Two Women: A Novel of Friendship

by Marianne Fredriksson

Book Overview

From the author of the bestselling Hanna's Daughters comes a new novel about the power of friendship to heal us in unexpected ways. Inge, a native Swede, and Mira, a Chilean immigrant, develop a close... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0345440129
• ISBN13: 9780345440129
• Release Date: April 2001
• Publisher: Ballantine Books
• Length: 195 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.4" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Thoughtful

There are many novels out there that deal with relationships between women, but Two Women is unlike any of them. This book deals with extraordinary issues, like rape, torture, and incest, as well as the usual issues, like marriage, sex, and trust. Inge and Mira are very different. One is restrained by her logic, while the other is caught in a web of violent emotions stemming from her tragic past. Important questions arise early: Should the past remain buried? Or should it be sought? How easily should we trust other people? At what point does love become a burden? Like all Fredriksson's books, love is dealt with openly and frankly, almost unrealistically. There's none of the common coyness that one usually encounters, both in books and in the real world. Instead, people are heartbreakingly honest with each other, if not entirely honest with themselves. Lessons are learned by everyone, and often in unexpected ways. One character finds his true self by learning to paraglide, while another finds rebirth in a violent storm. In the end, the two families are strengthened by their connection, yet their imperfections persist, making them believable. Any reader will find themselves relating to these characters, despite their sometimes extraordinary circumstances.

An incredible work of prose

I have read Fredriksson's other books and this one, while slender, is definitely a keeper. I really enjoyed this novel.It is about two women with secrets held deep inside them and by chance, they met at a garden center. There is Mira, a Chilean refugee from Chile who escaped to Sweden during the uprising. There is Inge, a native-born Swedish woman who is divorced and her two daughters are in London in school. Mira is also divorced and while her husband is rarely mentioned in this novel, he was somewhat central to all that has happened in the past. And these two women begin a long friendship based on mutal respect and trust.This is a lovely book ~~ written lyrically and beautifully. Fredriksson draws the two characters with emotion and feeling and depths ~~ she introduces nightmares that every woman fears and how they both overcome it. They have discovered an inner strength within and found themselves more open and fragile as a result.If you enjoy books written about friendships, this book is for you. 12-18-03