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There are currently 32 member reviews
for The Divorcees
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Cynthia A. (Grand Rapids, MI)
A book to devour
I devoured this book! I loved all the characters, well almost all. The topic is so interesting, the story was great and so fast moving. And the ending. WOW! I didn't see that coming. I still need to figure out the significance of the lizard.
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Jan, librarian
'50s culture
I enjoyed this story. I had not known much about these divorce 'ranches', thus it was nice reading something with new subject matter. I like the author's style as well. There are strong women not afraid to step out of 50s societal norms. I would definitely recommend.
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Laurie W. (Sunnyvale, CA)
An Influential Woman
The main plot of this book is about the relationship between two women. One of them (Greer) has a strong and compelling personality and the other (Lois) is eager to follow Greer's lead, whether for good or for ill. Reading it made me consider my own relationships and wonder how often I let go of part of myself when I'm influenced by someone I admire (although not to the extreme this is taken in the book). A women's book group could definitely find some meat for discussion here.
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Colleen C. (Bourne, MA)
The Divorcees
I enjoyed The Divorcees for a few reasons. First, I had no idea that women in the US at one point in time, (not that long ago), had to establish "residency" in Reno, NV to be granted a divorce. Second, that special ranches existed to house the women while they waited their six weeks residency for their divorce to be final. Lastly, the book made me happy how far women have come in managing and controlling their lives.
I enjoyed the friendships between the women, despite their varying backgrounds. In numbers, they gained insight into what future single life may look like or to some, what a new marriage may show. At times, the women were lost and whiled away their nights in casinos gambling and drinking. But they did gain support from the other divorcees and the Golden Yarrow matriarch.
The main character, Lois is taken in by the wildness of the ranch and the new mysterious divorcee Greer Lang. Lois starts to trust Greer, but not sure if she should, but can't stop herself. Greer leads Lois on an escapade one night at the casino and Lois starts to have some shocking new thoughts about Greer. I liked how the author layers the plot of the story with very vivid characters. Fans of Strangers on the Train by Patricia Highsmith will enjoy The Divorcees.
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Susan P. (Boston, MA)
The Divorcees
A fictional but accurate look at divorce in the U.S. in the 1950s -- how it is unfair to those without resources of her own, how it's viewed as shameful, and how it can only be obtained for what is considered a serious reason. Readers younger than baby boomers will find it fascinating, as they may not have heard of the Reno divorce ranches (to get a relatively speedy divorce, one had to be a resident for 6 weeks) for women. Much of this wasn't new to me but the main character was compelling, getting inside her not-dumb head and how her own lack of female role models informed her choices in her (up-to-now) short life. It becomes fascinating as the story speeds toward what might be a disaster.
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Tracey S. (Largo, FL)
Great read
This was a great read! I didn't know there was such a thing as a divorce ranch. It was an interesting concept. This book kept my interest as I read about the different women and each one's reason for wanting a divorce. I did have a little trouble keeping all the characters straight. And when Greer showed up, she stirred things up and had a great influence on Lois. I think this would be a great book club book and I recommend it!
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Gina V. (Mesa, AZ)
Regret, Self-discovery, and starting over.
During a time when divorces were only granted upon proof of adultery (and then only after a one year wait), Nevada offered divorces based on 9 different grounds and no waiting period. All that was required was a 6-week residency in Nevada. Divorce ranches were established to give people seeking a divorce (mainly women) a place to stay during the 6-week residency period. The housing manager at the ranch had to confirm that the guest had not left the state for more than 24 hours during the 6 weeks.
Lois Saunders, a 20-something woman from the Midwest wants to leave her marriage to her cold, controlling husband who wants children while she doesn't. Lois's father sends her to a "respectable" divorce ranch - The Golden Yarrow - in Reno, Nevada with the understanding that, after the divorce, she returns to his home for 6 months maximum then finds someone else to marry.
When Lois arrives at The Golden Yarrow, she seems lost and confused as to who she is and what she really wants, although she does know she doesn't want to be married again. There are 7 other girls, who come and go, at the ranch and Lois doesn't fit in with them, as much as she would like to. When the mysterious Greer Lang arrives, things start to change. The girls become obsessed with the enigmatic Greer and try to emulate her brash, impudent ways much to proprietress, Rita's (& colleague, Bailey's) consternation. Greer and Lois form a strange connection, which alienates Lois further from the other girls. The author only skims the surface of the other girls (concentrating mainly on Lois and Greer) - just giving the reader a glimpse into their personalities and reasons for being at the ranch.
Neither Lois or Greer are particularly likable. Lois comes off as desperate and gullible and Greer seems selfish, mean, and a little psycho. As unconventional as her methods were, Greer does help Lois and the other girls to be able to see a world where they call their own shots, as opposed to everyone else calling the shots for them. I think Greer gave Lois the strength to manage life on her own after the divorce. After Lois asked Rita what golden yarrow was in the last chapter, I looked it up. Drugs.com says "yarrow has been used therapeutically as a strengthening, bitter tonic." To me, this was symbolic of the girls' experience at the ranch and with Greer.
I didn't love the book, but I didn't hate it. I found the concept of divorce ranches interesting and it gave me insight into the societal conventions surrounding that time. The Divorcees is definitely character-driven and a slow burn (lots of introspection from Lois), but could make for an interesting book club discussion.
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