Peyton Place (Hardscrabble Books-Fiction of New England) by Grace Metalious Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Peyton Place (Hardscrabble Books-Fiction of New England)
Book Review: A Great Novel
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one of my all-time favorite novels and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys timeless writing and mesmerizing story lines. Oddly, the least captivating person in the story is the protagonist, Allison McKenzie. She comes across as a silly, dreamy girl who needs a healthy dose of gumption, but this doesn't detract from the story. I loved the patois of the regional language, and Dr. Swain is an unforgettable character. And to think Ms. Metalious was only in her twenties when she wrote this! Unfortunately, most people I know today who are in their twenties can barely slap together a complete sentence.Book Review: A Great Piece of Pop Culture History
Summary: 4 Stars
I read this book for a class I took on pop culture fiction and was pleasantly surprised. The book is set in a small New England town mysteriously called Peyton Place after a castle set high above the village. The book follows a wide array of the inhabitants of the town, from the upper crust that bring to mind images of southern gentlemen to the 'shack dwellers' straight out of hicksville, to the run of the mill guys and gals of the teenage set. The main message of course, is that nothing is ever quite as it seems...
With that in mind, the book is very much the predecessor to the soap operas of today. There are several main characters, but every character whether mentioned over a few scant pages or in every chapter, resonates in some way to the various climaxes sprinkled from start to finish. If you are a fan of soap operas, or even dramatic television, romantic novels, or chick lit, you'll find this book and its twisting and turning storylines extremely entertaining.
What the book is notorious for is its 'naughty bits', that were quite shocking for the time period it was written and distributed in (the 50's) and even moreso for the time period the book is set in (30's-50's). I can tell you the book doesn't disappoint in the sense that it is very willing to deal with sexuality and taboo subjects in a blunt matter - made even more interesting by the knowledge we have today of life for women in the 50's and 60's.
Overall this is a great book - there are far too many plot lines to delve into in a simple review like this, but you will not be disappointed if you are looking for a nice summer read or a engaging soapy page turner.
Book Review: A Great Read!!!!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
This was a great read in any era!!! A lot of readers who read the sequel ask how come the character of Tom Markis was changed to Mike Rossi. Grace Metalious was taken to court by some one who she knew who's real name was Tom Markis. So when the sequel "Return To Peyton Place was written, the characters name had to be changed so Grace wouldn't be back in court. In Emily Toth book" Inside Peyton Place", she writes about Graces professional and private life. This was great!!! She could have been a character out of her own book!!!!!!!!
Book Review: A total hoot!
Summary: 5 Stars
This book still works! It's a joy to read (if you have a stong sense of Camp). I teach it in Polular Lit classes and students go nuts over it... indulge yourself in a high claorie literary trash-treasure! Highly recommended!Book Review: A wonderful book deserving of the title "Classic".......
Summary: 5 Stars
My mother, who was born and raised in New Hampshire, and I were having a conversation about books one afternoon. I told her that I had seen someone on the subway with a copy of Peyton Place, which inspired her to launch into some stories of the controversy that had surrounded the book upon its publication, and the scandal that reverberated through small-town New England, with each town trying to figure out if they were the subject of Metaliouss work.I finally read Peyton Place several years ago, long after it wasnt hot stuff or controversial. Certainly it isnt shocking by todays standards but the book presents an interesting view of 1950s America, far removed from the soda pop and sundae image that nostalgia has tried to recreate.
The story centers around Allison McKenzie, a girl coming of age and facing all of the challenges of growing up in a small town without a father. Her mother, Constance, is emotionally distance at the novels beginning but warms steadily as she undertakes a romance of her own. Matt Swain is presented as the doctor with a conscience, and the impoverished Cross family provides an ample contrast to the genteel country setting. The book, in many ways, reminds me of Edith Wharton- characters whose lives are woven together in a tremendous fabric of narrative and insight. All characters seem to struggle with the perceived morality forced upon them by the social morays of life in a small town, and the manner in which the deal with problems provides much of the plot that propels this book. In short, this book is wonderful and probably on my top three or four lists of favorites. Its exciting without being tawdry, and something I wish I had read a long time ago.