Seeing Pink (Five Star Expressions) [Hardcover]

Erin O'Rourke (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2, 2003

Five women, angered by continuous acts of domestic oppression, garb themselves in pink robes and embark on a campaign of revenge. Safe behind their pink disguises, they vandalize, scandalize and vent -- and find that their actions not only free their spirits, but ignite the curiosity of a nation. As their behavior becomes increasingly audacious, the women accidentally kill a man -- the son of a United States senator. As word spreads across the country, their small town spills over with pink-clad protestors, television crews, and federal agents. What started out as a way of striking back soon becomes a frantic race to cover up a murder.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Five women resort to violence to avenge a battered friend in this over-the-top novel of female empowerment. The friends-a day-care provider, a police dispatcher and a mail carrier among them-don pink sheets to serve up a little of what one of them terms "preemptive justice" or "forefairness." Their first vigilante attacks capture the imagination of feminists everywhere, and their small West Virginia town soon finds itself overrun with radical women's groups and pink-accessorized supporters. Then Jed Whitecross, whom they believe to be their friend Penelope's abuser, fights back when they attempt to abduct him. Single mom Jo Adams emerges as the group's ringleader, but it is paraplegic Hannah who shoots him; all help dispose of the body. Partly because Jed is a senator's son, the FBI arrives in force, quickly thwarting the women's slapdash efforts to cover up the crime. Despite their discovery that Jed was not the batterer they wanted to punish after all, the friends have come too far to back down; the denouement finds them in a hostage situation amid a crowd of lawmen. Deftly written, O'Rourke's debut is full of appealing characters and moments that sparkle with tenderness. But the women's destructive actions, and their failure to investigate the facts or explore other options fully before turning to violence, may make this provocative story an uneasy read for all but the most radical.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Five friends from the small town of Belle Springs, West Virginia, have been pushed to the limit by the indignities of life, and it all comes to a head when their friend becomes hospitalized because of violence. Jo has always tended to her daughter, worked hard, and stayed on the sidelines of life. But when Tam, Hannah, Nin, and Lucy decide that action is called for, she becomes the leader as they don pink sheets and try to avenge the wrongs done in their town. They wreak havoc, attacking men who have preyed upon women, but their petty crimes turn sinister when they kill a man. The publicity the "Pink Ladies" garner brings them national attention, followed by the arrival of radical women's rights organizations and the FBI. The five women are finally living life to its fullest, but how long will the euphoria last as the investigation heats up? O'Rourke offers an interesting examination of human nature as she explores the souls of five truly desperate women. Patty Engelmann
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 434 pages
• Publisher: Five Star; 1 edition (September 2, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 078625632X
• ISBN-13: 978-0786256327
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,258,027 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliance! A Shining Light Thrust into a Dark World..., January 9, 2004

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Seeing Pink (Five Star Expressions) (Hardcover)

O'Rourke is a genious! My older cousin (a friend of the author) passed a copy to me. I almost felt myself drawn into the group...one of the girls, and as such, felt I was in peril for how the plot turned. This is not a read for the weak-hearted.

Eunice

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars intriguing look at five embattled women, October 1, 2003

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Seeing Pink (Five Star Expressions) (Hardcover)

In Belle Springs, West Virginia, the five female friends are tired of the abuse from so-called loved ones. When one is physically battered again, the police and others wink in belief that she deserved it. Tamaryn Sola, Nin Ryan, Hannah Jessler, Lucy Campbell, and Jo Adams are at the end of the rope and decide it is time for a pink bathrobe rebellion.

At first the quintet of women pull minor pranks that bring publicity to their camping throughout the greater DC area though they remain hidden from view. As they become bolder with the adrenaline of success, they increase their guerrilla war against society especially males. However, they cross the line when they accidentally kill Jed Whitecross, son of a US Senator. They hide the error but refuse to give up the feeling of free souls though the law creeps closer to finding Jed's corpse and subsequently killers.

Though well written and insightful the tale pales next to Thelma and Louise, which readers, as this reviewer did, will compare this novel to the movie. Still this is an intriguing look at five courageous women battling for domestic tranquillity in a world that ignores their plight until they squeak the wheel. SEEING PINK condemns any society that places its head in the sand when abuse occurs to anyone. Erin O'Rourke uses some humor and deep characterization to make the case that one incident ignored is unacceptable.

Harriet Klausner

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Edge of your seat, May 1, 2004

By 

Amy Eastburn (Corvallis, OR United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Seeing Pink (Five Star Expressions) (Hardcover)

Erin O'Rourke has created a novel worthy of nail-biting, emotional rollercoaster exhaust. She pushes ones compassion to the limit and then leaves you with your head in your hands wondering how you missed it. Wonderful. Her characters are vivid, unique and stained with humor, poignant and quite remarkable long after you finish the book. Cheers to Erin, this book is worth 6 stars.