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The Widows of Eastwick

A Novel

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The Widows of Eastwick

By: John Updike
Narrated by: Kate Reading
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More than three decades have passed since the events described in John Updike’s The Witches of Eastwick. The three divorcées–Alexandra, Jane, and Sukie–have left town, remarried, and become widows. They cope with their grief and solitude as widows do: they travel the world, to such foreign lands as Canada, Egypt, and China, and renew old acquaintance. Why not, Sukie and Jane ask Alexandra, go back to Eastwick for the summer? The old Rhode Island seaside town, where they indulged in wicked mischief under the influence of the diabolical Darryl Van Horne, is still magical for them. Now Darryl is gone, and their lovers of the time have aged or died, but enchantment remains in the familiar streets and scenery of the village, where they enjoyed their lusty primes as free and empowered women. And, among the local citizenry, there are still those who remember them, and wish them ill. How they cope with the lingering traces of their evil deeds, the shocks of a mysterious counterspell, and the advancing inroads of old age, form the burden of Updike’s delightful, ominous sequel. Contemporary Fiction Fantasy Fiction Genre Fiction Satire Horror Comedy Literature & Fiction Literary Fiction Scary

Critic reviews

“Ingenious . . . This isn’t writing. It is magic.”—New York Times Book Review

“With its fiery energy and wicked humor, The Widows of Eastwick is a truly enjoyable book to read [and] might just be [John Updike’s] best novel since 1990’s Pulitzer Prize—winning Rabbit at Rest.”—Kansas City Star

“Dazzling Updikean prose . . . Here’s a bet his work will keep fresh for generations, inciting laughter, wonder and sensuous shivers.”—Los Angeles Times

“An amusing romp . . . made unexpectedly moving by the author’s profundity and his renowned dexterity with language . . . [Updike is a] master of making us want to guffaw and weep in the same sentence.”—Houston Chronicle

“Elegant prose and unfailing wit . . . There is moral courage in these pages. And kindness too.”—Washington Times

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....I was a bit frustrated to think I spent money on this audio book and I probably won't like it since I didn't like the Witches of Eastwick all that much and most of the people that read this book were saying it just wasn't as good as the first one.


Well.....I was pleasantly surprised....I actually liked this book better than the first....I enjoyed the 3 women/witches as elderly women and the things they thought about and the traveling they did....I felt the story was much more intriguing especially when they ended up in Eastwick and strange things start happening to Jane....I still had a hard time warming to Jane because she was so hard and brash....I know she had a good heart it was just hard for me to find it in her.....


It was interesting to see how the town of Eastwick had changed in the past 30 years and what the women remembered when they returned.....the changes the help to make this time are good and some were not even planned....These women will always be young in my mind....especially Suki....she was so cute and had the sweetest personality.


As for me....I bonded most with Alexa....she felt the same things I do and thought the way I do....she was a happy medium between the two extremes of Suki and Jane.


There still was a bit of pretty raunchy descriptive sex scenes in the book and I really cringed when they were brought up....I'm not a prude but I just think it isn't necessary to be sooooo descriptive and sometimes disgusting when describing it. A slight comment here and there would have been fine....but I feel what was done in this book was overkill.


All in all though....I did enjoy this book and I am relieved that my money was not wasted on this book!....

When I read most of the reviews on this book....

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This book could have / should have been a short story. There was so little plot and character development, it was mostly empty words.

very verbose

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This was boring and not at all worth listening to.

Wanted to like this book but it was plain boring.

Horrible

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Sad transformation from "witches" to "widows". But this is the fact of life. "The Widows of Eastwick" is the best Updike novel in the last 5 years!

Transformation

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This in one of the best audiobooks ever, in my mind, at least. In a beautifully written sequel to "The Witches...", Updike shows truly prescient powers in reading the female mind, especially the sixtysomething version, including many items of significance as well as things you'll never think of until you get there. I loved every word of this read, and the only downers for me were the longish travelogues of exotic countries. Sort of like watching your best friends slides of "summer vacation". But I just ff'd through those sections. Great read, heartily recommended!

Amazing!

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