Lucky Us: A Novel

Rating:
Summary: Modern Day Love Story
Review: "Lucky Us" is a great contemporary love story. I randomly selected this novel from the library, and I found myself unable to put it
down. The story was intriguing and exceptionally touching. Gabe and Elisa are an incrediably mismatched couple that face the pressures and problems of modern day relationships. You'll find yourself curious to know the outcome of Elisa's attitude towards life after being infected with HIV. Along with how this issue will affect their future as a couple. Also, will their past burdens affect their personalities, decisions, and roles in life? Joan Silber's lively characters and lovely prose make every page of this book a pleasure to read.

Rating:
Summary: Lucky in Love
Review: "Lucky Us" is a very slow, careful exploration of a relationship that, by all accounts, shouldn't succeed. To start, this is a vast difference in age between Gabe and Elisa and ultimately, there is the decidely immature way in which Elisa behaves after she discovers that she has a serious disease.

Pairing these two individuals, Joan Silber skillfully constructs a story that acknowledges the gaps, but emphasizes the shaky platforms that bridge the differences. This is a love story that contains some hard truths; I appreciate how Silber conveys how people can act hurtfully even when they love someone dearly.

Elisa's behavior is often sour; Gabe is the character who imbues the novel with its sweetness. His maturity is stronger and steadier than Elisa's foolishness, and will anchor them through the deepest waters.

My hesitation with the book, however, is that Gabe is so unwavering that he almost seems like one of those perfect Ayn Rand characters! I realize novels are not held up to any literary requirements as far as truthfulness, but I think Silber would have delivered a stronger story had Gabe wrestled with some doubts before he embraced Elisa and her complicated demands on his love.

Rating:
Summary: Modern Day Love Story
Review: "Lucky Us" is a great contemporary love story. I randomly selected this novel from the library, and I found myself unable to put it
down. The story was intriguing and exceptionally touching. Gabe and Elisa are an incrediably mismatched couple that face the pressures and problems of modern day relationships. You'll find yourself curious to know the outcome of Elisa's attitude towards life after being infected with HIV. Along with how this issue will affect their future as a couple. Also, will their past burdens affect their personalities, decisions, and roles in life? Joan Silber's lively characters and lovely prose make every page of this book a pleasure to read.

Rating:
Summary: Lucky in Love
Review: "Lucky Us" is a very slow, careful exploration of a relationship that, by all accounts, shouldn't succeed. To start, this is a vast difference in age between Gabe and Elisa and ultimately, there is the decidely immature way in which Elisa behaves after she discovers that she has a serious disease.

Pairing these two individuals, Joan Silber skillfully constructs a story that acknowledges the gaps, but emphasizes the shaky platforms that bridge the differences. This is a love story that contains some hard truths; I appreciate how Silber conveys how people can act hurtfully even when they love someone dearly.

Elisa's behavior is often sour; Gabe is the character who imbues the novel with its sweetness. His maturity is stronger and steadier than Elisa's foolishness, and will anchor them through the deepest waters.

My hesitation with the book, however, is that Gabe is so unwavering that he almost seems like one of those perfect Ayn Rand characters! I realize novels are not held up to any literary requirements as far as truthfulness, but I think Silber would have delivered a stronger story had Gabe wrestled with some doubts before he embraced Elisa and her complicated demands on his love.

Rating:
Summary: A wonderful book by a writer with authority
Review: Any book by Joan Silber is one that a reader can plunge into without the slightest hesitation, as opposed to those books a reader doesn't quite trust to be the real thing. This is a tale told with easy authority requiring nothing from the reader but attention. This is a wondrful novel, as are Ms. Silber's other books. She has her own particular voice, which is recognizable anywhere, but it is never a distraction; it's just one more element that makes her work so singular. Pay no attention to the jacket flap, which is glib and cute--the book is often funny, but it's never cute. This is a love story, I suppose, but that's too simplistic a definition. Lucky Us is a reflection of life as we live now, made utterly compelling by the depth of Ms. Silber's fully imagined characters. It is imppossible to put it down after the first sentence! Enjoy it!

Rating:
Summary: deliciously selfish
Review: Elisa is such a interesting character that i read this cover to cover. Gabe could have used a little excitement however, but reading his point really evolved Elisa in my mind. She handles her disease a little too lightly, maybe making it less scary that it really is. I really did enjoy this book, constantly waiting to see what Elisa would do next.