The 158-pound Marriage
The darker vision and sexual ambiguities of this erotic, ironic tale about a ménage a quatre in a New England university town foreshadow those of The World According to Garp; but this very trim and precise novel is a marked departure from the author's generally robust, boisterous style. Though Mr. Irving's cool eye spares none of his foursome, he writes with genuine compassion for the sexual tests and illusions they perpetrate on each other; but the sexual intrigue between them demonstrates how even the kind can be ungenerous, and even the well-intentioned, destructive.
Reviews
Laura Hilliger@laurahilliger
Perhaps not one of his best? I found it readable enough to want to know what was going to happen but don't have lots of praise. I was irritated by every single character. The backstories weren't well developed, the relationships seemed implausible and the language wasn't very interesting.
Max Veytsman@mveytsman
The Hissing Saint@thehissingsaint
Liz Prinz@prinzy
Robyn Campbell@robyncampbell
Natalie Manuel@nattymreads
John Philpin@johnphilpin