Customer Reviews

Two Women: A Novel of Friendship

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

 

 

I like Hanna's Daughters and was looking forward to reading this one, but her choppy, unimaginative style of writing left me wondering if she was hurting for money. I found the development of the friendship between the two women and their children to be forced and unrealistic in the period of time she was covering ( about a year?) The emotions seemed exagerated. The sentence structure typically resembled what one might find in a grade school primer. I'm wondering if perhaps this is a result of it being translated from Swedish to English. At any rate, not a pleasant read, fortunately it was very short.

I've read all of Marianne Fredriksson's novels in the original Swedish and some in English translation. The translations, this one included, have all seemed choppy and forced. But this may have something to do with the original language -- Swedish often uses very short sentences. Still, it doesn't make up for the very thin storyline. It's as if she's run out of ideas.

If you've never read Fredriksson before, skip this one and go for her earlier books, such as Simon's Family.

Unfortunately, her first several books, which are her best, in my opinion, have not been translated into English.

The novel discloses how two women meet, become friends, and through time disclose their darkest secrets. Although the book kept my interest, it was written in a very choppy fashion between chapters and sometimes when switching characters. There were also some absurd descriptions of sexual abuse which I found to detract from the story. It was as if she tried to create a dramatic effect quickly and it floped. the development of the character who was her son could have been developed much further. She also could have written this book with an ending that would have allowed her to continue with a series of books following this friendship, but did not.

It was a fun fast read, but seemed to be written as a formula novel, and it was too choppy. Clean up the rough spots and you could have a much better novel.

My book arrived very promptly, sooner than I expected. Excellent price and service. Would definitely order again from this company and Amazon.

There are many novels out there that deal with relationships between women, but Two Women is unlike any of them. This book deals with extraordinary issues, like rape, torture, and incest, as well as the usual issues, like marriage, sex, and trust. Inge and Mira are very different. One is restrained by her logic, while the other is caught in a web of violent emotions stemming from her tragic past. Important questions arise early: Should the past remain buried? Or should it be sought? How easily should we trust other people? At what point does love become a burden?

Like all Fredriksson's books, love is dealt with openly and frankly, almost unrealistically. There's none of the common coyness that one usually encounters, both in books and in the real world. Instead, people are heartbreakingly honest with each other, if not entirely honest with themselves. Lessons are learned by everyone, and often in unexpected ways. One character finds his true self by learning to paraglide, while another finds rebirth in a violent storm. In the end, the two families are strengthened by their connection, yet their imperfections persist, making them believable. Any reader will find themselves relating to these characters, despite their sometimes extraordinary circumstances.

I have read Fredriksson's other books and this one, while slender, is definitely a keeper. I really enjoyed this novel.

It is about two women with secrets held deep inside them and by chance, they met at a garden center. There is Mira, a Chilean refugee from Chile who escaped to Sweden during the uprising. There is Inge, a native-born Swedish woman who is divorced and her two daughters are in London in school. Mira is also divorced and while her husband is rarely mentioned in this novel, he was somewhat central to all that has happened in the past. And these two women begin a long friendship based on mutal respect and trust.

This is a lovely book ~~ written lyrically and beautifully. Fredriksson draws the two characters with emotion and feeling and depths ~~ she introduces nightmares that every woman fears and how they both overcome it. They have discovered an inner strength within and found themselves more open and fragile as a result.

If you enjoy books written about friendships, this book is for you.

12-18-03

I had never read one of Marianne Frediksson's books before this, and after reading Two Women, I will never again. I have read better stories from my fourth grade students!! This book was extremely choppy because she tried to have many story lines but none of them were ever developed. I am only give this book one star because 0 stars is not an option. Skip this book and move on to a real author!