The Cousins [Mass Market Paperback]

Rona Jaffe (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1996

Olivia spent leisurely months growing up in a country estate with her cousins, unaware that their parent s'' dark secrets would one day be their legacy. Now the cousi ns are scattered. But lies threaten to jeopardise her life a nd Olivia must do something. '

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Once upon a time, Jaffe comfortably occupied a fictional territory pretty much all by herself: such bestselling fare as Class Reunion and The Last Chance sated readers' appetites for sexy domestic melodramas. But others moved onto this turf, many with franker and more graphic tales to tell. So now Jaffe may strike some as a trifle tamer, her small talk a little smaller. Her story of a wealthy department-store clan once held together by their summer manse but now scattered across the country seems almost familiar: nods of recognition may greet the Millers' criss-crossing encounters (at funerals, bar mitzvahs and the like), their grievances and their assorted peccadilloes. Twice-divorced cousin Olivia and her longtime companion Roger, veterinarians who share an N.Y.C. home, a practice and a comfy if unexciting life, anchor the proceedings; Roger strays and returns, Olivia does the same. But fictional familiarity can breed contentment, and though these cousins' distance from one another at times distances readers, too, the good news is that Jaffe has not lost her wit, her keen eye for human frailties and her ear for the small but telling remark. Though not bursting with excitement, Olivia and her relatives are an altogether agreeable lot. 60,000 first printing; Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Club selection; author tour.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

In her previous novels, Class Reunion (LJ 5/15/79) and After the Reunion (LJ 8/85), Jaffe addresses troubled relationships and women who seek happier lives. The novel centers on Olivia Miller Okrent and her lover, Roger. The cousins of the title appear sporadically, gathering briefly for funerals and bar mitzvahs and then dashing off on exotic vacations. Olivia and Roger share a veterinary practice and a lovely townhouse. Their idyllic life is ruptured by Roger's succumbing to a sexual fantasy. Olivia, in turn, embarks on an affair of her own, all the while reflecting on her family ties and tensions. All is forgiven and forgotten by the last chapter. Fans may be disappointed that this novel never quite takes off, and the story is light fare even if it were summer reading. Purchase only where the author has a following.
Jan Blodgett, Davidson Coll., N.C.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 376 pages
• Publisher: Mira (November 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1551661519
• ISBN-13: 978-1551661513
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,597,668 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An absorbing read but does not live up to Jaffe's reputation, November 5, 1997

By 

Ravinia (our nation's capital) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Cousins (Mass Market Paperback)

As a Jaffe fan, I eagerly awaited the release of "The Cousins". The novel had great potential, with interesting characters and plot twists, but unfortunately they are not revealed with Jaffe's usual style of spinning great family yarns. Instead, significant events are only referred to in the past, or mentioned in brief descriptive paragraphs about the characters, rather than allowing us to *live* the events and develop the history the characters share. Disappointing.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Very disappointing., April 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Cousins (Mass Market Paperback)

I've read every Rona Jaffe novel, and loved them all. I had great expectations for The Cousins. I'm sorry to say that not only was I terribly disappointed but I couldn't even finish the book. Definitely not one of Rona's best.