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The Actor and the Housewife A Novel Shannon Hale 9781596912885 Books

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The Actor and the Housewife A Novel Shannon Hale 9781596912885 Books

I have to echo the opinion of many other reviewers. Although I have to applaud Shannon Hale for wanting to write a new take on a tried and true story, her execution was awful. For me, the main thrust of the issue is, if you are going to try to convince the reader that your main characters have a relationship that is different from what people expect, then you are going to need to do more than just tell the reader it is so. The character of Becky spent a lot of time telling the reader how ecstatically she loved her husband but there was never any ensuing action to back that up and her husband Mike was so underwritten as to leave us wondering why she would feel so strongly in the first place. The result is that it is impossible to believe the premise of the story, that a man and a woman can have a deep, but non-sexual, friendship that is so strong that they cannot bear to be apart. I don't have any issues with this premise, although it was not what I expected when i picked up the book, and I certainly have no trouble believing that a woman can love a man even if he appears dull. But when it comes to storytelling, it is necessary to sell the reader on your premise, more so than you would in real life. Shannon Hale didn't do that and ultimately I was incredibly disappointed in the book and its ending.


Tags : The Actor and the Housewife: A Novel [Shannon Hale] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Becky is seven months pregnant with her fourth child when she meets her dream actor Felix Callahan by chance. Twelve hours,Shannon Hale,The Actor and the Housewife: A Novel,Bloomsbury USA,159691288X,Contemporary Women,Actors,Actors;Fiction.,Chick lit,Housewives,Housewives;Fiction.,Man-woman relationships,Pregnant women,Pregnant women;Fiction.,FICTION Women,Fiction,Fiction - General,Fiction Contemporary Women,Fiction-Coming of Age,GENERAL,General Adult,Modern & contemporary fiction (post c 1945),United States

The Actor and the Housewife A Novel Shannon Hale 9781596912885 Books Reviews

The first 1/2 of this book took FOREVER - I began to skim pages. The "best friend" relationship just didn't seem realistic - especially given the characters lifestyles (she a Mormon and he a Hollywood heart-throb). I don't want to do a spoiler, so I will say things picked up in the middle with a tragedy and I found Becky to be a character that I liked a lot. And then, the ending - just so cliché. I saw it coming from the beginning. I rarely review books, but I wouldn't spend money on this one.
The Actor and the Housewife was an emotional journey full of Shannon's usual charm and wit. It explored really well the idea of whether a men and a women can be "just friends." I got to live out the fantasy vicarioulsy of "What if you met your ultimate Hollywood crush" and it was a lot of fun. I loved this witty and sweet story that had some heartbreak in it, too. And ahhhh the culture of the '90s.
Becky, the housewife was very relatable to me. Yes, I am a Mormon housewife and her life sounds a lot like mine (except I don't make pies), but it was more than that. She's not ashamed to be a little cliche and she never apologizes for who she is which made her very likable. Becky is able to build a relationship with the actor, Felix, even though they are almost complete opposites. The real chemistry of the relationship between the actor and the housewife comes from the fact that they don't try to change each other and they respect each other. Their banter is so funny. Honestly, the relationship felt awkward sometimes, but I could really see it happening. It did make me wonder if actors do have "real" friends. One of my favorite scenes was Becky struggling to deal with her crazy kids and the actor just being in awe. It was nice to see her life through his eyes.

Now to what I didn't like. Basically, the ending.

I really wanted it to end differently. Though I can appreciate the fact that the way it did end was very non-cliche and supported the point that the story was trying to make, it left me feeling let down to the point that I kind of wondered what the point of the whole story was. My disappointment is more than just not getting my way. I felt like it hadn't really gone anywhere. Neither of the characters had changed or progressed very much.

Overall, it was an entertaining, witty story and the perfect beach read while I was on vacation. It was pure escapist fun even if I was disappointed with the ending.
Becky Jack is just an ordinary 30-something year old Mormon housewife from Utah when the completely unexpected happens. She somehow manages to sell a screenplay and then chances to meet her Unattainable Crush of a movie star, Felix Callahan. They hit it off and soon become best friends. They even end up starring in a move together (screenplay written by Becky). But happily ever after does not immediately follow since life, after all, is not a movie. Becky’s husband battles cancer, there are kid troubles, extended family issues. And then there’s the pesky little question of whether or not it is possible for members of the opposite sex to be platonic best friends at all.

Beginning with the fantasy of meeting your famous crush, and actually becoming friends with him, The Actor and the Housewife seems light and fluffy on the surface. While it is not too deep to be an enjoyable escape, it does deal with some weighty issues. What is the line that should never be crossed by friends who are married to other people? How do you deal with rumors and innuendo? What do you do when the person you love the most gets cancer? How do you grieve and help your children grieve at the same time? When (and how) do you move on with your life? I really enjoyed reading it, even though sometimes it was quite an emotional rollercoaster. I highly recommend reading this book!
I have to echo the opinion of many other reviewers. Although I have to applaud Shannon Hale for wanting to write a new take on a tried and true story, her execution was awful. For me, the main thrust of the issue is, if you are going to try to convince the reader that your main characters have a relationship that is different from what people expect, then you are going to need to do more than just tell the reader it is so. The character of Becky spent a lot of time telling the reader how ecstatically she loved her husband but there was never any ensuing action to back that up and her husband Mike was so underwritten as to leave us wondering why she would feel so strongly in the first place. The result is that it is impossible to believe the premise of the story, that a man and a woman can have a deep, but non-sexual, friendship that is so strong that they cannot bear to be apart. I don't have any issues with this premise, although it was not what I expected when i picked up the book, and I certainly have no trouble believing that a woman can love a man even if he appears dull. But when it comes to storytelling, it is necessary to sell the reader on your premise, more so than you would in real life. Shannon Hale didn't do that and ultimately I was incredibly disappointed in the book and its ending.