The Divorce Party: A Novel [Paperback]

Laura Dave (Author)

Book Description

Release date: April 28, 2009

" Sizzle Factor: SPF 50. A secret marriage, lies about affairs . . . even sex on the day of the divorce party" (USA Today)-the hottest beach read of the summer

Laura Dave is widely recognized as an up-and-coming talent in women's fiction. Now, with her characteristic wit and warmth, she captures a much-discussed cultural phenomenon that has never been profiled in fiction before-divorce celebrations. Set in Hamptons high society, The Divorce Party features two women-one newly engaged and one at the end of her marriage-trying to answer the same question: when should you fight to save a relationship, and when should you let go?

An insightful and funny multi-generational story, this deeply moving novel is sure to touch anyone whose heart has weathered an unexpected storm.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A revealing, honest portrait of how love binds us together-and drives us apart."
-Kate Jacobs, author of The Friday Night Knitting Club

" Events unfold over the course of a day, but the lessons learned have their roots in a lifetime."
-Elle

" Incredibly deft, utterly satisfying . . . I love every character. A triumph of a first novel!"
-Melissa Bank, author of The Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing

"Elegant, accessible prose and compelling portraits of relationships."
- Cosmopolitan

About the Author

Laura Dave is the author of the acclaimed novel London is the Best City in America. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Glamour, Self, Redbook, ESPN the Magazine, and The New York Observer. Cosmopolitan magazine recently named her one of the “Fun and Fearless Phenoms” of the year. Dave currently lives in California, where she is at work on a new novel.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Books (April 28, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 014311560X
• ISBN-13: 978-0143115601
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.7 x 7.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (51 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #387,903 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Laura Dave is the author of London is the Best City in America, The Divorce Party, and The First Husband. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Glamour, Self, NPR's All Things Considered, The Huffington Post, and Redbook. She lives in Los Angeles.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful May 18, 2008

By UES

Format:Hardcover

Set in Montauk, this novel tells the story of two women, Gwyn, who's getting ready to end her 35-year marriage, and her future daughter-in-law, Maggie, who's learning just how little she knows about her fiancé. Smart, insightful, and gorgeously written, The Divorce Party is a must-read for anyone who appreciates good fiction.

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A lovely and moving read June 16, 2008

By Margaret

Format:Hardcover

The Divorce Party is one of the most oddly moving books I've read in a long time. Since I finished reading it, I have been trying to sort out what, exactly, makes it work so well. Certainly, it captures the emotions of complex people in complex relationships in incredibly lovely prose. It is funny, and surprisingly heartwarming, and hard to put down. And yet it goes beyond that somehow, in a way that so few books do. There is some little bit of magic that it delivers. It leaves you hopeful for your own relationships, and for your ability to embrace your future, whatever it has in store.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars The Secrets and Lies of the Huntington Men August 1, 2009

By A. Mason

Format:Paperback

This story is told by the two main female characters: Gwyn and Maggie. Gwyn Huntington is planning a Divorce Party that falls on the day of her thirty-fifth wedding anniversary. Her husband says that he has found a new religion and that they are now too different from each other, but she knows better. Maggie is Gwyn's soon to be daughter-in-law. On the day that Maggie is to meet her in-laws for the first time, she finds out all about Nate's, her fiance, hidden past. The two women must overcome secrets in their relationships to move forward with their lives.

Ok, first let me ask--who thinks a Divorce Party is a good idea?? Maybe since I am so far removed from that situation that I just don't see how it could work. But what do I know?

I do know that I really felt for the female characters in this story. I really liked Gwyn. I felt so bad for her--her knowing that her husband is lying. And I must admit that I admired the way she brought it to his attention that she knew. And I felt bad for Maggie finding out about Nate the way she did. He should have been honest about his past with her from the start. I'm not so sure I would be as forgiving as she she should have been.

That being said, I also liked the male characters. There were times that Thomas seemed to still want to be with his wife. I just wanted to reach into the book and shake him! And Nate seemed so sweet--why was it necessary for him to lie about his past?

This was a serious and moving book. It was a quick read and I think that I liked it although it leaves me feeling unsettled.