Desperate Housewives Got Nothing On Her

In reading Lawrence Block's crime fiction, I have to come to expect his proficiency in highlighting a character's desperation, his/her frailty. Turns out he's been doing that under pen names as well, as evidenced by this erotic novel originally published under the name Jill Emerson.

With Janet, a twenty-nine year old wife, Block shows a desperation of a life not yet lived. Oh, she has the loving husband and the house and the comfortable life, but it absent of passion. And as she nears her thirtieth birthday, desperation sets it. This can't be all there is. Oh no, it is not.

It begins with a brief, almost spontaneous encounter with a young man that she invited into her bed, and after that Janet's life is irrevocably altered. She sees a way out of her dull existence, leaves her husband, drains their savings, and moves to New York. From there, her experiences become more fiery, and skirt towards even manic.

Emily Beresford offers a pitch-perfect narration through the book, as Block has it written as a series of diary entires. Emily quite capably captures the prim and proper bourgeoisie, continually tempered by her obsessions, self-doubt, and fear with each subsequent diary entry.

Erotic at its core, it also offers a fair share of suspense when Janet becomes a bit overwhelmed with at least one of her encounters. It might feel a bit dated, but heck, so did 'Mad Men' on AMC and that was well-received.

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VINTAGE EROTICA

What did you love best about Thirty?

I liked the idea of an uptight woman slowly but surely losing her inhibitions.

What other book might you compare Thirty to and why?

Romancing the Fox or Twelve Doors to Ecstasy.

Which scene was your favorite?

I think the scenes with the two men were memorable because she seemed to completely let go but felt safe.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When she became suicidal after realizing how her life was made up of nothing but debauchery.

Any additional comments?

Another enjoyable story from the incredible Lawrence Block.

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A good choice for an audiobook

What made the experience of listening to Thirty the most enjoyable?

The book was done as a journal, so hearing the entries in the protagonist's voice made it feel as if you were in her head.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Thirty?

When she decides to leave her husband, after bedding the delivery boy.

What about Emily Beresford’s performance did you like?

Her voice was perfect for the POV character.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I did not have an extreme reaction to the book. Block's work is always well-written, with characters that ring true.

Any additional comments?

Again, I think that doing this particular book as an audiobook was an excellent idea, because it gave me more of a sense of being in the protagonist's head.

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1 person found this helpful

Whoa ...

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

At a little over 5 hours, listening to this book in one sitting could be difficult. You would be able to do this in the course of one day.

Any additional comments?

Thirty is the story of Jan, a housewife who at the time of her 29th birthday decides that married life isn't for her and that she needs to find herself. She finds herself in the East Village of New York. This is the late 60's/early 70's and there is a sexual freedom in the air. Jan slowly finds out who she is and writes her story down in a diary.

Thirty is a raw and graphic novel. As this book was written in 1970 some of the language/slang is very crude and may seem offensive in the modern day. Just remember what was happening during the time this book was written.

I would recommend this to my friends 18+ as the sex scenes can get pretty detailed. Over all I did enjoy this book. It does make you think.

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