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Open House by Elizabeth Berg

Open House

by Elizabeth Berg
  • Critics' Consensus:
  • Readers' Rating:
  • First Published:
  • Jul 1, 2000, 256 pages
  • Paperback:
  • May 2001, 272 pages
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Reviews

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There are currently 6 reader reviews for Open House
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Becca

Beauty andGrace
I have read Open House only once, and I can not find words that express quite what I feel about this novel. Here are some though. Hearfelt. Breathtaking. truthful. This book is so powerful and real that I would recommend it to anyone, young, old, stupid, brilliant, male, and female. Everyone should read this book and everyone should experience the sheer beauty of this writing. Sam is at first heartbroken at her husbands leaving, but as time goes on she becomes more independent by living on her own and by tender new love. Anybody who is not deeply moved by this book has a heart of ice (Veronica)


P.S. the movie was a bit of a disappointment though.
Kat

I am a senior in High School and I choose to read Open House on a whim for an assignment over two months. I picked the book at first because the prolouge seemed readable. Little did I know that I would finish the book in three days!(I still had to go to school other wise in one day.) It was extremely hard to put down. The character of "Sam" is very origanal for her needy interior. There were many surprising parts that shocked me enough to gasp outloud. And the "special event" and the end of the book was perfect, because I was hoping for it to happen from the begining. All in all I would recomend this book to old souls or to those going through a divorce with children. It gave me even more incite on ideal love.
Kim in CT

I loved this book and could not put it down. Open House is the first Berg novel that I have read, and I will be going to the library today to pick up another one by her. I enjoyed that Berg wrote in the first-person present and could feel in my heart and belly what the main character was feeling. It may not be an original tale (newly separated woman trying to redefine her life), but Berg writes in such a way that keeps you turning pages quickly.
S.L.B

I see that I am the first one in here to write a review about this book so the first one will make a good impressiion (I hope). Open House was really a good book,not heavy,just right for people who don't want to read about heaviness of crime,blood and guts being spilt on the highway and such.A tender book,(yes divore is not tender but tender in showing us how she handled it) Funny in the way that David left her (the was a fire in his belly!) and actually wanted to come back! Neorotic in having a mother who's insane 95% of the time and exhausperating in having a 11 year old son. I would recommened the book to everybody but I do with Elizabeth Berg ended the book differently!
Kath

Ugh
I read this book for a book club I just joined. I wouldn't have finished it otherwise. As a single mom myself, I found so many things in this book ridiculous. I found myself saying "gimme a break" frequently. Don't waste your time.
Veronica

I thought this book was quite boring. Girl marries...girl gets dumped...guy wants to reconcile...girl refuses. Nothing new here. I was unimpressed.
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