Tuesday, March 27, 2012

The Actor and the Housewife by Shannon Hale

I don't know exactly what I was expecting when I began reading this novel, but it certainly was not what I got.  This novel was written by a Mormon author about a Mormon housewife, Becky who sells her screenplay to a hollywood producer and while in hollywood bumps into her big screen crush actor, Felix. Through a series of fumbles and coincidences (quite charming and comical) they end up having dinner together and sharing the evening shooting barbs and insults back and forth playfully and agreeing (though both not really believing it) to be friends forever as they parted ways. Becky goes back to her incredibly strong marriage (understanding beyond words husband Mike) and 4 children believing the chance encounter was just a fluke. But Felix calls and so begins and lifelong friendship between the housewife and the actor.
     Although things remain totally platonic, Becky never having a wayword thought away from her husband, I still felt uncomfortable reading much of the book.  I though about how I would feel if it were my husband spending hours on the phone with another woman. Becky sells another screenplay that is bought and she is chosen to play the part of Felix's love interest in the movie.  At this point, I did something I have never done in my whole life of devouring books..... I started reading another book.  I just had to absorb what was happening in this book and distract myself by getting involved in another fantasy for awhile.  I read both simultaneously.
    The author is an incredible story teller and I definitely had to keep reading.  The story takes you into some dark places (the part I didn't expect), which I really did not see coming!!! But just when I thought I was really going to get angry and hate the author.... she redeemed herself and the story ends exactly the way i felt it should. It was a really interesting novel and definitely clean! Just be ready for a definite ride.  This is not a fluff piece!
Rating : PG
Sex-kissing, a little bit of talking about how good Becky's marriage is including intimacy, but nothing graphic
Violence-zero
Profanity-D-mn 4, H-ll 4