Title: Cheap Tricks
Product review: Okay, Updike is a master, and I've enjoyed many of his books through the years. In "Villages" a bored suburban husband turns to a life of petty adultery in all it's various forms. As the main character Owen studs his way through the married women in his wife's circle, each provides insight into his character, sagely extolling his virtues; he is such a little boy, so innocent, sweet, so... Eeh gads, Updike, what were you thinking? I was hoping for a bit more depth, more exploration of the complexities of marriage, middle age and beyond. Is sex, frequent phallic worship and a return to fetal-like maternal comforts all a man thinks about? That seems the central message of this book. Poor Phyllis, the only really interesting character is conveniently bumped off at the end giving our "hero" a get out of jail free card. A tidy and unexpected soap opera ending.
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