Rating: 
Summary: Exceptionally well-written, but I didn't like it.
Review: ...[this book is] More about the absence of love, or all the spaces that people call love. Does Katherine really love Stanley just because she stayed married to him through all his years in the institution? She loves her companion Jane. She had something to prove to Stanley, or to his family. If you look at Katherine the book is somehow about frustration or misdirection, but certainly not about love.Male sexuality? I certainly hope (being a heterosexual woman) that the book isn't about male sexuality. I don't believe that all women are frigid, castrating and repressive. And I don't believe that all men are aggressive, bestial and nasty. ...I suppose if this book, for me, was about anything it's about a kind of layer that people have between their feelings and their essential selves. In Stanley that layer was madness. In O'Kane it a kind of avoidance and obtuseness. In Katherine it's a dedication to causes that seems to replace any real awareness of self. So what's well-written about this book? It's smart about people. Smart about history. It's textured and vivid and everything a book should be. So what don't I like about it? It's grotty, somehow. I don't like the picture that it painted of people-- the dirt and the violence. There's no redemption here. ...
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting Character Study,,, Yet a bit too long
Review: 3 and a half stars... What is most interesting about Boyle's book, like "The Road to Wellville" is that it is based on true people in America's past. This particular foray into the past is about the mentally unbalanced son of the McCormick reaper fortune, whose illness pivots around his inability to get along in society with those of the opposite gender. Between his overbearing mother and his equally unbalanced and revealing older sister, Stanley's ideas of women are odd, to say the least. While I read the book, I felt an urge to look up Stanley McCormick in the history books and find out how much is true about him. He is, however a rather flat character. Yet, Stanley's longtime nurse, Eddie O'Kane, who follows his wealthy employer to California, the land of promise, of orange groves, of unlimited wealth (supposedly), is a much more interesting character. We are allowed to see inside Eddie's thoughts and are privy to his equally distorted views of women's place in the world. Boyle layers his novel in three overlapping and related narratives. First, there is the most "current" storyline, which begins with Stanley's departure from the east coast to the secluded family mansion ("Riven Rock") of Santa Barbara, California. This story unfolds before us, telling of the various doctors employed by Katherine, Stanley's still-young wife, who so badly wants to see her new husband well again, although to say "again" suggests that she has ever truly witnessed him in a sustained state of mental wellness. Then, within this main storyline, is the background of the early years of Stanley and the unconventional courtship between himself and Katherine. Finally, throughout the novel, including the first scene, we see events through O'Kane's eyes. What is interesting about his perspective is that he is a drunk, a bigamist, a womanizer, and a deadbeat dad, yet one can't help but having mized emotions for him. In fact, all of the novel's characters are neither heroes nor villains, as we are allowed to see them all their glorious imperfection and humanity. It is O'Kane's story, though, that, for me was most rewarding, for it paralleled the misogyny and confusion in Stanley's life, seemingly saying that his treatment of women was by no means an isolated incident.
Rating: 
Summary: subversive and fun
Review: a must read. this book will make you both laugh and cringe, plus it manages to me moving at the same time. I can't reccomend it highly enough.
Rating:
Summary: POOR, POOR STANLEY
Review: First off, T. Coraghessan Boyle is untouchable among today's contemporary novelists. It seems that with every new book his storytelling gets more impressive (his amazing use of the english language has never been in question). That is not to say his earlier novels aren't outstanding, quite the contrary, his earlier books are better than 99% of the other stuff that is out there. Simply, with each new book it just gets better and better. Such is the case with Riven Rock, his latest (and greatest) masterpiece. A novel of unshakable love, absurd humor and severe mental illness. The characters in the book are not only believable, but also incredibly recognizable. While reading of the main protagonist, Eddie O'Kane, and his right and wrong doings, it brought to mind, not only myself, but also many people I have known over the years. That is only the beginning (as far as characters are concerned). This book was an absolute delight in every conceivable way. I felt sad, fascinated, disappointed, angered, thrilled, consoled, content and, ultimately, fulfilled. My cousin also read this book and he said, "All I can say is that book is (for lack of a better word) magical." I agree.
Rating:
Summary: It's like being alive 90 years ago! probably deserves 5 star
Review: I must admit that I love T.C. Boyle. This is the only book I hadn't read except for "A Friend of the Earth" because it is set in the future. I was saving this book for a "treat" and finally felt it was time to read it. The topic of sexual mania was initially off-putting, but I love the way Boyle makes the past come alive. I am not interested in a history lecture, but I am interested in people. Boyle makes his setting so relatable, I can imagine what it was like to live in the time and place he sets his books.
