Synopsis: Betty Weissmann's husband of 50 years decides to divorce her for a younger woman, so at 75 years-old Betty takes a house in Westport Conn., and her two grown daughters move in with her. Betty decides it's best to consider Joseph dead while he drags out the details of their divorce, "May he rest in peace." Both daughters have had their share of life and love, but handle things entirely differently. Annie is stable, worried about their steadily decreasing funds, and might be in love with the intelligent writer who is the brother of her father's new "friend." Miranda's publishing company is falling apart because she's published memoirs that were entirely made up (ring any bells) and she, again (!), falls head-over-heels for someone she's just met. Can these three women survive together and make a new family out of what is left?
Comments: Oh, the frailty of man - it makes for a universal study of how people act, interact, over react and cope with the changes, mostly unexpected, that life deals you. The Three Weissmanss of Westport was an interesting character study of a limited number of people most with very specific self absorbed motives. Loosely based on the themes of Sense & Sensibility, if you know that story there are some things that you see coming, but the book does not slavishly following the S&S story line so there are divergences along the way. There are some absolutely charming secondary characters, most especially Cousin Lou and Roberts, and some truly despicable characters, but I won't mention them by name as to avoid ruining some well written scenes of pettiness, peevishness and simple immaturity. The language to describe Westport and environs is clear and well conceived at least to the mind of someone such as myself that has no understanding of the coast unless it's on the western shore of England or the Gulf Coast of Florida. Perhaps someone with more intimate knowledge of the area would differ, but I get a sense of the place and that is important to me.
One description of the book calls it "the best tearjerker finale you're likely to read this year," (Publishers Weekly via Amazon), but I find that earlier parts of the books are way more tragic in a human way than the end. Sure the ending is sad-ish in a way, but no where near as devastating as the cruelty that befalls Betty, Annie and Miranda during the course of the few months of the divorce. This book is a journey for three women and those who interact in their lives. I enjoyed it greatly and highly recommend it whether you've read Sense & Sensibility or not.
If you would like to see my posts while reading, please check out this post, this one, and this one.
Why is this book so much more bothersome than Sense & Sensibility? Is it because it's set in the 21st century? Is it because the sisters are closer to my age (though I am younger than Annie and Miranda) than Elinor and Marianne? Or is it because the Boy is going to college soon? Is it because even though the sisters "talk" to each other, and I use that term loosely, about what's going on in their lives, it still does not seem to help? That's a big 21st century pet peeve of mine about Miss Austen's stories. Why don't they talk to each other? The MotH always asks that when we watch one of the movies based on Miss Austen's books, "Why don't they talk to each other?" I have no good answer except that it just wasn't done then, but even when it is (as in this book), it still doesn't seem to satisfy me much. Men can still be stupid jerks. At least that is where I am with the story now -- hopefully, it will change. There are redeeming male characters, but right now Cousin Lou and Roberts are it... This book is great as a stand alone novel -- you need know nothing about Jane Austen or Sense & Sensibility, but it certainly is interesting if you do.
I just started reading The Three Weissmanns of Westport. I've only read three chapters so far and somehow it just strikes me as so incredibly sad, just like Sense and Sensibility. A damning portrayal of the weakness of men and the hatefulness of women, in the case of the Dashwoods, and "the old man as a fool" in the case of Joe "Josie" Weissmann and the conniving Felicity. It makes you wonder what kind of world we live in. But then again, it is the world we live in. Divorce doesn't make sense to those who don't want it, deceit is confusing to those who are basically honest, and loneliness is hard for those whose children have grown and find themselves to a large degree alone and not wanting to be dependent on someone else. Losing everything that you thought you had seems to be universal.
So I'm taking on the Sense & Sensibility Bicentenary Challenge for 2011 sponsored by Laurel Ann of Austenprose. 200 years since the publication of Sense & Sensibility in 1811, it's hard to believe that a story written that long ago is still relevant, but it is. Miss Austen is just timeless.
I'm going for Aficionada: 9 – 12 selections (or show off level) - I'm really looking forward to this challenge. Sense & Sensibility is not my favorite book by Miss Austen, but this will give me an opportunity to explore it more fully in many different ways. I'm thinking this will be a fun year!
My selections in no particular order:
The Three Weismanns of Westport; Cathleen Schine
From Prada to Nada; 2011
Sense and Sensibility; 1995
Sense and Sensibility: The Screenplay and Diaries; Emma Thompson & Lindsay Doran
Elinor and Marianne; Emma Tennant
Sense and Sensibility (Marvel Illustrated); Nancy Butler & Sonny Liew
Eliza's Daughter; Joan Aiken
Suspense and Sensibility; Carrie Bebris
The Cookbook Collector; Allegra Goodman
Colonel Brandon's Diary; Amanda Grange
Willoughby's Return; Jane Odiwe
Sense and Sensibility; 2008
