Product Description

From the internationally renowned author of In a Different Voice, a remarkable debut novel: a love story that introduces an unforgettable character in modern fiction, Kyra, and a superb new fiction writer, Carol Gilligan. Kyra is an architect designing a new city, a woman of humor and courage living in a vibrant world of family, friends, and colleagues and determined to break out of old structures. When she meets Andreas, a director staging an innovative production of Tosca, neither wants to fall in love–and yet, inevitably, they do. Their story takes us from Cambridge and an island off the coast of Massachusetts to Vienna, Thailand, Cyprus, and Wales as Kyra seeks the deepest truths about herself, other people, loyalty, and love. This reaching leads her to commit singular acts that startle and shock, inspiring new freedom for others as well as for Kyra herself. Rich with Carol Gilligan’s signature gifts–emotional wisdom, subtle renderings of the intricacies of human relationship, conflict and choice, and lyrical prose–Kyra is a luminous, magnificent novel by a writer realizing the range of her powers.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #124272 in Books
• Published on: 2009-06-09
• Released on: 2009-06-09
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 272 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780812971231
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Publishers Weekly
Psychologist Gilligan's landmark study of gender and moral thinking, In a Different Voice (1982), set off a generation's worth of Mars vs. Venus debates. In Gilligan's poised debut novel, Kyra is a Cambridge-based architect and professor of architecture who meets Andreas, an opera director, at a friend's Thanksgiving dinner. Both have lost spouses to political turmoil. They are intrigued by each other, falling first into companionship as he persuades her to design sets for his nontraditional production of Tosca, and later into an affair. When Andreas leaves suddenly to pursue his work, Kyra spirals downward, bottoming out in a dramatic attempt to find out what is real. As Kyra begins an unconventional, sometimes combative course of therapy, Andreas floats in and out of her life. The novel's great strength is Kyra's voice, which Gilligan renders with assurance and lyricism. The result is a powerful portrait of a complex character.
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Review
“A sensuous first novel exploring the permeable boundaries of women’s inner and outer worlds.”—O: The Oprah Magazine


“A rare thing: an engrossing, deeply emotional, thinking person’s love story.”—San Francisco Chronicle

“Both a thought-provoking polemic and a love story.” —New York Times Book Review

“An enthralling novel, tender, scary, and compelling. It crackles with a fierce intelligence and keeps the reader mesmerized throughout.”—Maggie Scarf

“Ambitious . . . full of lyrical passages.”—Los Angeles Times

“The pleasures of this novel are many indeed. . . . Readers will find themselves haunted by [Kyra’s] clear call to push against the boundaries of their lives. Love is a risk that is always worth taking, Gilligan reminds us.”—New Orleans Times-Picayune


From the Trade Paperback edition.

Review
“A sensuous first novel exploring the permeable boundaries of women’s inner and outer worlds.”—O: The Oprah Magazine


“A rare thing: an engrossing, deeply emotional, thinking person’s love story.”—San Francisco Chronicle

“Both a thought-provoking polemic and a love story.” —New York Times Book Review

“An enthralling novel, tender, scary, and compelling. It crackles with a fierce intelligence and keeps the reader mesmerized throughout.”—Maggie Scarf

“Ambitious . . . full of lyrical passages.”—Los Angeles Times

“The pleasures of this novel are many indeed. . . . Readers will find themselves haunted by [Kyra’s] clear call to push against the boundaries of their lives. Love is a risk that is always worth taking, Gilligan reminds us.”—New Orleans Times-Picayune

Customer Reviews

Intreging Love Story
This novel is not your typical love story. It is a very academic read, full of references to opera, human psychology, classical music and literature. The framework of love and human relationships is explored and the therapist/patient relationship is challenged in thoughtful ways. I remember Carol Gilligan's name from my studies in graduate school. Her work in gender studies and moral development was groundbreaking. This is not a light read, it will leave you thinking about love, human tradgedy, the architecture of our lives, and the nature of human perserverence long after you put down the book. It is not for everyone, but if you would enjoy examining love at an academic level, you will enjoy Gilligan's unique approach. I found it a page turner and a real gem.

Clear, fulfilling read
This is a one-of-its kind book, not cliched like several others, and though not for everyone, it will certainly offer food for thought for many.
First off, to me it was quite clear that this was a debut novel from Gilligan. The writing is almost the same structurally throughout which made for tedious repetition. Yet the story itself is wonderful. It weaves together history, romance, and pyschology into a unique pattern of its own. In part because of her writing and treatment of the characters, the situations, though tough, do not seem too distressing or heavy. While certainly not a light read, this won't consume you.
I loved how this book chronicles a woman's journey earnestly, insightfully, but does not-for the sake of writing fiction-try to wrap her life up and tie a big bow on top in the end. Nor does it overdramatize. It is an understated, real, and a very worthwhile read.

Bravo Professor Gilligan!!!!!
Having been a fan of Gilligan's work for over 25 years as a Professor of Speech & Intercultural Communication I was excited to read her first novel. I was not disappointed!!! I found it to be a refreshingly new twist on an old theme. She kept me interested from the first page to the last. Kyra and Andreas have complicated lives that lead to a complex relationship. Gilligan wove a rich tapestry of all the nuances of difficult relationships. I was facinated not only with the love story but the ideas presented on theraputical relationship. A good read and one I'll take to my 10 year book group. Much grist for the mill!!!

Kaye Jensen Nubel