This book focuses on a smaller number of characters than other novels by Boyle. There are only 3 significant players, as has been mentioned. All three of them are very three-dimensional. I find it interesting that other reviewers have a hard time with Katherine.
Some people have issues with Katherine because although she was an ardent women's rights activist, her behavior was not always so strong and independent. I think these people downplay both the effects of society at that time on even the most intelligent and strong-willed woman, as well as the complexities inherent in each of us. Everyone is a combination of strength and weakness, and if Katherine were any stronger, she would hardly be human.
This book is not as "mean" as some of his earlier works, the characters certainly suffer, but not like they do in, say, "Water Music." There are no clear "villains," just people acting in their own interest, which can be "villainous" to others.
The reader also learns about psychology as it was 100 years ago. It is a masterly work. Many regard this as Boyle's best. I prefer both "Drop City" and "World's End," (hence 4 stars instead of 5) but any fan of Boyle or of books that make other eras come to life will not be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: A vastly entertaining, painful, tragic story
Review: I must admit to a personal bias here: I am a gigantic fan of Mr. Boyle's. And while I haven't read every one of his books, I've blasted through a majority and loved every single page. When I saw this book in a store on a random wandering, I snatched it up, read the inside cover and prepared myself for what sounded like Boyle's best work to date. Unfortunately, I was a trifle disappointed, knocking this down to oh say number three of all I've read by him. But there much to admire here, from the glowing, crystal prose to the almost grotesque humor squeezed in between pages and pages of heart-rending sadness. The basic plot, taken very loosely from an actual historical incident, revolves around the handsome, wealthy, Stanley McCormick and the lovely, brilliant (and also wealthy upper class early 20th century) Katherine Dexter, who meet in 1904, fall in love and, after a few hitches, are married. But Stanley is very ill, mentally that is, and he pops over the edge from so many different things you know everything that follows will be a disaster. Stanley has deep sexual problems and before the anticipant, virginal Katherine can be defrocked, Stanley is carted off to the nuthouse, prescribed to never set eyes on women. This lasts for more than twenty years with Katherine being essentially faithful (spending most of her time as a leading spokesperson for the Sufferage movement and other women's right's causes) and hoping that one day Stanley will return to her. The story also focuses on Eddie O'Kane, Stanley's faithful nurse through all his years of institutionalization and his highs and lows and shattered dreams and shattered bones and the whole mess he's made of his life by thinking his natural charm and wit and good luck will be enough for him to always have everything he ever wants. Eddie's tale is a downward spiral, and endless fall into unhappiness, abondonment, alcoholism and financial ruin, all the while trying diligently and sincerely to look after his insane employer and friend. The only complaint I could possibly lob at this wonderful book has to do with Boyle's writing style, something that has been so successful in the past and still is a pleasure to behold. Ever since World's End(1987), Boyle's stories have gotten more serious, I don't want to say more mature, but perhaps there isn't an adaquete word to express this idea. His earliest work was more like bawdy farce and broad satire, but his latest (The Road to Wellville, The Tortilla Curtain, Without a Hero) have been much sadder, stories where you sort of hope things will turn out all right for everyone. In his earlier work, the characters were either such over-the-top morons or such pathetic losers, hell, what should they expect? But his style has always been sharp and funny and very witty. In this book, perhaps a more overall serious tone would have worked better and enhanced the feeling of tragedy. But, then again, this obviously wasn't Boyle's intention and who am I to question his style when the book is such a success?
Rating:
Summary: He can write, but....
