010 marked it as to-read
Julie
Mar 10, 2010 rated it really liked it  ·  review of another edition
Jaime
Mar 12, 2010 marked it as to-read  ·  review of another edition
Helen
Mar 17, 2010 rated it it was ok
Cheryl
Mar 26, 2010 rated it liked it
Shelves: 2010-books
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