The characters in this novel were not well drawn enough to me to be in any way convincing. Joan is an unreliable narrator, perhaps depressed, but fails to convey how her relationship with Joe lasted for so long. The denouement, in the last 20-30 pages, was no big surprise, not even the death of one of the players. There are many, better books out there, and some may even live up to the 'hilarious' quote on the blurb - but not this one!
Discussion questions here:
http://www.litlovers.com/reading-guides/13-fiction/1159-wife-wolitzer?start=3