The Stepford Wives
The internationally bestselling novel by the author of A Kiss Before Dying, The Boys from Brazil, and Rosemary's Baby
With an Introduction by Peter StraubFor Joanna, her husband, Walter, and their children, the move to beautiful Stepford seems almost too good to be true. It is. For behind the town's idyllic facade lies a terrible secret -- a secret so shattering that no one who encounters it will ever be the same.
At once a masterpiece of psychological suspense and a savage commentary on a media-driven society that values the pursuit of youth and beauty at all costs, The Stepford Wives is a novel so frightening in its final implications that the title itself has earned a place in the American lexicon.
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Community Reviews
Well, I got through that pretty quickly. It was easy to read and interesting.
It's worth a read. Definitely a classic that should be on every shelf.
Going to watch the films now. The one from 1975, and the more recent one from 2004.
Let's see how they fair against the novel.
It's worth a read. Definitely a classic that should be on every shelf.
Going to watch the films now. The one from 1975, and the more recent one from 2004.
Let's see how they fair against the novel.
Since I am still trying to read from my stacks (1,100+ and growing - eep), I was going through one of the bookcases for the next book I wanted to try. I don't really remember buying The Stepford Wives but I know I got it at my friend's bookstore (may the wonderful store RIP). I've never seen the movie (the 1975 version OR the 2004 version) but, like a lot of classics, the lexicon of the Stepford wife has permeated our vocabulary. I felt that I should read this.
It's a super quick read, just 145 pages, and it is damn creepy.Walter and Joanna Eberhart move to Stepford with their 2 kids and it becomes obvious to Joanna that "Stepford is out of step". Walter joins the Men's Association (please note, there is no Women's Association) and things start getting more out of step.
Joanna befriends Charmaine and Bobbie who both dislike the typical Stepford wife - dutiful to the husband, keeps a spotless house and perfect children. Bobbie and Joanna are sure something is up when Charmaine suddenly becomes the perfect housewife after a weekend away with her husband.
Then Bobbie takes a weekend away with her husband.
Then Walter wants a weekend away.
What is actually creepy about this book is that there is speculation that something is wrong and that the husbands are behind it, but in the end, there is no answer and Stepford is full of perfect housewives.
I plan on seeing the original movie because my understanding of the newest one is that they try to explain what happened to the wives. No please, I like my creepy to stay creepy.
It's a super quick read, just 145 pages, and it is damn creepy.Walter and Joanna Eberhart move to Stepford with their 2 kids and it becomes obvious to Joanna that "Stepford is out of step". Walter joins the Men's Association (please note, there is no Women's Association) and things start getting more out of step.
Joanna befriends Charmaine and Bobbie who both dislike the typical Stepford wife - dutiful to the husband, keeps a spotless house and perfect children. Bobbie and Joanna are sure something is up when Charmaine suddenly becomes the perfect housewife after a weekend away with her husband.
Then Bobbie takes a weekend away with her husband.
Then Walter wants a weekend away.
What is actually creepy about this book is that there is speculation that something is wrong and that the husbands are behind it, but in the end, there is no answer and Stepford is full of perfect housewives.
I plan on seeing the original movie because my understanding of the newest one is that they try to explain what happened to the wives. No please, I like my creepy to stay creepy.
This is one of the best books I have ever read. I definitely prefer the book to both film adaptations, although the 1975 adaptation was particularly eerie and captivating. It’s amazing to me how relevant this piece of feminist literature still is… and it’s also horrifying how relevant it remains. What an effective and affecting story.
If I wasn't pissed off at men before, I sure as hell am now.
What a bunch of weak, despicable, poor-excuse-for-a-man group of men. I despise them all.
Wait. Are you a man? I despise you, too.
Don't feed me this nonsense about how you're not like all the others. How you want your woman to be smart and independent. How you don't care about stereotypical beauty, thin waists and perky chests. How you would never try to change her into something she is not. How the two of you are equals.
I've watched the Nicole Kidman and Matthew Broderick (oh and the glorious Bette Midler!) version of the movie and admittedly really liked it. I think it was all the bright colors and cheery yet creepy music. There are some similarities between the two but they're mostly quite different.
The book is terrifying. It's disturbing and creepy and the slow building, impending doom had me wanting to curl up in the fetal position. It's not horror in a serial killer slasher murder type of way or ghosts and demons and things that go bump in the night. It won't keep me up all night for fear of something creeping under my bed. Instead it will keep me up looking over at my significant other wondering how he would choose. How long would he hold out? Or worse, how quickly would he be swayed? My mind is in a whir after reading this.
I was going to give it 4 stars all along but I can't keep myself from giving it 5 Stars.
What a bunch of weak, despicable, poor-excuse-for-a-man group of men. I despise them all.
Wait. Are you a man? I despise you, too.
Don't feed me this nonsense about how you're not like all the others. How you want your woman to be smart and independent. How you don't care about stereotypical beauty, thin waists and perky chests. How you would never try to change her into something she is not. How the two of you are equals.
I've watched the Nicole Kidman and Matthew Broderick (oh and the glorious Bette Midler!) version of the movie and admittedly really liked it. I think it was all the bright colors and cheery yet creepy music. There are some similarities between the two but they're mostly quite different.
The book is terrifying. It's disturbing and creepy and the slow building, impending doom had me wanting to curl up in the fetal position. It's not horror in a serial killer slasher murder type of way or ghosts and demons and things that go bump in the night. It won't keep me up all night for fear of something creeping under my bed. Instead it will keep me up looking over at my significant other wondering how he would choose. How long would he hold out? Or worse, how quickly would he be swayed? My mind is in a whir after reading this.
I was going to give it 4 stars all along but I can't keep myself from giving it 5 Stars.
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