Book Review: The Divorce Party by Laura Dave

I wonder if I’m just weird (I’s like to think if it as “unique”), or if you readers do this as well. My process for buying new books at the book store is simple: I go through the Literature section, pick out any book whose cover looks appealing, then sit down and read the first page of each book. Then, I buy the books I want! I know, it’s time consuming, but I often come across novels I would have never heard of.

This brings me to the book of the day, which had an appetizing and yet somehow chic picture of a cloud, some rain, and a large piece of red velvet cake. I’m talking about The Divorce Party, by author Laura Dave. The novel does indeed feature a bizarre divorce party, but has so much more to offer. I really expected a kitschy, adult version of “Gossip Girl”, but instead, Dave impressed me wither ability to capture a reader based on fast moving plot, and humored commentary.

Dave centers the book on 2 main characters, Gwyn and Maggie. Gwyn is the older woman who is in control. She is still amazingly beautiful, and throwing a party to end her decades long marriage; thus, a divorce party. Maggie is a young food critic who is getting ready for a lot of new things in her life: a fiancé, then a marriage, a new business with that fiancé, and becoming the owner of that restaurant. You would think that this is enough, but little does Maggie know that her fiancé’s past holds a lot of secrets for her to find out. She arrives to meet his parents, Gwyn (yes, that Gwyn) ad Thomas, on the eve of their divorce party. Let me just say, the divorce party is not even the half of it.

I have to say I really loved Dave’s style of writing. If I had to capture it in one word, it would elegant. Check it out for yourself here on amazon.com.

PS- The book is being turned into a movie! I am very excited to see who will playing who, so I suggest catching up on the reading part now!