The Widows of Eastwick | Fiction | DONNE TEMPO
The Widows of Eastwick
November/04/08 08:54 AM Filed in: Fiction
by Christian Toto
Whatever happened to the beguiling witches who took the fictional town of Eastwick by storm in John Updike's 1984 novel?
In "The Widows of Eastwick," (Knopf Publishing, 978-0-307-26960-7) author John Updike provides those answers, but readers may wish their follow-up adventures were left to their imaginations.
Updike,
the justly celebrated author behind the "Rabbit"
book series, dabbled in the occult with "The
Witches of Eastwick."
A subsequent film version, starring Jack Nicholson and Cher, used Updike's story as a starting point for a ribald sex romp. Updike's sequel to his own work could use a little Nicholson magic, or any kind of spell to keep readers entranced.
It's been roughly 30 years since Alexandra, Sukie and Jane turned the northeastern hamlet of Eastwick into a hedonistic Mecca.
The trio grew apart and left their spell casting behind them. But all three recently lost their husbands, and they tentatively reach out to one another for comfort - and companionship.
Alexandra and Jane reunite first, taking a trip to Egypt together before Sukie rejoins the trio. Retired and restless, the women can't decide on their next destination, so they settle on Eastwick. They're curious to see just how Eastwick has changed. Plus, why not visit the scene of their most infamous crimes?
But the townsfolk aren't in a forgiving mood. One resident in particular may be throwing some of that old black magic back at them.
Updike's most recent books, like "Terrorist" and "Toward the End of Time," haven't measured up to his classic like "Couples," or even his "Bech" books.
But that hardly prepares the reader for "Widows," which features Updike's always brilliant prose but some of his most pedestrian storytelling. Where's the sexual high jinks, or even the knowing cultural asides that mark his best fiction?
All we get in "Widows" is some obvious nods to the passage of time, from the ubiquity of Bluetooth cell phones to the Yuppification of Eastwick.
And let's face it, these witches just aren't much fun to be around. Alexandra worries constantly about cancer. Sukie struggles for every breath thanks to a decreased lung capacity and Jane is as exasperatingly judgmental as ever.
The original "Witches" turned feminism on its head, showing strong, lustful women who explored their carnal desires and gave little thought to who might get hurt along the way.
"Widows" touches on those themes, but our protagonists appear no wiser for their years. They're crankier, to be sure, but when the story allows them enough room to grow it feels like an afterthought, not a genuine revelation.
Updike does explore the inequities of aging in ways that will resonate with readers young and old. And few male writers explore female characters with the consistency, and integrity, that Updike brings to his main characters.
"The Widows of Eastwick" could use some fairie dust, or even simple slight of hand, to bring some magic back into the lives of these flawed women.
Whatever happened to the beguiling witches who took the fictional town of Eastwick by storm in John Updike's 1984 novel?
In "The Widows of Eastwick," (Knopf Publishing, 978-0-307-26960-7) author John Updike provides those answers, but readers may wish their follow-up adventures were left to their imaginations.
A subsequent film version, starring Jack Nicholson and Cher, used Updike's story as a starting point for a ribald sex romp. Updike's sequel to his own work could use a little Nicholson magic, or any kind of spell to keep readers entranced.
It's been roughly 30 years since Alexandra, Sukie and Jane turned the northeastern hamlet of Eastwick into a hedonistic Mecca.
The trio grew apart and left their spell casting behind them. But all three recently lost their husbands, and they tentatively reach out to one another for comfort - and companionship.
Alexandra and Jane reunite first, taking a trip to Egypt together before Sukie rejoins the trio. Retired and restless, the women can't decide on their next destination, so they settle on Eastwick. They're curious to see just how Eastwick has changed. Plus, why not visit the scene of their most infamous crimes?
But the townsfolk aren't in a forgiving mood. One resident in particular may be throwing some of that old black magic back at them.
Updike's most recent books, like "Terrorist" and "Toward the End of Time," haven't measured up to his classic like "Couples," or even his "Bech" books.
But that hardly prepares the reader for "Widows," which features Updike's always brilliant prose but some of his most pedestrian storytelling. Where's the sexual high jinks, or even the knowing cultural asides that mark his best fiction?
All we get in "Widows" is some obvious nods to the passage of time, from the ubiquity of Bluetooth cell phones to the Yuppification of Eastwick.
And let's face it, these witches just aren't much fun to be around. Alexandra worries constantly about cancer. Sukie struggles for every breath thanks to a decreased lung capacity and Jane is as exasperatingly judgmental as ever.
The original "Witches" turned feminism on its head, showing strong, lustful women who explored their carnal desires and gave little thought to who might get hurt along the way.
"Widows" touches on those themes, but our protagonists appear no wiser for their years. They're crankier, to be sure, but when the story allows them enough room to grow it feels like an afterthought, not a genuine revelation.
Updike does explore the inequities of aging in ways that will resonate with readers young and old. And few male writers explore female characters with the consistency, and integrity, that Updike brings to his main characters.
"The Widows of Eastwick" could use some fairie dust, or even simple slight of hand, to bring some magic back into the lives of these flawed women.