Sonderbooks Book Review of Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons

Reviewed April 8, 2003.
Ballantine Books, New York, 2003. 404 pages.
Available at Sembach Library (F LAN).
A Sonderbooks’ Stand-out of 2003: #5, Literary Fiction

As soon as I saw the title Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons on our book rental company’s order list, I knew I had to read that book. When the book arrived and I discovered that the title was borrowed from a book club that the main characters had formed, I was completely hooked. This is a novel about friendships and how they can get you through the crises of life.

Five women formed the club “Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons” in 1968. The book covers the next 30 years in their lives as they stick with each other through the ups and downs of life.

Don’t let the word “angry” scare you off. At first, I complained a little that every novel about women’s friendships shows them helping each other get over the wounds dealt by some skunk of a man. Yes, one of the husbands is a low-down rotten skunk, but by the time the book ends, most of the men in the women’s lives are wonderful, caring people. The man who travels a lot doesn’t even cheat on his wife! (So rare in mainstream fiction.)

The five Angry Housewives are distinct, well-drawn characters. We know and care about them quickly. Each takes turns narrating chapters. Each one has issues in her life for which she needs the help of friends. Their children grow and mature, and so do the women themselves.

This is a beautiful and fun story about life and friendship.

Reader comment: Kelli gives this book 5 stars with the comment: "This book makes me want to have a book club of my own. I know I will grow old with the friends I have; but this will make it much more fun...and we don't have snow where we live."

-top of page-

Book Reviews by Sondra Eklund

*****Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons*

by Lorna Landvik