Rating: 
Summary: Love Versus Family Ties, Redux
Review: Anyone who is familiar with Joanna Trollope's work knows that a theme she has visited in the majority of her books is the rippling effect of one's supposedly private actions on others. In her world, no man is an island, and everybody is ultimately responsible for the effects of his or her life decisions on those who are near and dear.That's the premise behind "Marrying the Mistress," the story of a dignified and esteemed judge, Guy Stockwell, who announces out of the blue that he intends to divorce his wife of 40 years, Laura, and marry his heretofore secret mistress of 7 years, Merrian. The shockwaves from this decision, which the judge and Merrian had considered very private and personal, affect everyone in their lives, whether they want it to or not. Thus, Laura, the self-centered, clinging, deliberately obtuse "wronged wife," becomes even more annoying, and drops all of her problems in the lap of her son Simon, a lawyer in his 30s with a wife and three children of his own. Laura plays the guilt card so successfully that Simon becomes hopelessly entwined in his parents' troubles. He cannot extricate himself, and this in turn puts dangerous pressure on his marriage. His wife, Carrie, feels that she now has to fight her mother-in-law for Simon's love and attention--and she is right. Carrie and Simon's older two children, teenaged Jack and Rachel, are terribly affected by their parents' unhappiness, and their younger sister starts to suffer from days-long headaches. Simon's gay brother Alan, who has finally met the love of his life, just wants everybody to be happy so he can bask in the glow of his new relationship. His role is to continually smooth things over, only to have the "smoothing" rejected or ignored. Merrion, the mistress, is much younger than Guy. A self-possessed woman in her 30s, she is an up-and-coming lawyer whose intense love for Guy never rings true, at least to this reader. Merrion is much too selfish to give herself to anybody. A supposedly brilliant woman, she is completely bemused by the effect her relationship with Guy is having on his family and on her own widowed mother, and she misses the exciting secrecy of being his clandestine lover rather than his bride-to-be. At the center of this emotional maelstrom is Guy, whose career as a judge enables him to see all sides of the problem. He feels for his rejected wife, his uptight mistress, his beleagured sons, his grandchildren--even his dogs, who are bewildered by his disappearance from the family home. But Guy is no more likeable than the rest of the characters in this ultimately whiny book. I read this book when it was first published, and did not like it. Because Trollope is one of my favorite authors, I recently gave the book another try. I still did not like it, as I found myself continually annoyed by just about everybody in its pages, and therefore very unsympathetic to their problems. I know what Trollope was trying to say, but she has said it much better in many of her other books, most notably "A Village Affair" and "The Rector's Wife." I gave the book 4 stars rather than 3 because of Trollope's skill and talent as a writer. But I have to say, "Marrying the Mistress" is hard going.
Rating: 
Summary: The burden of family
Review: Guy Stockdale, a 62 year old judge, decides to leave his wife, Laura, and marry Merrion--a young woman he's conducted an affair with for the past 7 years. The novel traces the fallout of Guy's decision on his family--wife Laura and adult sons Adam and Simon. The ideas behind the novel are interesting . How can one sever one's ties after 30 plus years? Is it that simple? How does a romantic affair transistion to a more domestic relationship? Can adult children remain impartial when their parents divorce? Joanna Trollope tackles these questions, and she certainly gives it the old schoolgirl try; however, the book does not succeed. We know very little about the Stockdale's marriage--except that Laura is supposed to be difficult, demanding, and manipulative. Unfortunately, we don't see Laura's truly impossible side until almost the end of the novel. It is difficult to have any sympathy whatsoever for Guy Stockdale who seems to be immensely selfish, self-centered, and at times, downright smarmy. He whines about having to tell Laura about the divorce, and he whines about dealing with the problems he has created. The only person who does not seem to be making a complete mess of his life is Guy's grandson, Jack. In this book as in other Trollope novels, the author idealizes teenagers to a ludicrous level. Jack is the veritable fount of wisdom--in fact he's the only character in the book who undergoes any deep, meaningful changes. Both Jack's grandfather, Guy, and his father, Simon, admire Jack and envy him his sexual freedom--to the point of absurdity. "Other People's Children" also written by Joanna Trollope makes a more meaningful attempt to examine the complexities of divorce. It is worth reading. I found the characters in "Marrying the Mistress" too superficial to get concerned one way or another if their problems ever resolved.
