Who Would Like This Book:
This book is a wild, darkly comic ride through the themes of envy, revenge, and self-identity, all wrapped in sharp feminist satire. It's perfect for fans of psychological drama, unapologetic anti-heroines, and anyone who loves books that aren't afraid to be a bit mean (in a good way!). If you enjoy dark humor, audacious plots, and stories where characters transform themselves (literally and figuratively), this will grip you from start to finish.
Who May Not Like This Book:
Some readers are put off by just how bleak and unsympathetic the main characters can be. If you want to instantly root for the protagonist or need a story with feel-good revenge, this might be too harsh or even sadistic for your taste. Others have found Ruth - our lead - difficult to understand or relate to, making her transformation and choices confusing or off-putting. If you prefer the lighter, comedic take in the movie adaptations, you'll find this novel much darker and more unsettling.
About:
"The Life and Loves of a She Devil" by Fay Weldon is a dark and intense story revolving around Ruth Patchett, a woman who has been ignored and unloved her entire life. Ruth's husband, Bobbo, leaves her for the petite and rich romance novelist Mary Fisher, sparking Ruth's intense desire for revenge. Ruth embarks on a manipulative and ruthless journey to destroy Bobbo and Mary Fisher, using every person she encounters to achieve her goal. The book delves into themes of self-hatred, envy, and the lengths one will go to in order to transform themselves into someone they believe will be loved.
The narrative is anchored in a black, cosmic humor that never falters, creating a searing and intense reading experience. The story unfolds with a detached narration that cleverly collides with Ruth's transformation, leading readers through a journey of self-imposed hell and intense psychological exploration. Fay Weldon's writing style is described as well-crafted, engaging, and captivating, offering a unique blend of dark humor and tragedy that keeps readers engrossed until the very end.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include themes of self mutilation, mental health issues, and intense emotional distress.
From The Publisher:
This is not a book for everyone, but its admirers are vigorously enthusiastic. For example:
Rhoda Koenig in New York Magazine, who calls it ". . . a novel of blazingly hot revenge, one that amply illustrates the saying about heaven having no rage like love turned to hate, nor hell a fury like a woman scorned."
Or Rosalyn Drexler, who said on the front page of The New York Times Book Review, "It affords a scintillating, mindboggling, vicarious thrill for any reader who has ever fantasized dishing out retribution for one wrong or another."
Or Carol E. Rinzler, who wrote on The Washington Post Book World's front page, ". . . what makes this a powerfully funny and oddly powerful book is the energy of the language and of the intellect that conceived it, an energy that vibrates off the pages and that makes SHE-DEVIL as exceptional a book in the remembering as in the reading . . . . a small, mad masterpiece."
Ratings (4)
Loved It (1) | |
Liked It (2) | |
Hated It (1) |
Reader Stats (20):
Read It (6) | |
Want To Read (8) | |
Not Interested (6) |
What can you read after
The Life and Loves of a She Devil?
About the Author:
Fay Weldon was raised in a household of women in New Zealand and produced four sons of her own, as if to balance the gender count. After earning degrees in economics and psychology at the University of Edinburgh, she survived a…
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