Wives of the Fishermen [Paperback]

Angela Huth (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 5, 2000

Beautiful Annie Macleoud and plain Myrtle Duns cannot remember a time when they were not the most loving of friends, unflinchingly loyal to each other in the harsh climate of the South fishing village that is their home. When Myrtle embarks upon the great and passionate love affair of her life, beautiful Annie finds only disappointment. Still their friendship survives, until a horrifying accident exposes the secret sadness, jealousy, and betrayal each has hidden over the years.

Beautiful Annie Macleoud and plain Myrtle Duns cannot remember a time when they were not the most loving of friends, unflinchingly loyal to each other in the harsh climate of the South fishing village that is their home. When Myrtle embarks upon the great and passionate love affair of her life, beautiful Annie finds only disappointment. Still their friendship survives, until a horrifying accident exposes the secret sadness, jealousy, and betrayal each has hidden over the years.Beautiful Annie Macleoud and plain Myrtle Duns cannot remember a time when they were not the most loving of friends, unflinchingly loyal to each other in the harsh climate of the South fishing village that is their home. When Myrtle embarks upon the great and passionate love affair of her life, beautiful Annie finds only disappointment. Still their friendship survives, until a horrifying accident exposes the secret sadness, jealousy, and betrayal each has hidden over the years.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A small fishing village on the coast of Scotland, where the community is at the mercy of the elements and everyone knows everyone else, is the setting for this gem of a novel, which focuses on the unlikely friendship between two women. Myrtle Duns?intelligent, plain, old-fashioned, the proverbial Rock of Gibraltar?and Annie Mcleoud?pretty, conceited, materialistic, a popular gadabout?have been almost inseparable since childhood. British veteran Huth (Land Girls) is on familiar territory as she masterfully explores the delicate ties that bind two such disparate women together. While Annie adds sparkle and adventure to Myrtle's life, Myrtle gives unquestioning loyalty and friendship to her volatile companion. Ironically, Myrtle ends up sharing a passion-filled life with Archie, a most sought-after young man (particularly by Annie); and Annie settles for second-best Ken, on whom Myrtle?unbeknownst to Annie?had a fleeting crush. That the two men work on Archie's fishing boat together intertwines the women even further as they cope with the real and imagined terrors that wives of fishermen must endure when their husbands are out at sea. The infertility of one woman and the fact that the other has a daughter strain the friendship, but its greatest test comes when a fatal accident exposes hidden conflicts, jealousies and private judgments. Whether Huth is describing the fraught love between Annie and Myrtle or their marriages, she writes with her customary skill and light, sentimental touch. Editor, Kristen Nardullo; agent, Felicity Bryan. (Sept.) FYI: A movie based on Land Girls has been released by Gramercy Pictures.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal

The large, plain girl is always thrilled to have a beautiful, vivacious best friend. And so ungainly Myrtle and popular Annie have stayed best friends through the years in their Scottish fishing village. Myrtle and Archie have a good marriage, but Annie's is troubled. When Archie dies in an accident, everything changes. Annie, always jealous of Myrtle's happiness (and her husband), now envies her widowhood. The friends are still close, but Annie craves more from life. The two eligible bachelors in town are now Myrtle's friends. She is torn by their attention, even as she is pleased to be found desirable even in early middle-age. Her friendship with Annie cannot survive this kind of role reversal, and their relationship comes to a head over Annie's young teenaged daughter. In this beautifully understated novel, Huth (Land Girls, LJ 5/1/96) has captured the stormy, loyal essence of many women's friendships.?Barbara Maslekoff, Ohioana Lib., Columbus, OH
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial (January 5, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380732653
• ISBN-13: 978-0380732654
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,180,454 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Two women in a small fishing village share their friendship., March 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Wives of the Fisherman (Hardcover)

This is a very enjoyable book of the friendship and lives of two women in a small fishing village in Scotland. The book is so well written that you actually feel you are a part of village life. The book draws a moving portrait of the lives of fisherman and how it affects their families. Characters are well written especially the contrast between quiet, steady Myrtle and her flirty,best friend Annie. The book has many themes about friendship and love. I would highly recommend this book. This is the first book I read by this author, but hope to read her other books.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A lovely visit to a Scottish fishing village, June 19, 2000

By 

Tanya M. Reynolds "tanyamr" (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wives of the Fishermen (Paperback)

I read this book for a book club/discussion group and did not go into it with any expectations. Wives of the Fishermen turned out to be a charming glimpse into another place and community. Huth's characters were graciously developed and I felt as if I knew the characters personally.

2 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Boring, slow-paced story did not hold my attention, March 30, 2001

By 

Allen T. Sasser "Englishleigh" (Alabama) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wives of the Fishermen (Paperback)

I usually plow right through novels I enjoy and find interesting, but this book was dull to me. The story seems to crawl and is depressing, and the character of Annie is enraging at times. You find yourself wondering why Myrtle keeps putting up with Annie and her bratty, flirty, accusatory ways. The death of Archie is very sad and the turning point for the story, yet the plot remains snail-paced and sleepy. I don't recommend this book if you are looking for a pleasant, fast-paced, interesting

read.