Customer Reviews

The Writing Circle (Voice)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Every writer craves feedback. As a result, local writing groups or circles have sprung up in almost every community. In this unnamed New England town, six writers get together on Sunday afternoons to exchange manuscripts and to offer suggestions and criticisms of each other's work. The three men and three women of the exclusive Leopardi Circle are in various stages of literary success. We learn about their drives and their lives both within and away from the group as we turn these pages.

Each chapter is written from the point of view of one of the main characters: the six writers and two of their offspring. This technique offers us insights into each individual's background and his or her perspective about the other members of the core. Although the book begins with and seems to center on Nancy, the newest member of the writing circle, it doesn't take too long for a widely-published poet named Gillian to push her way into the foreground. Suddenly everything revolves around her.

"The Writing Circle" bears a faint resemblance in topic and treatment to Debbie Macomber's "Thursdays at Eight" (2001), in which four women meet in a journaling class and decide to continue gathering once a week. However, Demas' characters show more complexity and are more intricately involved in one another's lives from the outset. They are also more dedicated to the craft and art of serious writing. The gender mix gives more depth to the Leopardi Circle, too.

This book is highly recommended to anyone who has writing aspirations or who has ever participated in a writing group. You may find yourself looking around the table at your fellow scribblers a bit more intently, after reading it. It would also make a great selection for any mainstream book discussion group (although conservative readers should be aware that a few detailed bedroom scenes are included).

I'm a writer and could not wait to start this book. It did not disappoint! It's definitely a character-driven novel, so if you're looking for action, this probably isn't the book for you. Each character is well rounded and interesting. I don't want to give away the ending, but I actually stood up and yelled at one of the characters! Fun read.

Discovering Corinne Demas first through her fabulous memoir, ELEVEN STORIES HIGH, and then being charmed with her poetry and many children's books, such as the delightful holiday tale about finding new friends in TWO CHRISTMAS MICE, Corinne Demas never fails to please her readers. THE WRITING CIRCLE, her newest novel, is no exception. Drawing from her own experience in writers' groups, teaching her craft, and writing so many wonderful books, Corinne Demas gives readers a fascinating look at the literary world that "outsiders" are normally not privy to. THE WRITING CIRCLE leads readers through an interesting character study of a group of writers and from there expands to include their families and shows how their complex personal lives intertwine to produce complications, romance, mystery, and betrayal.

Set in western Massachusetts, Demas's familiar home base, the narrative is told using a different point of view in each chapter, alternating between the various characters. I found this to be the perfect way to follow the story by looking at all sides of the issues and intricacies of the characters. The Leopardi Circle is the name of the writing group that meets to share parts of their current work, be it fiction, poetry, or non-fiction. The purpose being to gain constructive feedback that might improve each writer's work.

The main character, Nancy Markopolis is the newest member of the group who is asked to join when one of their members dies. Nancy is tentative at first as she listens to the more experienced writers, but she soon overcomes that as she learns more about each member. Hers is a novel of fiction which is drawn from an early memory of her beloved father and is based on his early life and in a way, pays homage to him. Her personal life is in a good place right now and little does she suspect what this new association will do to tear her dreams to shreds.

Researching George Frideric Handel, is Bernard, an overweight, unrestrained biographer who actually introduces Nancy to the group. Bernard is so wrapped up in himself that he is rather oblivious to the complicated emotions and feelings of other around him. Bernard's ex-wife, Virginia, is a novelist and the comforting maternal figure of the group. She is always there to offer sympathy and compassion to the group when friction occurs.

In the two single males, we find Adam, the youngest of the group, and one that Virginia has taken under her wing, who has been working on a new novel for so long as he tries to draw from his Master's Degree in Fine Arts project. Adam is a melancholy and naive character suffering from unrequited love. Chris, the older of the two, is the author of successful thrillers that he writes on a regular basis. He restrains himself as he tries to maintain his relationship with his two young sons that are being played as pawns by his self-centered wife in a custody battle.

Finally, there is the poet, Gillian, a possible Pulitzer Prize candidate, who is the famous writer in the group, and whom everyone values for her work. However, some have had other relationships with Gillian while another yearns for more. Gillian's condescending personality and inexhaustible egotism drives the group mad as well as steers the plot toward disaster.

THE WRITING CIRCLE draws the reader into the lives of the characters, and twists and turn just enough to make one suspect where things are heading only to be shocked by such a startling and stunning conclusion. Corinne Demas totally had me for the entire novel and then absolutely knocked me off my feet with the ending. DO NOT look at the last page, PLEASE, as the pleasurable build up to the climax of the book is a journey you will take, in my opinion, in one sitting, as you are so drawn in and you can't put down THE WRITING CIRCLE!

Corinne Demas has written a wonderfully enticing novel about ambitions, conflicting mores, jealousies, and passions as seen through the eyes of the six members of The Leopardi Circle, a New England writing group, and those close to them.

There's suave Gillian, the already famous poet in line for a Pulitzer; pompous Bernard who turns out a well-received historical biography approximately once a decade; lonely Chris, a divorced father and successful writer of thrillers; naive Adam, a business man who yearns to be a writer but is as yet unpublished; good-natured Virginia, a well-known historian and Bernard's former wife; and, finally, insecure Nancy, the newest and least confident member, trying to write her first novel.

