eBook The Stepford Wives epub

I set out on a mission years ago to read as many American horror classics as I can, and I’m happy to say, I finally made my way to The Stepford Wives. I’ve always been intrigued by this story line, and have seen the movie many times over, not to mention all the new Hollywood spins on the old classic! This is writing at its finest and I’m so glad that I got to read another oldie but goodie! And to top it off, imagine my surprise when I kept studying the author’s name because it looked familiar to me. I suppose it did, when I discovered this is the same author who wrote Rosemary’s Baby. I read that classic a few years ago. Needless to say, I couldn’t wait to delve into this story and see what Hollywood got wrong?

Walter had a plan for his family. He chose the Stepford community because of its location, low taxes, great schools for his children and an excellent social setting for he and his family. After all, being the bread winner definitely had its perks, and boy was he elated when he advised his wife, Joanna, he planned to join the Stepford’s Men’s Association. Joanna couldn’t see the harm in that, besides, she planned to whoop it up with the women of Stepford and become the social butterfly she was always known to be.

The problem for Joanna was everything was super perfect in Stepford. The housewives kept their homes immaculate. Not only were the women’s homes kept in clean order, but the women themselves looked like models from a magazine. From their hair, body, clothing—you name it, everything was done to perfection. Joanna felt a bit uneasy about that. Is life supposed to be that perfect? Try as she might, Joanna did all she could do to make friends and find women who shared outside interests such as herself, like photography, politics. But, to no avail, none of the women would take the bait. What the heck was wrong with the women of Stepford? Hmm?

Eventually, Joanna found two women that seemed to be “normal” like herself, and she latched onto them like a shark to an unsuspecting swimmer. So when Bobbie, her dearest friend, asked her to watch her kid for the weekend, Joanna thought nothing of it. She wanted to see her girlfriend spend some “quality” time with her husband. Of course, when the weekend ended, and Bobbie returned to claim her child, Joanna noticed something “odd” about her.

I tell you, this story made my heart pump harder than when I’m at the gym. Even though I knew how the story was going to end, it was still an exciting read. Levin really knows how to put the reader front and center in the thick of things. I enjoyed following the clues with Joanna. Of course, this was another dynamic classic! It’s so fun to read stories of yesteryear to see how the times were then. This story was no different. It was a fun and scary read all in one. If you love the old American horror classics, you’ve got to try this one!

Wow! I saw the movie a couple times over the years but of course, as usual, the book was better! And much different. There are entire scenes in the movie that aren't in the book or are different. For instance, Joanna and Bobbie don't go to meet with Joanna's old boyfriend regarding the water analysis issue, they write a letter to a government agency instead. And the psychiatrist in the novel is patronizing and doesn't treat Joanna's concerns about Stepford as legitimate. Also, there's no climactic scene at the actual Men's Association House, the climactic scene takes place somewhere completely unexpected. The Joanna in the novel seems sweeter than the Joanna in the movie. Also, more clueless and naive. The Joanna in the movie at least seems to realize there's something wrong with her marriage, whereas the Joanna in the book doesn't seem to realize it until the end. When the guy from the Men's Association asks her to record herself reading the word list, she agrees right away. In the movie, she only agrees if he'll arrange a meeting of the Stepford wives. That meeting never takes place in the book. The Walter in the book is even more sinister than the Walter in the movie. In the movie, Walter expresses dissatisfaction with how Joanna is raising the kids, for example. He says, "I'm working 80 hours a week and my kids are dressed like they're on welfare", or something like that. In the novel, he acts very mild-mannered and agreeable, all the while knowing what he's planning to do to his wife. Another difference is that in the movie, you get the impression that Walter and Joanna don't interact that much, that he's either working all the time or at the Men's Association. In the novel, Walter and Joanna go out socially with other couples. They go to New York to visit a couple there, and they also go out several times with Bobbie and Dave. There's one scene where the four of them play monopoly together. This makes it all the more sinister, because Walter and Dave know what's going to happen to their wives, what they are going to do to them. It's also very sad, for anyone who knows what's in store for Joanna, to follow her thoughts and activities throughout the novel. For instance, she runs out of candy on Halloween because she didn't expect so many trick or treaters. She thinks to herself that next Halloween she'll know better. Of course, for Joanna, there won't be a "next" Halloween. People "smile" a lot in this novel. At some point, the smiles themselves start adding up as clues that something is not right. Another literary device Levin uses is having Joanna "look" at people a lot. Someone says something odd, for instance, and: "Joanna looked at her". There's a turning point in the novel where Joanna "looks" at Walter, but based on the context it occurs in, you realize for the first time she isn't only looking, she's also, FINALLY, actually seeing. Joanna becomes insistent that there's something wrong in Stepford, and Walter lets his smiling facade slip. He lets his annoyance and lack of respect for her show. Joanna unfortunately takes a tranquilizer that is prescribed for her by the psychiatrist, which may or may not explain why she starts to doubt herself and her own accurate perceptions at the end of the book. Or maybe it's because she's cold and exhausted and can't figure out what to do next, so she tells herself that it has to all be in her head, that her suspicions are too outrageous to be true. Only they are.

I've loved Ira Levin ever since I read The Boys From Brazil in high school. However, I never read The Stepford Wives, but saw the movie many years ago. Even knowing the plot and ending, the suspense was still incredible. It's one of those books that you can read again and again, hoping the ending is going to change. His writing is so concise and fluid, that he condenses about a four month period succinctly, building the suspense while covering the mundanity of suburban motherhood. Every day life always makes for a creepier story. Ira Levin is so good at the subtlety of spousal betrayal (I'm thinking of Rosemary's Baby, too), it makes me wonder about him and The Stepford Wives will even make you doubt the sweetest, most supportive spouse.

I've happily lived in a suburban city often criticized for being "Stepfordish." In light of the HGTV and DIY keeping-up-with-the-Joneses, uber-housewives of today (working mothers with busy kids leading an active social life while still keeping impeccable Marthat Stewartess homes), The Stepford Wives takes on a creepier vibe even with the outdated language of Women's and Men's Clubs, NOW, and the Women's Movement.