Review: I saw TC Boyle discussing Riven Rock on A&E on a Sundaymorning and it seemed fascinating, so I hopped on Amazon that day andordered it. I've read several novels based on historical facts, so I seen elsewhere the struggle that novelists who write this type of novel are faced with- How do you tell the "truth" without frustrating or boring people if the truth is, in fact, frustrating or boring. Unfortunately, I was both frustrated and bored with this book. This is my first TC Boyle book and the man can write. I could smell Stanley's rotten teeth and I could see him scrubbing his toes. I also really shared (as best I could) Stanley's fear and disorientation at becoming like his mentally ill sister. This is probably part of the problem. The story is about a guy with rich and mean parents who meets a girl who, despite the fact that he is CLEARLY becoming more and more mentally ill, marries him anyway. And this is no ordinary woman. This is the first female graduate of MIT, in the physical sciences, no less. This is a woman with a scientific and practical mind. Unfortunately, Boyle is saddled with the task of explaining sympathetically why this woman- despite all evidence suggesting she should borrow Julia Robert's running shoes from that flick last year and RUN LIKE HELL- doesn't. I just didn't buy it. I had assumed that Stanley didn't display evidence of mental illness until after they were married- but oh no. She had every opportunity to make like a tree. Also- Stanley's mom is made out to be this evil villain b/c she tried to keep Katherine and Stanley from getting married, and then when it dawns on Katherine that she's married a (and I mean this in the nicest way possible) a wacko, Stanely's mom is portrayed as supersized evil because she tells Katherine basically, "you've made your bed- now lie in it." Apparently I'm supersized evil as well, because that's what I was thinking. I think Katherine is supposed to be perceived as this determined admirable creature. Maybe I've watched too much Oprah, but she just didn't quite have enough sense of self-preservation. I was irritated with her- but I think it's because Boyle is such an incredible writer that she did feel like a true person, worthy of being irritated with. And the whole story is static ... Aside from this external status quo, there is no internal development- obviously Stan hasn't really grown as a person, so you look towards Katherine- and she just becomes political and gets a girlfriend. I kept hoping something would happen ...P>The problem is that Boyle could elegantly and perfectly describe the most foul smell thing in the world- the question is- do you want to smell it? As a side note- I did a little research about the characters. Stanely and Katherine are real people, but the nurse Eddie is a fictious character based on Stanley's nurse, but his name wasn't Eddie, and I don't think he was quite the slime Eddie is. I think Boyle simply introduced him so *somebody* would do *something* and Boyle wouldn't be restrained by facts.
Rating: 
Summary: Bookclub recommendation...
Review: If it were not for "having" to read it for bookclub, I never would have picked this downer book up..... and still wished that I did not!
Rating:
Summary: Bookclub recommendation...
Review: If it were not for "having" to read it for bookclub, I never would have picked this downer book up..... and still wished that I did not!
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant historical fiction
Review: T.C. Boyle writes with a manic energy and a sardonic edge that render each and every page dazzling, riveting, and thoroughly enjoyable. He felicity of expression is matched by few of his contemporaries among American novelists (Jonathan Franzen, Tom Wolfe, and John Irving come to mind for me). Consequently, no matter what subject matter he chooses, his books are always a joy to read. Boyle apparently encountered the historical basis for *Riven Rock* soon after he moved to the Santa Barbara area some years ago. Yes, Stanley McCormick, the tall, handsome youngest son of the legendary inventor of the mechanical reaper, was indeed schizophrenic, he did indeed marry the wealthy socialite Katherine Dexter in 1904, and he did indeed spend most of his adult life locked away with doctors, nurses, and attendants in a palacial Montecito estate. In *Riven Rock*, Boyle takes the historical misfortune that was the McCormick-Dexter marriage and transforms it into a fascinating story that is at once tragic, bizarre, and pathetic, and yet which is also riddled with sometimes unexpected touches of humor. The humorous veneer to this otherwise tragic tale stems from Boyle's skills as a savage social critic with an unerring eye for the foibles that are part and parcel of the human condition. Having already caricatured the faddish American cult of health and nutrition in *The Road to Wellville*, Boyle here lampoons the pretentions of early twentieth century psychiatry and in a broader way, the overall vapidity of upper class life and discourse. And Boyle does so much more. By complementing his principal upper-class historical personalities with a supporting cast of purely fictional working class characters (most notably the handsome, testosterone-driven attendant Edward O'Kane) Boyle also is able to reveal the broader foibles associated with the American "war between the sexes." This steady sprinkling of sardonic humor related to pompous doctors and the hopelessly clueless womanizer O'Kane, however, is in the end overshadowed by the tragedy that marks the real life story of Stanley and Katherine. Stanley's incurable insanity, Katherine's youthful inability to recognize the extent of his affliction, and her subsequent noble but futile willingness to sacrifice on his behalf makes for a truly heartbreaking story that ultimately can have no storybook ending. Moving adroitly back and forth in time as he weaves a narration that spans decades, Boyle is nothing short of brilliant in the way he reveals, bit by small bit, the extent of the pathos that characterizes this saga. Overall, this is an engrossing and rewarding novel that shows T.C. Boyle to be one of the most gifted and creative contemporary American novelists.
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