The Wednesday Group
by Sylvia True
Normally, I can handle a heavy book, but this particular novel hit a little too close to home and I read it as quickly as possible so I could move on to less depressing subjects. The Wednesday Group stars five women in a support group similar to Al-Anon. The ladies in this group share a common sorrow and secret shame: their husbands are sex-addicts. Each has a different experience and situation, and the mediator tries her best to keep everyone’s input helpful and sympathetic, rather than hurtful. It’s often tempting to lash out at people you know will take it rather than the one who’s really been hurting you.
The reason this book is so difficult to read is because of its realism. Miraculously, it’s Sylvia True’s first novel, and I don’t know how she did it. Unless she mediated a similar such group in real life and decided to fictionalize her findings in a novel, she has the greatest imagination than even the best fantasy writer. To any reader who’s known someone with an addiction (regardless of the type) this novel is extremely painful to read about. To any reader who’s engaged in battle against her spouse, this might be too heavy to take on. For personal reasons, I strongly considered putting this book down and never picking it up again. I can’t really imagine the intended audience for the novel, since someone who doesn’t identify with the characters won’t understand the realism and might be looking for a more salacious read, given the subject matter. This is just too painful for me, even though it’s extremely well-written.
The reason this book is so difficult to read is because of its realism. Miraculously, it’s Sylvia True’s first novel, and I don’t know how she did it. Unless she mediated a similar such group in real life and decided to fictionalize her findings in a novel, she has the greatest imagination than even the best fantasy writer. To any reader who’s known someone with an addiction (regardless of the type) this novel is extremely painful to read about. To any reader who’s engaged in battle against her spouse, this might be too heavy to take on. For personal reasons, I strongly considered putting this book down and never picking it up again. I can’t really imagine the intended audience for the novel, since someone who doesn’t identify with the characters won’t understand the realism and might be looking for a more salacious read, given the subject matter. This is just too painful for me, even though it’s extremely well-written.