Friday, September 30, 2011

The Three Weissmanns of Westport by Cathleen Schine

In The Three Weissmanns of Westport by Cathleen Schine, the Weissmann women flee NYC for a ramshackle cottage in Westport, CT. Each is escaping a personal crisis and hope to nurse their wounds and take care of each on the coast of Connecticut. Betty Weismann, mother to Annie and Miranda, has just been unceremoniously left by her husband of forty-eight years and forced to forfeit occupancy of their Manhattan apartment as he moves his mistress into their home. Miranda had a successful literary agency but has been become embroiled in the scandal surrounding many of her authors when it is revealed that their memoirs were really more fiction than reality. She has been ostracized by the publishing community and is soon in financial trouble as her business falters. Annie has not suffered as dramatic a blow as her mother and sister but she is burdened by her own disappointments - the loss of her stepfather when he leaves her mother, the empty nest left by her two adult sons and the noticeable lack of a romantic interest.

Each woman undergoes an emotional transformation while in Westport . Betty comes to terms with the loss of her husband and the bitter realities of divorce; for the first time in almost fifty years, money is a concern and she is forced to modify her lifestyle. Modifying her lifestyle is not her greatest burden, however - her greatest burden is accepting that a man she considered the consummate gentleman and with whom she envisioned spending her golden years, has changed the locks on their home and declared his love for another woman. Miranda seems to capitalize on her time away from the responsibility of her career by exploring previously unexamined desires including that for a child. At fifty, Miranda has seemingly let motherhood pass her by but she is no longer so sure that she doesn't want a child in her life. Annie, possibly the most complicated of the three Weismanns is tightly wound and sees herself as the caretaker of both her mother and sister. There is a melancholy and even bitter side to Annie whose life is best described as "vanilla" - she seems to resent others for what she does not have in her life. While in Westport, she reflects on her losses but doesn't undergo any revelations or transformations as seen in her mother and sister.

In addition to the three well developed characters of the Weissmann women, there is a colorful cast of characters that surround the trio including a variety of gentleman love interests, and a eccentric but exceedingly generous cousin and his wacky family. The other characters provide a nice balance to the sometimes grim Weismanns. This book is very well written with complex characters and the added twist of it being a take on Austen's Sense and Sensibility adds yet another layer to the book. The Three Weissmanns of Westport is a great women's fiction pick and the excellent writing adds more than a little polish to this story.

13 comments:

  1. I've meant to read this book for some time - loving the SENSE AND SENSIBILITY connection. Thanks for reminding me about it!

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  2. Wonderful review! I read this and loved it too. Have you read her THE NEW YORKERS? I think you would like it.

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  3. Thanks Diane! I haven't read any other books by the author yet but I do have To the Birdhouse on my shelf. I will definitely add The New Yorkers - thanks for the recommendation!

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  4. I picked this up at a used book sale not too long ago... am wondering if I should reread Sense and Sensibility first. Any excuse to reread Jane, lol!

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  5. I love women's stories - especially when they grow and learn. This book sounds wonderful!

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  6. I read this a while back and enjoyed it- a fun book for the beachbag! :-)

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  7. It really does sound like the characters are really well developed!

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  8. Sounds like three books for the price of one!

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  9. I didn't realize this one was a take on Sense and Sensibility! It sounds good. I'll keep it in mind.

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  10. Nice summary! I enjoyed this novel too.

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  11. I loved that when it came to the end of the book, Schine completely took her own path!

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  12. Great review of an enjoyable novel--I thought Schine did a good job of updating S&S while still making this story her own w distinctive characters.

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  13. This sounds like one that would work well for me right about now. Glad u enjoyed it Colleen.

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