Indiscretion
This is Charles Dubow's first novel and it is beautifully written with good character development. There are 4 main characters and one of them is the narrator. The reader cares about some of the characters. You feel their joy and their pain. Anyone interested in life in the Hamptons would enjoy this book but it also has a much wider appeal. Other settings include Manhattan, Paris and Rome. Some of the early parts of the book are very sensual. I will look forward to other books by this author. Of course, the title, "Indiscretion" tells it all.
Rated of 5
by Rebecca R. (Las Vegas, NV)
The Story Felt Familiar
I enjoyed this book but didn't feel compelled to read it as fast as possible -thus my rating of 4 and not 5. Right away it had an aura of THE GREAT GATSBY to it (even before I turned to the back cover and saw that this comparison was being made.) There are people with lots of money suffering from ennui and a young, naive girl who gets sucked into their world. At first the third person narration seemed a bit stilted, as though it were directions for a movie, and then the narration switched to the first person. I liked it better after that.
Rated of 5
by Laura G. (Buffalo, NY)
Indescretion is a perfect title
This book was a captivating read. There are so many likable characters brought together and then torn apart. It's hard to know for whom you should be rooting because, before the "indiscretion", you like each person. It's an interesting take on an age old scenario. I really liked the third person, omniscient observer. It made the whole situation important to him and therefore to the reader. I will definitely recommend this book to friends.
Rated of 5
by Debra L. (Deerfield, IL)
A good read!
I couldn't put this book down! The characters were interesting and well developed. I was completely absorbed in the plot. The storyline was engaging and moved along. The descriptions of the settings were thorough. I would recommend this book to women of all ages.
Rated of 5
by Kate G. (City Island, NY)
An excellent debut novel...
While this debut novel has some commonality with "The Great Gatsby" (and the narrator acknowledges as much early on), this is a very different story. Taking place in modern day New York City and its environs, Indiscretion is the story of a successful author and his almost perfect life. When he behaves indiscreetly, a chain of events is set in motion. Well-written, with fully realized characters, this story is compellingly readable. The characters will stay with you for days after you have finished reading about them. Book clubs will enjoy this book, parsing out the motivations and actions of the different characters.
Rated of 5
by Kristen K. (Atlanta, Georgia)
The Unfolding of a Modern Day Tragedy
The story that unfolds in this book is not an unfamiliar one. A couple appears to have the perfect life and be each others soul mates. He is a prize winning writer and she is independently wealthy. They summer in the Hamptons and live in NYC during the year. He is even sent to Rome for a year to write. A young woman enters their group and she seems likable as well. If everyone remained content with the status quo there would be no story. The story comes about because some aren't satisfied with just being happy and seem driven to seek something else. The reader knows that things will not end well although I never guessed how tragically events would unfold. No one escapes the consequences of the "Indiscretion". I enjoyed reading this and believe it would be a great springboard for discussion in book groups.
Rated of 5
by Marylou C. (Winfield, IL)
An Average Book Club Book Indiscretion might make a book club book but the discussion would be boring. It's the same old story about the rich being bored, a world of everything not enough. So gather in a waif, who incidentally is dumb like a fox, to spice up a life that most of us would consider fantastic, and play games with a marriage. Maddy was the most interesting character in the book, as Claire and Harry were just as you would expect them. Unsavory. The narrator must have been a great dream with an excellent imagination. All in all, I would not recommend this book to my book club.
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of 5
by Roni S. (Pittsburgh, PA)
of 5
by Rebecca R. (Las Vegas, NV)
of 5
by Marylou C. (Winfield, IL)
