Customer Reviews

The Sunday Wife

5 star:		(49)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(21)

 

 

I couldn't put this book down and found the characters very believable and far from being one-dimensional. The negative reviews of this book seem to be very lame. Many of the negative reviews are from people who read the book because Cassandra King is married to Pat Conroy. Humph, and then complained because it wasn't written like a Pat Conroy novel ! ?! Some of the negative reviews left me wondering if the reviewers even read the book, and if they read the book, how they couldn't help but draw similarities between the characters in the book and those we meet in real life.

Some negative reviewers here felt Ben, Dean's minister husband, to be underdeveloped as a character in this book. I think his portrayal in the book is perfect, real characters such as Ben live one-dimensional lives. They live only for themselves and other people that come in and out of their lives have very little influence on such characters. Failing to develop this character was certainly not an oversight of this author, Cassandra King, I'm sure it was an intentional representation of just such a character.

Just as the "Bens" of this world exist, so too, do the "Deans" of this world and usually they find each other. Unlike real life, many "Deans" never find an "Augusta" to come along and save them. I loved King's Augusta character and found her to be a combination of a couple of my close friends. I was so annoyed with one reviewer's comments about the "unbelievable" characters in this story; I couldn't help but wonder if this person lived a one-dimensional life. The reviewer found it hard to believe that Dean stayed with Ben for 20 years. Here is the exact quote: "I gather that she stayed with Ben for 20 years because of her background and her current situation as a verbally abused wife. Sorry, again this wasn't fleshed out. " King hardly needs to "flesh out" such truths for us, real life consistently forces women like Dean to remain in unfulfilling relationships. Dean had no skills; her husband certainly never encouraged her to venture far from his side. She didn't have the money to educate herself and have a career, which in turn, would have given her a way out. She had no relationships, other than her friendship with Augusta, to find the strength and where withal to even begin to find her own way. It's more unbelievable that women like Dean ever break free of such dismal marriages, than it is unbelievable that she stayed in such a relationship.

This book captivated me from the beginning to end and knowing how it would probably end didn't stop me from enjoying the page-turning events along the way. I heartily recommend this book and hope that the negative reviews here don't stop you from missing out on a story that will make you both laugh out loud and cry in sadness. What more could you ask of a book ?

The last few times I was in a bookstore, I would see this book sitting on the shelf. I almost bought it once but thought, no, I better not. I finally caved and bought it last week. As soon as I could, I picked this one up and fell in love with Willowdean "Dean" Lynch. I have to admit that I've always wondered what it would be like to be a pastor's wife. But I was not prepared for the exasperation I felt for the characters (especially for Dean's husband, Ben, who is such an incredibly selfish character) nor did I expect to feel grief on Dean's part when she experienced a difficult tragedy.

King really draws the reader into her story and the reader finds empathy with the characters as well. No matter how exasperating they can be ~~ or how wonderful, they are based on people like you and me. The descriptions of Florida are ones that I never thought of ~~ especially since I don't know anything about Florida.

There is one flaw with this book ~~ somewhere in the middle of the book, the story line just went from fast-paced to drifting ~~ with no conclusion in sight. Then towards the end, it was more put-together, unlike the first part of the book. It did make for some confusing moments as if there were two writers writing the book. But Dean, the main character, was the same throughout the book and she was the one I was interested in reading about.

This is a perfect summer beach read! It's interesting and wonderful about love between two people who have lost so much only to find so much joy. There are stories about the parsonage that makes me wonder if people are really that hyprocritical. Then again, everyone's human. So if you're looking for an entertaining read ~~ pick this one up. You'll be rooting for Dean before long!

5-3-05

I really liked this book. I don't understand buying a book because the author is married to another author you like, then griping about it being disappointing. If you want Conroy, buy his books. Ahem. But I digress.
Dean is married to a man of God who is anything but angelic and happens upon a town of gossips and people to gossip about. She befriends Augusta who is a free spirit with a past that enables her to make a connection with Dean. Dean discovers herself and how she's sold herself short on life just in the nick of time.
I found the book entertaining, fell in love with the little boy, Gus, and wished at times I had a friend like Augusta who would draw attention to the times I was in jeopardy of selling out.
It's a good read.

"The Sunday Wife" is set in the redneck South, but has a universal theme. Dean Lynch, the protagonist, is a kind but insecure woman stuggling to find her identity as the wife of a self-righteous, but charming, local preacher. She then meets Augusta, a wild Southern beauty who appears to have everything in life, including a reckless drive for confrontation and self-assertion. Augusta is Dean's anti-matter, and when the two get together, a chain reaction is initiated with disastrous, then ultimately triumphant, consequences. This book, which alternates between outrageous humor and dark imagery, is for anyone who wants to see what it is like to live a life different from their own (how many of us know what it is like to be the preacher's wife in the Bible belt?) It is also for anyone who had to struggle to find themselves, and didn't succeed until later in life. Plus, it is just plain fun to read. Last advice: don't expect to read this book for several days if you are going on a long trip, I finished it in only 3 (sleepless) nights!

