Customer Reviews

Outtakes from a Marriage: A Novel

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Ann Leary's book could have been a typical Hollywood fictional expose but it is an intelligent, often humorous, story of fame, fortune and shattered expectations. Julia Ferraro is the down-to-earth wife of a Joe Ferraro, a new idol, nominated for a Golden Globe. It appears, however, that the successful Joe forget his roots and his supportive wife and started to believe his own press.
Julia discovers a possible affair by listening to Joe's messages. She quickly figures out his password and becomes semi-obsessed with tracking the messages and identifying the southern sultry voice of his probable lover. From that point on, Leary proves to me that Julia is smarter than Joe and no matter how many ways she tries to spin the story, she recognizes the lies and the destruction of her dreams.
The book spanned different issues: motherhood, private schools, cosmetic surgery, and Julia's ambivalence for her own goals. I thoroughly enjoyed the Multi school mothers who cruelly verbalized their judgments on Julia and other mothers and children who did not meet their standards. I also found humor and degradation in the cosmetic surgeon's office. It is very funny and yet I felt every needle and was rather appalled with the surgeon's "selling" of her craft. It seemed scarily realistic!
Leary's female characters were more defined and served a purpose to weave the story together. The reader would always like Catalina, the loyal housekeeper but question her best friends and I certainly became impatient with Ruby, Julia and Joe's daughter. This was a good page turner and Ann Leary created a plausible story rather than a mundane Hollywood tell-all.

I bought Outtakes from a Marriage (hardcover version) a couple of months ago after a couple of friends had recommended it. I thought it would be a great way to kick back, relax, and read a good novel while on vacation. Unfortunately the vacation never came because of a family medical emergency. While sitting in a hospital waiting room as my mom underwent a serious surgical procedure, and while my sister was nearby flipping out, I pulled Outtakes from a Marriage out of my tote and began reading. Well I couldn't stop reading. Ms. Leary's writing style, wit, humor, and vivid descriptions, took me far away from what was going on around me. I became very engrossed in the story line and couldn't get over how quickly the time had passed. A couple of times my sister brought me back to reality to ask me what the heck was so funny...my book...that's what! I would recommend this book in a heartbeat. I love to read and didn't really know what to expect when I bought this book, but I'm very glad that I did. The following week my sister borrowed my book and she was pleasantly surprised at how much she also enjoyed Outtakes. I look forward to reading future books by Ms. Leary!

I can't explain why I loved this book, but I did. It may be the funny and witty main character, Julia Ferraro. Here is a woman who, while raising two children, has given all she has to help her husband climb to the top and in the process discovers that she has let go of her own dreams. Yet she isn't resentful of this. I believe that during the book Julia actually realizes that life was more fun before the money and fame. There is a small lesson in appreciating the small stuff. It's not how much you have that makes life more exciting, it's what you make of what you have.

I would not have thought I could relate to a celeb mother but in some small ways I believe most mothers would be able to relate to her. This is probably in part due to Leary's writing style which is simple and not overly focused on the celebrity aspect. Leary writes about many different situations that we as mothers find ourselves in. She is able to weave humor throughout the book. I was actually laughing out loud in parts. This is not a very thought-provoking read but it is fun and light-hearted. Although this novel didn't end the way I wanted it to, I would definitely recommend this book.

From start to finish, Ann Leary has given the reader a rich and transparent description of the character of Julia Ferraro and her life as the wife of famed actor Joe Ferraro and mother of their two children. Although a legitimate member of the celebrity circuit, Julia's growing irreverance for the superficiality of it all, gives the humble, "regular guy" reader a bridge to share this lifestyle with the author. Regardless of any actual or imagined similarities to what the reader thinks is Denis and Ann's real life, the author has written a believable story that will resonate with parents, wannabes, and insiders alike. Reading this book reminded me of the movie "Living Out Loud" with Holly Hunter demonstrating the very active (and frightfully intense) minds of women as they weave in and out of relationships, learning about themselves along the way.

