Review by Philly Shanty -- We Drank Wine by Marion Reidel
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Review by Philly Shanty -- We Drank Wine by Marion Reidel
[Following is a volunteer review of "We Drank Wine" by Marion Reidel.]
We Drank Wine is a book of 23 stories mainly about four friends, their husbands and their children. Three of the ladies Celeste, Beth and Sandy have known one another since college. Janice joined the group later and is naturally everyone's least favourite. Celeste thinks she's got her life all figured out and is perfect. Beth's husband Randall leaves home one night without a trace. Sandy's husband decides he's gay after over a decade of marriage and Janice is a mother who has let herself go and is constantly craving attention and acceptance, not from her husband but from her girlfriends. These things coupled with the daily drama from their children and pressure from society makes this book a wonderful read.
We Drank Wine by Marion Reidel is the kind of book you don't read everyday but the kind that is closest to home. It is an anthology with great stories of pain, rejection, love and motherhood. From the stories "Once bitten" to "Caribbean Getwaway", one is kept constantly wanting more. The stories are widely varied and yet part of the same puzzle of the women's once exciting but now complicated and lonely lives. Through all the changing scenes of their lives, they drink wine. The dialogue is natural and real. Beth's conversation over the phone with her brother in "Call of Support" is something to die for. We are also kept in touch with how parenting changes one and how parents are far from perfect in raising their kids. You may be surprised to find out how Beth managed to let her daughter drop her socially unacceptable behavior of biting other kids.
What I liked most about the book was the author's ability to let the feminine voice and charm jump out of paper. There is nothing I didn't like about this book. Marion Reidel managed to add comic to a mixture of insecurities, pride, guilt and lots of surprises for readers and the characters. Without a doubt, the best surprise was what was waiting for the ladies on their Caribbean getaway. What a great way to end a book! Like many collections of short stories, this book does not disappoint. All the stories end meaningfully.
The book also teaches life lessons like life not always panning out the way you imagine it. It teaches the importance of friendship and how we should be there for each other. We are also taught that it is ok to be wrong and change one's actions (as is the case of Janice's daughter, Angela) and that we're only human after all.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars because the editing was exceptional. It was refreshing to read something so beautiful without having to pause.
This book is great for individual ladies and can also be read by girlfriends together. It will give them a lot to talk about. It may not be appropriate for men although I must say that it is likely to give men a lot of insight about how women think.
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We Drank Wine
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
We Drank Wine is a book of 23 stories mainly about four friends, their husbands and their children. Three of the ladies Celeste, Beth and Sandy have known one another since college. Janice joined the group later and is naturally everyone's least favourite. Celeste thinks she's got her life all figured out and is perfect. Beth's husband Randall leaves home one night without a trace. Sandy's husband decides he's gay after over a decade of marriage and Janice is a mother who has let herself go and is constantly craving attention and acceptance, not from her husband but from her girlfriends. These things coupled with the daily drama from their children and pressure from society makes this book a wonderful read.
We Drank Wine by Marion Reidel is the kind of book you don't read everyday but the kind that is closest to home. It is an anthology with great stories of pain, rejection, love and motherhood. From the stories "Once bitten" to "Caribbean Getwaway", one is kept constantly wanting more. The stories are widely varied and yet part of the same puzzle of the women's once exciting but now complicated and lonely lives. Through all the changing scenes of their lives, they drink wine. The dialogue is natural and real. Beth's conversation over the phone with her brother in "Call of Support" is something to die for. We are also kept in touch with how parenting changes one and how parents are far from perfect in raising their kids. You may be surprised to find out how Beth managed to let her daughter drop her socially unacceptable behavior of biting other kids.
What I liked most about the book was the author's ability to let the feminine voice and charm jump out of paper. There is nothing I didn't like about this book. Marion Reidel managed to add comic to a mixture of insecurities, pride, guilt and lots of surprises for readers and the characters. Without a doubt, the best surprise was what was waiting for the ladies on their Caribbean getaway. What a great way to end a book! Like many collections of short stories, this book does not disappoint. All the stories end meaningfully.
The book also teaches life lessons like life not always panning out the way you imagine it. It teaches the importance of friendship and how we should be there for each other. We are also taught that it is ok to be wrong and change one's actions (as is the case of Janice's daughter, Angela) and that we're only human after all.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars because the editing was exceptional. It was refreshing to read something so beautiful without having to pause.
This book is great for individual ladies and can also be read by girlfriends together. It will give them a lot to talk about. It may not be appropriate for men although I must say that it is likely to give men a lot of insight about how women think.
******
We Drank Wine
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Killing Abel by Michael Tieman