Rating: 
Summary: "The Opinion of the Daughter-in-Law"..................
Review: I kept waiting for the development of the relationship between Guy Stockdale and Merrion Palmer once the news of their passionate 7 year affair became public knowledge. What I got was the relationship of Carrie Stockdale to every other character in the book. I found myself being more and more irritated as I progressed with the story. I would not have bothered to even consider reading it if I had known the protagonist was going to be the over-bearing , opinionated , inconsequential daughter-in-law. I was hoping for a love story that followed THE COUPLE through their relationship and their processing of the reactions from everyone all around them. I could have been interested in the wife who, after devoting an adult lifetime to one man, was left high and dry without a clue. I was not in the least bit interested in Carrie and Simons spoiled children and their relationship with each other. That would have been another book, which in no way would have been of interest to me.
Rating:
Summary: A Surprising Reaction--mine !
Review: If anyone had ever told me that I would read a book like this and sympathize with the mistress, I would have laughed. But this is just what happened, and I was totally surprised at my reaction. I guess this is the mark of a good writer--one who ccauses you to see something from a new and different perspective. From the minute Judge Guy Stockwell makes his stunning announcement that he is leaving Laura, his wife of 40 years to marry his long-time mistress, emotions run rampant in the Stockwell family, but not necessarily in the ways you would expect. His revelation is like a large rock dropped into a small puddle-- the ripples are huge. I think that Trolloppe is a master of character development--the characters were so well drawn and so fleshed-out. These people came to inhabit my home for several days and I came to know them quite well. I am glad I finally got around to reading this talented author.
Rating: 
Summary: HO-HUM
Review: Marrying the Mistress was a disappointing read. Trollope gives family life good detail, but neglects to portray any sympathetic characters. Guy Stockdale is the adulterer leaving his wife of many years for a younger woman. Well, after reading about Laura, his wife, we certainly don't blame him! Laura, the long suffering wife, is totally without any redeeming qualities. Guy is just wishy-washy and Merrion, the mistress, is unlikeable. Guy deceives his wife for 7 years, then leaves her--finally--to marry his mistress. The couple, however, can't seem to get past his family obligations, and in the end, make the most bizarre decision. I just wanted to shake everybody and say, 'grow up!' There are some nice passages about Guy's daughter in law and their children, but, alas, not enough for me to say I truly enjoyed this book.
Rating:
Summary: HO-HUM
Review: Marrying the Mistress was a disappointing read. Trollope gives family life good detail, but neglects to portray any sympathetic characters. Guy Stockdale is the adulterer leaving his wife of many years for a younger woman. Well, after reading about Laura, his wife, we certainly don't blame him! Laura, the long suffering wife, is totally without any redeeming qualities. Guy is just wishy-washy and Merrion, the mistress, is unlikeable. Guy deceives his wife for 7 years, then leaves her--finally--to marry his mistress. The couple, however, can't seem to get past his family obligations, and in the end, make the most bizarre decision. I just wanted to shake everybody and say, 'grow up!' There are some nice passages about Guy's daughter in law and their children, but, alas, not enough for me to say I truly enjoyed this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Love & Divorce in England
Review: Previous to now I resisted reading Joanna Trollope's books although I don't know why. Then a friend recommended Marrying the Mistress and now I have found a new author to explore further. In the tradition of Maeve Binchy and Rosamunde Pilcher, Trollope introduces us to ordinary people who are faced with changes and new challenges in their lives. And like Binchy and Pilcher, Trollope's characters become like family members who we come to appreciate and love. Marrying the Mistress begins near London when Judge Guy Stockdale announces to his wife of 40 yeas that he wants a divorce. Not only does he want a divorce but he has already made plans to marry a woman, a 31 year old lawyer, who has been his mistress for the last seven years. As readers we now begin to see this revelation from different perspectives, the judges, his wife Laura, their two sons, a daughter-in law, grandchildren and finally Guy's mistress, Merrion. While sides are drawn over this dilemma, most of the characters would agree that the mistress is quite lovely. But as the plot develops and Guy's wife, at first pitiful and dependent becomes more assured leaving the reader to wonder what will happen next. When a series of startling events occur we watch as these people's lives are further disrupted and the changes in their lives have far reaching consequences. Joanna Trollope, a resident of England and a descendant of Anthony Trollope, has a keen ear and eye not only for characters, but for their homes and surroundings areas. When the story takes place in Guy and Laura's suburban home we feel as if we are there and can see Laura's wonderful garden and the their dogs barking. And when Guy first meets Merrion during a train ride to London, we are seated next to them and privy to this meeting. Marrying the Mistress is a wonderful read whose characters and their lives reach our hearts and make us think about our own decisions, mistakes and regrets. Now that I've been introduced to Joanna Trollope's writings, I look forward to being further entertained by reading more of her books.
