Select language, opens an overlay

Comment

Community comment are the opinions of contributing users. These comment do not represent the opinions of Pima County Public Library.
Jan 13, 2014JCLRachelSH rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
The Woman Upstairs starts with one of the most intense opening paragraphs of all time: "It was supposed to say ‘Great Artist’ on my tombstone, but if I died right now it would say ‘such a good teacher/daughter/friend’ instead; and what I really want to shout, and want in big letters on that grave, too, is F**K YOU ALL.” Nora Eldridge is a middle-aged elementary school teacher who’s righteously angry about having to play the part of the “good girl" when she’s not a girl at all but a 42-year-old woman brimming with unfulfilled dreams, hunger, and ambition. When she meets an artsy international family that she becomes creepily close to, the story takes on the sharp edge of a twisty psychological thriller à la Sissy Spacek and Shelly Duvall in the creep-tastic masterpiece that is 3 Women. I loved where this book was going, but ultimately wished it would’ve ditched some of the fancy word play and dug a little deeper into the emotional heart of an otherwise searing story that tickles all my usual sweet spots. It’s one of those books that I wanted to LOVE, but ended up just liking instead.