I had three reactions to the book: the first section depressed me; the second enraged me; and I was resigned to the fate of these women by the end of the third. What a book.

So. The story: three different women (the Mrs. Kimbles) marry, in succession (not at the same time; that might have provided some interesting plot points), a man who is, by all counts: a pig, a jerk, a liar, a manipulator, and a crook. I suppose the real draw of the book is figuring out why all these women marry this guy. I wasn’t impressed. The first wife drank herself into oblivion after Mr. Kimble left her. She couldn’t hold a job, she couldn’t remember to buy food, and the biggest crime in my book, she couldn’t remember that she had kids to take care of, and therefore a reason to get going in the morning. I felt depressed and repulsed by this character. I know I’m supposed to be on the woman’s side, because the guy was a jerk — he had an affair and left her for the other woman — but how can I be if she’s so despicable?

Second wife wasn’t much better. She convinced herself that he was a Jew (he wasn’t), and married him. Fell for all his tricks because she was suffering in silence from a mastectomy and was vulnerable. She thought he loved her and she loved him for that. Okay so far. Then she up and convinces him to kidnap his kids. WHAT? Thankfully, she dies pretty quick of breast cancer so he can inherit her millions and go on to his third wife.

The third wife was the only one that I actually felt sympathy for. She was the babysitter for him and his first wife and had a crush on him. Anyway, they cross paths, he pays for surgery to correct her major facial birthmark, they get married. But, she’s the only one not to have any delusions about him, at least after 15 years of marriage (Why did he stay wtih her that long?? No answer.). She’s the one who has an affair (though I assume he’s had ones, too), and in the end, she manages to hold on to her life and even make it a happier one, after he does the predictable thing and bolts.

Honestly, I would have never read this book if it wasn’t for the book group. I don’t go in for the divorced/men-are-pigs/women can’t seem to get on with their lives/Oprah-self-help books. I don’t enjoy the feeling of “well, at least I’ve got it together” once I finish a book. So, I’m not exactly happy I read this one. Thankfully, it was a quick read so I didn’t have to spend too much of my time involved with these people.