I read this book through to the end just to be done with it, and it left me very annoyed (maybe also with myself for sticking with it, hoping it would improve). The motivations for most of the characters' actions did not ring true. The author spent too much time on plot and not enough time on the inner workings of the characters. The result is an array of characters whose actions often didn't seem believable.

As I tried to figure out why this book has so many stars, I saw that one reviewer entered her five-star review five times-good grief. I think the book could have been vastly improved by a third person viewpoint, so perhaps we could have gotten insight into the various characters. As it was, we were limited to Bean's thoughts. Along with being an unrealistic character in general, she decried the hypocrisy of others throughout the book. Then she ended up there herself, and I think we were supposed to applaud it.

I gather that she stayed with Ben for 20 years because of her background and her current situation as a verbally abused wife. Sorry, again this wasn't fleshed out. Ben didn't have hot-and-cold cycles; he was just permanently chilled and a very flat character. He didn't threaten to harm her if she left him; in fact, other than her cooking, she seemed to be a detriment to his career. Bean moved back and forth from being headstrong, willful, and defiant to being an obsequious wimp. We all have paradoxes within us, but hers were not believable.

I found the liberal viewpoints in the book refreshing, although the Methodist denomination took a slamming, which is not realistic. There are a huge number of Methodists with liberal views (perhaps not in Florida, though...Southern Methodists can speak with more authority on this).

I was surprised to read the review by the literature professor of 37 years (?), who denigrated the negative comments by other reviewers. These reviews are an important way that we inveterate readers find out which books to select next. If people didn't enjoy a book, I want to know about that and why they didn't like it. Unfortunately, I didn't read the reviews before I got this book...too bad for me! Also, I'm surprised that a literature professor wouldn't have mentioned the repeated grammatical errors in this book (e.g., "None of us have...."). There are other errors as well. Where was the editor?

I loved this book! The reviewer who believes that Ms. King does not understand the nature of the Southern church or the life of a pastor's wife (at least a pastor like the arrogant, degrading Ben) must be delusional. The author tells it like it is!

As a former minister and friend of many pastors' wives, I've seen the scenes in The Sunday Wife played out over and over again. Ben was a terrible husband and a hypocritical Christian and pastor. This book is more real than Christians will ever admit. I found it sad and funny and a wonderful read.

I'm puzzled by reviewers who bother to finish a book they hate to the end AND write a bad review. Now where's that verse about judgment...

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and had trouble putting it down. If you are looking for depth, read WAR AND PEACE. If, however, you are looking for a good read, I highly recommend this book. I'm surprised that it's taken me so long to "discover" this author, and had no idea she is married to Pat Conroy. I tripped over this book purely by accident. Now, I am looking for other books she's written.

As did other reviewers, I found this novel wasn't worth the effort. The characters are very predictable, totally unrealistic, and about as interesting as watching a fly stuck in paint. Either Ms. King has had a very unpleasant experience growing up in a religious background or she has a warped sense of
perspective. I have been involved in churches and worked with ministers and their wives for almost thirty years, never have I encountered such blatant misfits as Ben and Dean. To be honest, I found these characters so way off base from reality that I was actually offended by the Ms. King's portrayl of the their characters. Not that I am a prude, but this story was such a slam on people who are respected in this esteem positions and who are good, honest, dedicated leaders of the church. I would
never embarrass the pastors and pastor's wives I know by
recommending this book to any of my friends. The plot, the action, and much of the dialouge is distasteful, contrived, and
recycled from other stories. "Country girl can survive"--how many times have you heard that assessment shouted from the stage?
If there was a zero rating, I would have given it to this book.
Sorry, but there is no prize here.

I really wanted to like this book; honestly, I did! But the lead character had no backbone at all. God knows, I've had trouble standing up to people myself, but when Dean finally cussed her controlling, insensitive, neglectful, boneheaded husband out (and I was thinking YES!!!), she humbly apologized in the very next paragraph! No, no, no!!! Ben's backside needed kicking, and Dean was certainly justified in kicking it.

Aside from that, the book was just too predictable. There were very few surprises, and I couldn't believe how long it took Dean to catch on to things that seemed so obvious to me. Overall, I was very disappointed in the book. It was a struggle to finish it. As much as I admire Ms. King's enlightened view of gay people and other "hot button" issues, I cannot recommend this book.

I haven't had so much trouble putting a book aside so I could go to bed since Susan Isaacs' After All These Years. The Sunday Wife is a delicious read, full of home truths about big subjects, touching, believable truly memorable. Susan Isaacs fans will love it, fans of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood will love it, Susan Howatch fans will love it. The most unusual of treats, a smart page-turner that's about something important. Wow.