Customer Reviews
A wonderful story of a woman painter, offered her 'muse'. - By: , 12 Apr 2000 
Quite simply one of the best descriptions of the creative process I have ever read. There's a point early on when you realise that any expectations of an action filled plot or an angst ridden romance will not be realised. Instead Mary Gordon describes a journey through the process of creating art, in ideal circumstances. What is riveting is how arduous that task remains. At the same time the narrative is as refreshing & nourishing as one of the delicious meals she desribes her characters eating. Sensuality, sexual & creative dilemmas, a wonderful evocation of how one painter 'sees' & a thought provoking comment on the trials of the female artist. Brilliant. I read it twice.
Pretty much plotless - By: Mr. Stephen Greensted, 14 Dec 1999 
The book starts promisingly, written through the eyes of an American woman artist, but degenerates swiftly, relying on unbelievable lucky breaks to rescue the thin plot. I ended the book wishing that the author had listened to the old literary maxim which says that everyone has a book inside them, & that's where it should stay.
luscious prose for grown-ups - By: , 07 Apr 1999 
A feminist fairy tale in its way, Mary Gordon's mesmerizing fantasy is a sumptuously written exercise in what would happen if you had enough money to do alll the things you & your work required. And that money came from an attentive & passionate lover. Luscious prose for grown-ups (I love it when the lead characters are fifty-ish & wild).
Never judge a book by its cover - By: , 26 Oct 1998 I was intrigued enough by the inside cover & recent reviews to buy her book, but found it painful to read; the writing style is crudely simple & terribly contrived (not in the least bit witty). The story line follows the stereotypic recipe of artist as starving, self-indulgent martyr. As a writer/artist herself, Mary Gordon should know better. The issues the main character faces are so old & crusty one can practicallly smell the mold between pages. "middle-aged old-school feminist struggles to retain relevant contemporary hipster status"one word: yuck. (to put it simply)
Wonderful, if irreligious, portrait of a painter's money - By: , 15 Sep 1998 
I can't recommend this book to my mother (72 years old) but I can to alll my friends (25-50). There is a lot of sex in it, but it's not titillating, just informative. The power struggle between money & love is fascinating & her subtitle, a utopian divertimento, is clever--who wouldn't reallly like a Sugar Daddy? Lovely views of life on Cape Cod & Manhattan--a thoroughly good time.