Julia Ferraro is what I pictured in my mind as a typical high-brow New York housewife. She's rich, married to an extremely successful (and extremely sexy) actor husband, raising two kids and living in a somewhat discontented haze. The rug is pulled out from under her one night when she hears a voicemail that is damning proof that her husband is having an affair. The chain of events that follow has her doing things she never fathomed were in her repertoire-from getting botox, to standing up to an overly analytical preschool teacher. Love, hate, self-respect, insecurities and often down-right twisted personal relations combine to make this a truly enjoyable book.

I found this book to be funny; really, really funny. It is a barbed-wire humor, sharp and acerbic. Sometimes you laugh and then wonder if laughing at the situation was inappropriate. It also has very poignant moments that make this book very real and gripping. You instantly connect with the characters and want to see them come out on top. It also has you questioning what you would do in such a situation. More than once I mentally chided Julia for her actions and then realized that I would have probably reacted the same way.

It's a quick and easy read, which is amplified by the fact that you will suddenly develop an inability to put the book down the moment you read the first sentence. Highly entertaining, a catalyst for soul searching, and all around enjoyable, Outtake from a Marriage is a must read for, well, everyone.

Armchair Interviews says: Funny and well written.

With the same accessible aplomb of her memoir, "An Innocent, A Broad," Ann Leary makes the transition to fiction smoother than the Botox-injected foreheads of the celebrity community she artfully describes in this her first novel, "Outtakes from a Marriage."

Deftly dancing the tightrope between real-life and red carpet, Ms. Leary creates Julia Ferraro as a beautifully believable woman -- possessed of "everywoman" idiosyncracies and reactions. Big star or blue collar, when a partner is cheating -- or suspected of such -- the feelings of betrayal are universal. Ms. Leary's well-developed main course storyline is accompanied by generous sidedishes of humor, a literate handling of pop culture references, and lyrically written prose that collectively make "Outtakes" a must-have in your carry-on, on your nightstand, in your beach bag, on your recommend-with-confidence-to-friends list.

With her first foray into fiction, Ann Leary now joins my former shortlist of Anne Lamott and David Sedaris...authors for whom I simply cannot wait for the paperback release. Thank you for a memorable and marvelous first-read of summer, Ann; and please tell me you're already working on your next effort!

Witty, trenchant, perceptive story of a modern marriage with all the current pitfalls - this book has wickedly funny moments, deeply touching moments, and is very well written. No pointless dancing around the subject - Ann Leary gets right into the story from page one, and leads you on a journey that is genuine, heartfelt, realistic and true. It's a compelling read - once you start, you have to keep going until the finish. And then you have to tell all your friends - because this is a reading experience that begs to be shared. (And while you
are at it, pick up "An Innocent, A Broad" - that one too is a terrific rollercoaster of a read, just like "Outtakes".) You'll be glad you didn't miss this one.

This is beautifully written, very funny, and touching. I really enjoyed the book, cover to cover, and couldn't put it down. It's at times hilarious (sometimes scathingly), and also heartbreaking. The vulnerable and heartfelt scenes about the children are tender and introspective.

In the hands of a less gifted writer, Outtakes from a Marriage could have been a cliché: the story of a woman who seems to have the perfect life (two beautiful children, a rich and famous husband) but finds out there's turmoil beneath the surface.

Fortunately, Ann Leary knows about celebrity (her husband is Denis Leary), marriage, and, clearly, writing. She skillfully takes the reader along a path that's compelling, believable, and very real. I loved this novel, and look forward to reading more of Leary's fiction.

This is a perfect summer read... with heart. Other reviewers have commented about the witty take on marriage and celebrity (so I won't repeat here), but what I loved most of all was the skewering of political correctness in the upper strata of New York City, along with the insightful and searing glimpses into lives most of us have wondered about. (Oh, come on. Admit it!)