Six writers, with different personalities and needs, each striving for the same prize: success and recognition through the printed word. Not wanting to spoil the plot, I won't say who gets where or how.

Ms Demas is a fluent writer and smoothly weaves the complicated strands of her characters' lives into an engrossing novel that captures and sustains the reader's interest throughout.

The "Writing Circle" was a great read and the best piece of new literature I've come across this summer. The story takes a poignant and unflinching look into the lives of six writers. The writers are as critical and intertwined with each other's personal lives as their fiction. Though there are a dozen different points of view throughout the story, each character is thoroughly unique in all their qualities (and flaws). At under 300 pages, it was a quick read and unexpectedly moving. I would reccomend to anyone looking for a great story.

Thinking about a group of writers sitting around discussing their projects might not seem like an interesting premise for a novel, but the members of the Leopardi Circle detailed in Corrine Demas' The Writing Circle are anything but static and dry. The book follows the circle's newest recruit, Nancy, as she struggles to fathom sharing her latest novel with a group of distinguished writers. While Nancy might be the focus of the book, the five other members of the circle have their own narratives as well, each taking a turn to voice their own chapter with the current goings-on of their lives. Among them is Bernard, Nancy's friend, who writes biographies, and Virginia, his ex-wife who remains on amicable terms with Bernard. Then there's Chris, a divorced mystery writer in dispute with his ex-wife over his children and Adam, the youngest and most inexperienced of the group. However one of the most successful and brazen of the Leopardi Circle, is Gillian, a cut throat poet who Nancy is warned to watch out for. Through her meetings and interactions with the various members of the Leopardi circle, Nancy trudges on, broadening the character she's built around the memory of her father. Centering this charming, character driven mosaic narrative.

One of the hardest things I imagine an author could do, is write about writing, but Demas does it beautifully and with a wide variety of characters at different stages of their lives and at different points of their career. There's different archetypes to be found in each character, like Virginia as the devoted mother, Gillian as the pretentious and manipulative career woman, and Adam as the boy who hasn't quite grown up. Reading each character through their different voices was a joy because each voice was clear and distinct, there was no confusion about what character was speaking and each even seemed to have its own driving force. Many of the characters crossed paths through their children or a friend and in this way it made the narrative complex and interesting. It was in these moments that I didn't want to put the book down and found myself begrudging the fact that I had to go to sleep.

Because of the nature of this book I find it hard to comment on particular events without giving away the entire plot. However Demas' way of entwining the literary conversation with small talk at the meetings was brilliant. I don't think I have ever read a more stimulating conversation on "who versus whom" in a grammatical context. While the craft talk was certainly not the centerpiece of the novel, it was enjoyable because of the characters.

The way the characters approached their work and their lives and seeing how each of them led a writing life was clever and the friendships formed within the circle added to the warmth and depth. Though I thought the novel took a couple chapters to hit its stride, it was a fascinating journey. I believe a large portion of that was because of the different perspectives taken on by each character, particularly as the end of the book approached.

I would recommend this book to anyone who was curious about writing or writer's workshops and enjoys insightful human stories with different perspectives. This is one of my favorites books this year and I highly recommend picking it up on your next trip to the bookstore. The Writing Circle doesn't disappoint and leaves you thinking to the very end.

Final Grade: A+

This book was weird. I really liked it, but I didn't really connect with the characters. I understood what they were going through (well, except for Gillian) and I liked them (again except for Gillian) but I just didn't connect with any of them.

I liked Nancy, she was pretty grounded. I liked Virginia, she seemed liked someone I could be friends with. Bernard was an odd character, as was Adam. I felt so bad for Adam, I could tell he was in love with Gillian, but I didn't fully understand why.

The story wasn't slow, but the big stuff didn't really start happening till near the end. Even though Gillian was a bit of a witch, I didn't really think she had the gull to do what she did. Just after that curve ball I did become slightly endeared to Nancy, but as the story jumps between characters I moved onto the next character's emotions.

The writing was good. The story jumps between the characters, and just when I would start to connect with one character the story would jump to another. It didn't really detract from the story, but I think it kept me from really connecting to any one character.

I liked the idea of the writing circle. I'm not an author, but I think it would be nice to belong to a group of other authors that can give you advice about what you're writing. I know I like my knitting group because I can bounce ideas and get feedback on what I'm doing, I would imagine a writing group would be similar.

I'd say this was well worth the read. It didn't really take all that long to finish, and the end was satisfying...

Lyrical prose combines with witty dialogue to keep you reading from the first page. The Writing Circle follows a group of writers and their social and moral struggles over the integrity of their work and of their attractions. Love and friendship end up leading to both happiness and disaster. Various pieces of writing presented by the different members create another textual layer, alongside the clever dialogue and an alternating point of view. The final events spiral out from one another, forcing us to examine the boundaries between life and art, as well as the consequences of ambition. I highly recommend this as a summer read.

This story of passion, ambition and betrayal is a wonderful summer read. I'm giving it to my best friend for her birthday.

Fluidly and vividly drawn, The Writers' Circle explores the dangerous liaisons and collisions between a group of talented writers who share more than just their poetry and prose. Subtly but provocatively, Demas reveals the porous moral boundaries between life and art, and intentional and unintentional consequences. A great read that provides much food for thought as it comes to a stunning conclusion.