Ahab's Wife: Or, The Star-gazer: A Novel (P.S.)

The book was an utter disappointment! The plot was impossible to believe and many opportunities were missed to salvage the story. It was a struggle to finish the gigantic aggregation of disjointed bits of information.

Utterly contrived and tedious, this book is nothing more than a trope of shallow politically-correct inanities. A frankly sophomoric work for those that find the View intellectually stimulating. Mercifully, no one will be reading this trendy mediocrity a decade from now. A book best placed on the shelf right next to Lin Haire-Sargeant's H-The Story of Heathcliff's Journey Back to Wuthering Heights.

This is a fun book but as a note of caution it can best be enjoyed if sometime in your life you read Melville's Moby Dick. It could have been read as a teenager, it will help you enjoy this story. The tale as evident from the title centers on the person who will become Captain Ahab's wife. Initially, it follows her rebellious childhood (who wouldn't rebel with a father like that!) and her being sent to live an aunt, uncle and younger cousin. This family is much warmer by far and more giving of emotional sustenance than her own. There is much to captivate one in this part of the story but my favorite is when she runs away to sea on a whaler - a precursor to life with Ahab and his whale. She even sees the
White Whale but tells no one. How she avoids being found out as a girl is fun if not totally convincing. She survives disaster at sea even though it does mean being a cannibal and eventually she returns to land with her 1st husband who experience during the disaster drives him insane. She comes to live in Nantucket and makes her living with her needle - not unlikely scenario for this age. Eventually she meets Ahab, they have their own for of a marriage ceremony and live well for a while. Of course Ahab goes back to sea, meets up with Moby Dick for his first and second time and eventually the Whale wins. This is not the end of the story, there is more of her life to tell. The book is also enlivened by references and scenes of black slavery as well as of women's emancipation. A captivating story.

I won't give any of this favorite novel away, but think Moby Dick, Nantucket, Unitarian values and strong women and you have the best in a novel. I've read this twice and will go for a 3rd soon. It's one of my ten favorite reads.

I also read for pleasure. I love historical fiction. I ended up finishing the book, just to see who the third husband ended up being, but it was a struggle. There were too many extraneous details, to many letters that to me, at least, did not add to the story. I also could not get into her poetic writing style.

Not what I expected. Thought it would be soft leather but feels like spray painted plastic. The price was great, would not recommend this item though.

I adored this book as it is a great tale that I was immersed in. I did not want to put it down or see the story end. The characterizations are compelling, the plot is great and the writing terrific. I thought Cold Mountain and Edgar Sawtell were in the category of this book.

You thought you knew this story, but there is yet another side to it.

To be honest, the book gets you in the beginning. It kept my interest for awhile as you wait for something to happen. I don't like to quit a book and will usually see it through. It seemed like a waste of time and best to let it go. I picked the book up at the library in a pile of free books. The binding wasn't even creased, should have been my first clue.

A friend told us about this book. Once we read her book we had to order a copy for ourselves.