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There are currently 62 member reviews
for Accidents of Marriage
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Freya H. (Phoenix, AZ)
Accidents of Marriage
This well-written story may resonate with more families than many of us might care to think about. The characters, good, bad and sad, are well developed. You are drawn in to their lives from the first page and, while the ending may not be perfect, it feels like true life. This may be a good Book Club choice since many topics, from spousal abuse to trauma rehab to children's issues, to friendship, and to parent involvement in their adult children's lives, are all there for discussion.
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Martha L. (Warner, NH)
Accident causes change
I am still reeling after finishing this novel called Accidents of Marriage. My heart is aching for the family torn and shredded. I read the book today. Yup – beginning to end. I couldn't seem to stop myself from reading it. The anguish and pain of the main characters as evidenced by their separate chapters describing differing scenes in the book resonated with me.
Ben, Maddy and their three children live in Boston. They are both professional people with jobs that show the worse of society. However it is clear that Ben's temper and lack of control is causing problems for his family. Problems he cannot see because he is the center of his world and it is all about him. Due to a number of things that happened there was an accident: one that would change their world.
The rage of Ben overwhelmed me and yet, I did not see it for the problem it was until later in the book, perhaps because Maddy did such a good job of moderating his temper. I guess I too was vacillating. The book highlights emotional abuse. It highlights how a family can slug its way through horrid situations to find a resolution. It highlights how words can cause more damage than can ever be repaired.
Oh, and I so didn't like Vanessa (Maddy's sister).
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Colleen L. (Casco, ME)
Realistic and true to life..
This is a very realistic book. Maddy is a working mother of three children who handles the preponderance of child rearing, house work and bill paying. Her husband is a Public Defender with anger issues. Maddy is always unsure of Ben's moods when he gets home and the home revolves around these moods. One rainy day when Maddy is traveling with her husband, an accident occurs and Maddy suffers a very serious accident. The world changes dramatically for the entire family after that.
Try as I might, I found it difficult to like or respect her husband but my heart went out to Maddy and her children, especially Emma. I thought the book was well written because the story felt 'real' and could actually be happening in hundreds of American homes today. I think the author reminds us that spousal abuse isn't just physical but can be equally devastating when it is emotionally driven. Some people may not be satisfied with the ending but I found it true to life.
I found the story engaging and insightful. I also believe the author delivered an important message about spousal abuse. I think this book is a valuable read & would recommend this book to anyone looking to read about complex, family situations.
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Chris L. (Baxter, MN)
Accidents of Marriage
I found the book slightly hard to get into until about half-way through, finding the writing a little tedious. However, I started it late afternoon and finished it around 2:00 a.m., so it certainly held my interest. I think it would offer a very good discussion for book clubs.
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Kathy S. (Danbury, CT)
Accidents of Marriage
It took me a week to drag myself through this book. I found the characters to be totally self-absorbed, both before and after the accident. Every adult had his or her own agenda; even for the older daughter and her boyfriend, it was all about them. I have very little patience with these types of people in real life, and zero patience with them in books. If this had been a library book, it would have gone back after the first 50 pages.
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Eve A. (Henderson, NV)
Accidents of Marriage
Average is a perfect word to describe this book. I felt as if I had read this story before. It's a common theme - how a family survives an accident to one of them. Without revealing too much of the plot - the mother of the family is seriously injured in a car accident. The rest of the book deals with the effects on her husband and children. The characters were interesting but once again - I felt as if I had met them before. I found parts of the book very slow moving - I wanted everyone to move on. I did finish it tough as I was curious enough to want to find out how each family member turned out, The ending was satisfactory.
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Dorothy L. (Manalapan, NJ)
Could Have Been Better
I found the book slow for the most part. I couldn't really identify with any of the characters that much. The premise was good but the execution could have been better. I was satisfied with the ending and got a sense of Maddy's emotional journey.as well as physical healing. I also liked the way Emma and Maddy's relationship evolved throughout the book. But there was something lacking in the way the story was told and for me, it was not an exceptional read. I thought her earlier book, The Comfort of Lies, was a better book and kept my interest more.
