Four Wives

October 22, 2007
A klatch of wealthy suburban women become deeply entangled in one another’s lives while planning a public health clinic benefit in Walker’s uninspired first novel. Housewife Janie is having a heated affair she can’t give up; lawyer Marie is trying to balance her law practice, family obligations and loafing husband when a hot summer intern arrives; heiress Gayle has turned to pills to numb her to the treatment of her abusive husband; and Love, a doctor’s wife, receives a letter from her estranged father that dredges up a painful past. As the women’s personal struggles invade their other, pedestrian pursuits, Love’s struggle with the demands of motherhood and family forces Marie, Janie and Gayle to get more involved in the lives of their friends and neighbors. Unfortunately, Walker doesn’t do much to bring life to her typecast characters, and the narrative wobbles wildly as the subplots barrel toward a big revelation. The ending is mostly happy, which will please some, but the novel’s phoned-in feeling prevents readers from connecting with the characters.

December 15, 2007
Walker's first novel is a treat. It's well written and features great characters, lots of humor, and dead-on analysis of friendship, marriage, and motherhood. Despite the appearance of leading perfect lives, four wives in a Connecticut suburb are all dealing with major issues. Janie is having an affair, Marie is attracted to an intern at her law office, Gayle is overmedicated, and Love has become physically ill because she fears what her estranged father's soon-to-be-published memoir will reveal about her life. As the women face their identity crises, they turn to one another for assistance and support while recognizing that they aren't able to share everything. Walker's portrayal of these wives is fresh and honest, never condescending or sentimental, and she avoids the trappings of a formulaic happy ending. Recommended for popular fiction and women's fiction collections.Beth Lindsay, Washington State Univ. Libs., Pullman

Copyright 2007 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2007
According to this uneven first novel, being rich is hard. It is especially hard if you are a beautiful, married woman. The four wives of the title form an uneasy friendship in a wealthy suburb where they share their conflicting feelings about their husbands and life choices. Their personalities and character descriptions will be familiar to anyone who watches TVs Desperate Housewives. Despite the rather clich'd setup, the novel moves at an enjoyable speed. Readers may not relate to the actual characters or situations, but their emotions are certainly recognizable to any suburban mom. Walker has a nice eye for descriptive detail, and two subplots involving mysteries are nicely paced. A decent beach read that promises better things from the author in the future.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)