I’ll admit, the first time I read a write-up about The Divorce Papers I immediately told myself I would not read it. Divorce? A novel written in chapters of scattered emails and letters between lawyers and couples? Nope, not for me. And yet somehow this book crept onto my “to-read” list. And then it sat there taunting me to pick it up. So I did. While I can’t say I am wholly disappointed in this book, I will admit it was exactly what I had thought it would be. The story wasn’t really deep, or engaging in any way. I didn’t make friends or fall in love with any of the characters. Something just seemed to be missing, though I am not sure what.
I can’t really suggest a similar book for comparison. I am sure it is liked by many people out there; I am probably in the minority. It seems like everything I read about it is positive. Maybe I need to go through a divorce myself to fully appreciate this book. (I hope I never have to.) I think if I were going through a divorce, this book might be comforting, or at least something I could laugh at. It was funny in its own way–the author does have a sense of humor and knows how to use it. Be warned that this book contains quite a few characters, and they each take turns narrating their own chapters. This became a little confusing at times, but I was still able to keep a pretty good handle on the story and what was happening. If you are intrigued, then I encourage you to pick up this book–whether it be from a bookstore, a friend, or a library–and read it. Who knows, it may fit your style to a T!
Content Analysis:
Profanity/Language: 2 religious exclamations; 8 mild obscenities; 1 derogatory name; 2 scatological words; 8 anatomical terms; 5 F-word derivatives.
Violence/Gore: A character contemplates suicide.
Sex/Nudity: Adults kiss; adults touch each other tenderly; adults have a mature discussion regarding sex; a woman mentions an abortion, no detail is provided; adultery is mentioned multiple times; a wife suspects her husband is having an affair.
Mature Subject Matter:
Divorce, adultery
Alcohol / Drug Use:
Adults drink frequently.