Rating:
Summary: Love & Divorce in England
Review: Previous to now I resisted reading Joanna Trollope's books although I don't know why. Then a friend recommended Marrying the Mistress and now I have found a new author to explore further. In the tradition of Maeve Binchy and Rosamunde Pilcher, Trollope introduces us to ordinary people who are faced with changes and new challenges in their lives. And like Binchy and Pilcher, Trollope's characters become like family members who we come to appreciate and love. Marrying the Mistress begins near London when Judge Guy Stockdale announces to his wife of 40 yeas that he wants a divorce. Not only does he want a divorce but he has already made plans to marry a woman, a 31 year old lawyer, who has been his mistress for the last seven years. As readers we now begin to see this revelation from different perspectives, the judges, his wife Laura, their two sons, a daughter-in law, grandchildren and finally Guy's mistress, Merrion. While sides are drawn over this dilemma, most of the characters would agree that the mistress is quite lovely. But as the plot develops and Guy's wife, at first pitiful and dependent becomes more assured leaving the reader to wonder what will happen next. When a series of startling events occur we watch as these people's lives are further disrupted and the changes in their lives have far reaching consequences. Joanna Trollope, a resident of England and a descendant of Anthony Trollope, has a keen ear and eye not only for characters, but for their homes and surroundings areas. When the story takes place in Guy and Laura's suburban home we feel as if we are there and can see Laura's wonderful garden and the their dogs barking. And when Guy first meets Merrion during a train ride to London, we are seated next to them and privy to this meeting. Marrying the Mistress is a wonderful read whose characters and their lives reach our hearts and make us think about our own decisions, mistakes and regrets. Now that I've been introduced to Joanna Trollope's writings, I look forward to being further entertained by reading more of her books.
Rating:
Summary: Excellently written story on how divorce affects family.
Review: This book gives a complexity of how each family member is taken by the news of Guy's announcement to leave his wife of forty years for a much younger ambitious woman. Guy, the family patriarch, has been having an affair for seven years with fellow legal eagle Merrion Palmer. The novel goes back and forth into time detailing Guy and Laura's marriage and his encounter with the mistress. In addition to Guy, Laura, and Merrion, the Stockdale children Simon and Alan wrestle with their father's departure from the marriage.
Reading this book, one would feel sorry for Laura, the suffering wife. But as the reader examines closely into her character, we see a woman who has made herself a shadow of her husband's and leans on to both of her sons which have an effect on their personal lives and significant others.
Merrion Palmer, the mistress, although independent, needs male coompanionship. Guy makes up for what she didn't have--a male figure. Her father died when she was three years old and her mother's second marriage to his best friend ended bitterly in divorce affecting Merrion's views of a family.
This book is not sexually candid, which is good. The details of the affair are easily interpreted and what is shown is a pattern of how marital infidelity affects a family and a community.
Rating:
Summary: Oh, puh-leese!
Review: Well, I enjoyed this. It's my first Joanna Trollope book and I thought she did a great job of showing the story from many points of view. A quick, easy and enjoyable read.
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