Book Review Time!

I just finished another book.  I wanted something light and easy to read.  Previously I had read The Happiness Project and NurtureShock (I know I have not reviewed NurtureShock yet, but I promise it is coming).  While I enjoyed both books and learned more than my little brain can process, I was done with learning for a bit.  I am still ruminating on all the information presented in both books, so some fluff was in order.  I was hoping The Divorce Party would be funny and light.  It was certainly not funny and not nearly as light as I had hoped.  I think my incorrect expectation set this book up poorly for me.  For once, I was not eager to read this novel each night.  It is rare that I find myself in that situation.  Reading is one of my great joys in life, and reading The Divorce Party did not add to that joy. 

The story takes place in one day.  It is a day that is pivotal in the lives of Gwen and Maggie.  Gwen is a well-to-do woman who lives with her husband in Montauk, New York.  She and her husband have decided to divorce, ostensibly because he has found Buddhism and feels there is no room for Gwen in his life anymore.  Thus, they are parting ways.  Gwen tells Thomas, her husband, that she would like to have a divorce party to celebrate their 35 years of marriage with all of their friends and family.  Gwen and Thomas have two adult children: Nate and Georgia.  Nate is engaged to Maggie.  Maggie has yet to meet her future in-laws.  She and Nate are venturing to Montauk for the divorce party.  Unfortunately Nate has been less than candid with Maggie about his past.  Just before leaving Nate drops a huge bomb on Maggie that leaves her reeling. 

The book alternates between telling the story from Gwen's and Maggie's points of view.  I enjoyed the style and the idea of the whole story involving one important day.  I found that interesting.  However, I found the story to be predictable.  I think that is why I was uninterested in picking it up each night.  I felt I already knew the outcome (and it turns out, I did).  I like novels to go in places I would not imagine.  I find that harder to find the more I read.  Thus, the problem may lie more with me than with the authors. 

Overall, I don't think I can recommend this one.  It isn't that it was bad, it just was not very good.  Hopefully the next one I read will be better.