Marry Me — Great Novel

Finished Marry Me by John Updike today. The book tails off a bit in the last fifty pages, but generally it’s a total winner. Especially after reading the appalling Kiran Desai, Updike’s prose sings. The novel is about two couples having adulterous affairs with each other. It’s a lyrical but very funny book, and never lurches into satire. The painful, guilty conversations that the lovers have are so realistic, you’ve got to think Updike has been through a similar experience.