Alexandra, Jane and Sukie are the witches of Eastwick, all of whom acquired their powers after leaving or being left by their husbands.
When stranger Darryl van Horne arrives in town and buys an old mansion, they find their cosy existences shaken up, as scandal surrounds them.
After van Horne leaves town, all the women move on in their lives – by meeting new men and moving away.
An intriguing novel that was rendered more difficult to read than one might expect because of the film. They seem so alike at first – and the casting of the main characters was inspired – but then the book and film drift apart somewhat.
It's difficult, though, to know what author John Updike was attempting to get at with the book.
It could be read as suggesting that, without men, women can be liberated.
Or it could be saying that, without men, women become evil.
Or it could be a satire on such ideas.
Some of the prose is really excellent, and I enjoyed it very much in places, but as a whole, it left unable to make up my mind what I really feel about it.
When stranger Darryl van Horne arrives in town and buys an old mansion, they find their cosy existences shaken up, as scandal surrounds them.
After van Horne leaves town, all the women move on in their lives – by meeting new men and moving away.
An intriguing novel that was rendered more difficult to read than one might expect because of the film. They seem so alike at first – and the casting of the main characters was inspired – but then the book and film drift apart somewhat.
It's difficult, though, to know what author John Updike was attempting to get at with the book.
It could be read as suggesting that, without men, women can be liberated.
Or it could be saying that, without men, women become evil.
Or it could be a satire on such ideas.
Some of the prose is really excellent, and I enjoyed it very much in places, but as a whole, it left unable to make up my mind what I really feel about it.
