Customer Reviews

An Actual Life

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

An Actual Life tells of the miserable marriage between Virginia and Buddy, two just-out-of-high-school sweethearts who married out of duty. A year later, there is nothing between them but forced politeness, a lingering ex-girlfriend, and a daughter named Maddie.

Their story is one of sadness, painful truth, and the realization that marriage is no cakewalk. Virginia and Buddy have their happy moments, but they are short-lived, especially when Buddy's ex, Irene, is around. The best thing that came out of this shotgun wedding is Maddie, who brings out the best in mommy and daddy.

An Actual Life is a terribly sad and poignant novel written with a sense of humor. There are very funny parts in this novel, even about not-so-funny situations. A quick, easy read with a very powerful message.

I read this book in one day. It broke my heart in one minute. On the first few pages you see Buddy has left Virginia. You already know what is going to happen. You want to spare sweet Virginia all the upcoming pain, but you can't. I knew things would never be grand again for these two children, not that they ever were. But I continued to read although I knew the end. And I'm glad I did. Thomas' words were beautiful. This book exuded emotion. Virginia's adoration with her daughter was precious and I feel, held her together when Buddy and Irene were grinding their shoes into her heart. I knew she would have the strength to leave, and I was glad when she finally did. I knew she would be okay.

Virginia is a lovable, passive, 50s good girl who "had to get married" to the uncommunicative Buddy. She loves her baby daughter, but marriage seems lonely and disappointing. Her awakening into the complexities of love and life--and to her own freedom--is revealed by the author with great subtlety through Virginia's own very entertaining observations and experiences. Funny and ultimately moving, this is a "period piece" that anyone from any time period who's ever found themselves "trapped" in the wrong relationship will identify with. I missed Virginia when the book was over, and would love to know what happened to her next.

This is the second book I've read by Abigail Thomas and I loved it as much as I loved her first book, "Getting Over Tom". If you've read "Getting Over Tom" you would agree with me. I was happy to see that one of the stories in the book was a continuation of one of the stories from her first book. You get so involved with the characters lives, you feel as though you are one of Thomas' characters. The book draws you in. You'll wish it wouldn't end. It's great!

Virginia and Buddy's shotgun marriage produces a daughter, Madeline, and not much else. The story is set in the 1950's and told through the eyes of 19-year-old Virginia, whose character is believably naive and hopeful. The story here is a strong one, and the characters interesting. This one is definitely worth a look!

I found this book to be wonderful! Yes, it was sad, but it felt very real to me. I found it easy to connect with the main character and understand her actions. It is a quick read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

At 19, Virginia's just learned the hard way that getting pregnant doesn't always equal love and happiness. She had the misfortune of conceiving her daughter Madeleine the night she lost her virginity to Buddy, a young man she barely knew. Now, it's 1960, and Virginia's shotgun wedding has led to a stay-at-home mom existence, where she realizes just how little she actually knows -- and has in common -- with Buddy.

The one thing Virginia does know, however, is that Buddy isn't over his high school sweetheart, Irene. Although Irene is now married to their childhood friend Chick, she and Buddy seem unnaturally close. But, Virginia wonders, if they loved each other so much, why did they break up in the first place?

Through it all, Virginia hasn't much to cling to, except her stiff, formal upbringing -- entirely different from Buddy's uneducated, happy-go-lucky Aunt Dot, who raised him after the death of his parents. Still, she and Dot try their best to make their family work...even when Buddy doesn't.

Although Thomas is hardly covering a unique subject, the voice she lends to young Virginia is. An engaging character with heartbreaking honesty and often unintended humor, Virginia's life is worth reading about. In the end, when she can no longer pretend, she is faced with a decision that will leave readers rooting for her, no matter where her life takes her.

Having read her previous book, getting over tom, I was excited to read a continuation of one of her short stories from the book, about Buddy and Virginia, in "An Actual Life". Thomas' writing is so exquisite, that you feel like you're reading the confessions and inner thoughts of Virginia, her main character. Everything about this book was wonderful. I finished the book with a smile on my face and hope her other readers will too. Keep up the good work Thomas!

This should be compulsory reading for all young girls/women who live by the belief that marriage is the be-all and end-all of what a woman can achieve and that, once married, life will be a fairy tale. This book is the tragic tale of two young people in 1960 who marry because of an unplanned pregnancy and the inevitably bad marriage that follows. These two barely know each other, have nothing in common, come from different backgrounds and are basically doomed. My heart bled for both of them. I am glad that times have changed and that shotgun weddings are largely a thing of the past.

This book is a charming story of innocence in a different time and I can highly recommend it to women of all ages.

What a perfect title for this book since there are really marriages and lives that are actually like this. Back in the fifties when a teenage girl got herself "in trouble", she "had to" get married and deal with the rest of her life as well as be a good mother. Well that's exactly what this story is about. There are some very good messages in this story and is very worth reading as well as enjoyable since the author leaned a little bit towards the comical look at life. The husband's close relationship to an ex-girlfriend is enough to make any of us female, married readers want to slap him or her. The end of this story is SO imaginative and surprising. Get this book, you'll enjoy it and it's a quick moving easy read.