The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin

Book Details
The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin
Paperback, 208 Pages
2004, HarperTorch
ISBN: 0060738197

Synopsis
All the beautiful people live in the idyllic village of Stepford, Connecticut, an affluent suburban Eden populated with successful, satisfied hubbys and their beautiful, dutiful wives. For Joanna Eberhart, a recent arrival with her husband and two children, it all seems too perfect to be true -- from the sweet, accommodating Welcome Wagon lady to all those cheerful, friendly faces in the supermarket checkout lines. But just beneath the town's flawless surface, something is sordid and wrong -- something abominable with roots in the local Men's Association. And it may already be too late for Joanna to save herself from being devoured by Stepford's hideous perfection.

Review
I'd previously seen both movie versions of The Stepford Wives and enjoyed them. I was excited to see how the book differed, and more importantly, what was left out of the movies. Turns out, the movies are very closely related to the book, as the book is very, very short. It's longer than a short story, but not quite novella length. It seems like the movies may have explained things a little more clearly and in depth than the book did.

There was absolutely nothing in The Stepford Wives that was shocking. I had expected much more, but if you know the basic story, you know everything. The story is phenomenal and an absolute marvel for its time. I would have rated it a 5, but honestly, it isn't necessary to read. It's enjoyable, sure, but most everyone knows the story. Nothing new is gained or experienced by reading the book.

If you've managed to avoid hearing about The Stepford Wives, I would recommend running out and reading this book immediately. If, like me, you've known the story for as long as you can remember, I say read it, but know you're not going to come across anything truly exciting.The Stepford Wives was a wonderful story at its time and continues to have a huge impact with its forward thinking message.

Rating

Links

Ira Levin's
Website