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Kyra: A Novel
 
 
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Kyra: A Novel [Hardcover]

Carol Gilligan (Author)
3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)

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Book Description

January 15, 2008
An unforgettable novel about love–and the first work of fiction by the author of the groundbreaking nonfiction bestseller In a Different Voice

Kyra is an architect, involved in a project to design a new city. Andreas, a theater director, is staging an innovative production of the opera Tosca. Both have come through political upheaval and personal loss. Neither wants to fall in love. Yet when she asks him, “What is the opposite of losing?” and he says, “Finding,” it galvanizes a powerful attraction, and they risk opening themselves to love once again.

When their love affair leads to a shocking betrayal, Kyra’s fierce determination to see under the surface, to know what was true and real, brings her to Greta, a remarkable therapist. As the therapy itself repeats the themes of love and loss, Kyra challenges its structure, and the struggle that ensues between the two women opens the way to a larger understanding.

Passionate and revolutionary, Kyra is an exquisitely written love story, imbued with gentle humor. This is an extraordinary work of fiction by one of the most brilliant writers of our time.

“A triumph. Carol Gilligan has always dazzled and moved us with her brilliant mind, visionary wisdom, and compassionate heart. Now she gives us, as well, an irresistible novel about the power of history to hurt us, but the power of love to heal these wounds and redeem us. She is amazing.”
–Catharine R. Stimpson

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Psychologist Gilligan's landmark study of gender and moral thinking, In a Different Voice (1982), set off a generation's worth of Mars vs. Venus debates. In Gilligan's poised debut novel, Kyra is a Cambridge-based architect and professor of architecture who meets Andreas, an opera director, at a friend's Thanksgiving dinner. Both have lost spouses to political turmoil. They are intrigued by each other, falling first into companionship as he persuades her to design sets for his nontraditional production of Tosca, and later into an affair. When Andreas leaves suddenly to pursue his work, Kyra spirals downward, bottoming out in a dramatic attempt to find out what is real. As Kyra begins an unconventional, sometimes combative course of therapy, Andreas floats in and out of her life. The novel's great strength is Kyra's voice, which Gilligan renders with assurance and lyricism. The result is a powerful portrait of a complex character.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

“A sensuous first novel exploring the permeable boundaries of women’s inner and outer worlds.”—O: The Oprah Magazine


“A rare thing: an engrossing, deeply emotional, thinking person’s love story.”—San Francisco Chronicle

“Both a thought-provoking polemic and a love story.” —New York Times Book Review

“An enthralling novel, tender, scary, and compelling. It crackles with a fierce intelligence and keeps the reader mesmerized throughout.”—Maggie Scarf

“Ambitious . . . full of lyrical passages.”—Los Angeles Times

“The pleasures of this novel are many indeed. . . . Readers will find themselves haunted by [Kyra’s] clear call to push against the boundaries of their lives. Love is a risk that is always worth taking, Gilligan reminds us.”—New Orleans Times-Picayune


From the Trade Paperback edition.

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 256 pages
  • Publisher: Random House; First Edition edition (January 15, 2008)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 140006175X
  • ISBN-13: 978-1400061754
  • Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.4 x 1.3 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,217,336 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

8 Reviews
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4 star:
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3 star:
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Average Customer Review
3.4 out of 5 stars (8 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Intreging Love Story, February 10, 2008
By 
This review is from: Kyra: A Novel (Hardcover)
This novel is not your typical love story. It is a very academic read, full of references to opera, human psychology, classical music and literature. The framework of love and human relationships is explored and the therapist/patient relationship is challenged in thoughtful ways. I remember Carol Gilligan's name from my studies in graduate school. Her work in gender studies and moral development was groundbreaking. This is not a light read, it will leave you thinking about love, human tradgedy, the architecture of our lives, and the nature of human perserverence long after you put down the book. It is not for everyone, but if you would enjoy examining love at an academic level, you will enjoy Gilligan's unique approach. I found it a page turner and a real gem.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Clear, fulfilling read, June 22, 2008
This review is from: Kyra: A Novel (Hardcover)
This is a one-of-its kind book, not cliched like several others, and though not for everyone, it will certainly offer food for thought for many.
First off, to me it was quite clear that this was a debut novel from Gilligan. The writing is almost the same structurally throughout which made for tedious repetition. Yet the story itself is wonderful. It weaves together history, romance, and pyschology into a unique pattern of its own. In part because of her writing and treatment of the characters, the situations, though tough, do not seem too distressing or heavy. While certainly not a light read, this won't consume you.
I loved how this book chronicles a woman's journey earnestly, insightfully, but does not-for the sake of writing fiction-try to wrap her life up and tie a big bow on top in the end. Nor does it overdramatize. It is an understated, real, and a very worthwhile read.
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8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Bravo Professor Gilligan!!!!!, April 18, 2008
By 
This review is from: Kyra: A Novel (Hardcover)
Having been a fan of Gilligan's work for over 25 years as a Professor of Speech & Intercultural Communication I was excited to read her first novel. I was not disappointed!!! I found it to be a refreshingly new twist on an old theme. She kept me interested from the first page to the last. Kyra and Andreas have complicated lives that lead to a complex relationship. Gilligan wove a rich tapestry of all the nuances of difficult relationships. I was facinated not only with the love story but the ideas presented on theraputical relationship. A good read and one I'll take to my 10 year book group. Much grist for the mill!!!

Kaye Jensen Nubel
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