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Book Reviews of The Witches of Eastwick

The Witches of Eastwick
The Witches of Eastwick
Author: John Updike
ISBN-13: 9780394537603
ISBN-10: 0394537602
Publication Date: 4/12/1984
Pages: 320
Rating:
  • Currently 3.2/5 Stars.
 24

3.2 stars, based on 24 ratings
Publisher: Knopf
Book Type: Hardcover
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

12 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

k00kaburra avatar reviewed The Witches of Eastwick on + 62 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 10
This was definitely a book that I trudged through. Books I love I often breeze through; books I don't care for are skimmed or flipped. This was a book that I so wanted to like, but it simply didn't capture me.

The writing was difficult because there was too much of it; too many metaphors and too many excess words. It was beautifully descriptive, but the cover's declarations of 'dazzling' and 'devilishly clever' are certainly not ones I agree with.

It would have been a lot more likeable if I found a way to connect with the characters, but everyone seems horrible and false, utterly unsympathetic. There simply wasn't anything in the book for me.
nymphadora avatar reviewed The Witches of Eastwick on + 95 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 5
Yes, I fell for the old "the book is always better than the movie" line. Let me just say that, in this case, that saying couldn't be further from the truth. John Updike, for all of his fame and Pulitzer winning glory, is an arrogant, if not condescending, writer at best. He uses "big words" just for the sake of using them. I was so bored with the characters talking just to hear themselves talk and with the author describing just to see his words in print that I actually stopped reading. This is really saying something for me because I normally just "suck it up" when reading a book that has received such acclaim, but I have to say that my life is just too short to read crap.
reviewed The Witches of Eastwick on + 84 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
I actually liked the MOVIE more.
reviewed The Witches of Eastwick on + 4 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I was expecting the book and the movie it spawned (with Cher, Susan Sarandon, and Michelle Pfiefer) to be very similar and that's why I read the book. They are not! The stories are completely different as are the personalities of the three female characters. I was really disappointed by the huge differences and actually liked the movie much more. If I'd known beforehand, I might have enjoyed the book more. The book is still good but it's not an easy read.
ASJ avatar reviewed The Witches of Eastwick on + 341 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I have been watching the new TV series Witches of Eastwick so I thought I would read the book. I like the show a lot more. The book just prattles on. If you cut it in half you wouldn't miss much. Characters are very boring.
reviewed The Witches of Eastwick on + 34 more book reviews
Plodded my way thru it. I was expecting a lot more. See the film instead.
reviewed The Witches of Eastwick on + 69 more book reviews
different from the movie, but very good
reviewed The Witches of Eastwick on + 14 more book reviews
Enjoyable read.
reviewed The Witches of Eastwick on + 67 more book reviews
Loved the movies, finally got around to reading the book. Definitely captures the interpersonal relationships of any old small town with wry wit.
reviewed The Witches of Eastwick on + 21 more book reviews
Interesting book.
reviewed The Witches of Eastwick on + 272 more book reviews
I loved the movie, but I had a hard time getting into the book.
sal1120 avatar reviewed The Witches of Eastwick on + 69 more book reviews
pretty good book