The Love of a Good Woman

by Alice Munro
The Love of a Good Woman cover
Good Books rating 4.5
Short Story Collections
Buy online
Waterstones
Paperback • £9.99
Amazon
Format/Price Check
Technical
  • ID: 3105
  • Added: 2025-10-16
  • Updated: 2025-10-16
  • ISBN: 9781448162963
  • Publisher: Random House
  • Published: 2013-10-21
  • Formats: 1
  • Reviews: 3

Alice Munro's 'The Love of a Good Woman' is a captivating collection of short stories that peel back the layers of ordinary women's lives to expose their passions, contradictions, and unexpected behaviors. Munro's characters are anything but conventional; they are unruly, unpredictable, and often surprising, challenging the notion of what it means to be a 'good woman.' Through her sharp and insightful prose, Munro explores the hidden desires and disturbing thoughts that lie just beneath the surface of everyday life. From women leaving their families to pursue unsuitable lovers to those who push the boundaries of societal norms, these stories are a testament to Munro's ability to capture the complexity of human nature. Winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature and the Man Booker International Prize, this collection is a must-read for anyone who appreciates literary fiction at its finest.

Reviews
Mookse and Gripes · Andrew · 2019-03-21
thoughtful 4.25

The reviewer finds the collection thought-provoking and emotionally resonant, highlighting Munro's skill in creating relatable yet complex characters.

Andrew is impressed by Munro's ability to delve into the lives of her characters, revealing their innermost thoughts and struggles. He finds the stories to be a meandering tale about the unknown and the potential damage of both keeping and divulging secrets. Andrew appreciates the emotional depth and complexity of the characters, noting how Munro's writing resonates with readers long after they finish the book. He also highlights the timeless quality of the stories, which continue to be relevant and thought-provoking.

Quick quotes

    It is a meandering tale about the unknown, as well as the potential damage of both keeping and divulging secrets.

    Munro's ability to delve into the lives of her characters, revealing their innermost thoughts and struggles.

    The stories resonate with readers long after they finish the book.

NovelNiche · 2014-03-17
insightful 4.50

The reviewer appreciates the intricate exploration of human nature and the subtle complexities of relationships. They highlight Munro's ability to weave everyday life with profound emotional depth.

The reviewer is captivated by Munro's storytelling, which effortlessly blends the mundane with the extraordinary. They particularly admire how Munro delves into the lives of her characters, revealing their innermost thoughts and struggles. The reviewer finds the collection thought-provoking and emotionally resonant, praising Munro's skill in creating relatable yet complex characters. They also note the timeless quality of the stories, which continue to resonate with readers long after they finish the book.

Quick quotes

    A man, an optometrist named DM Willens, loses his life to the Peregrine River in 1951.

    The reader learns this through the object that opens 'The Love of a Good Woman'.

    Munro's ability to weave everyday life with profound emotional depth is truly remarkable.

The New York Times · Michiko Kakutani · 1998-11-01
brilliant 4.75

The reviewer finds Munro's characters deeply authentic and her writing style unparalleled. They compare her work to Chekhov's for its purity and depth.

Michiko Kakutani is struck by Munro's ability to create characters that feel utterly real and relatable. She compares Munro's writing to Chekhov's, noting the purity and depth of her character portrayals. Kakutani appreciates how Munro's stories explore the complexities of human relationships and the decisions that shape our lives. She finds the collection to be a masterful exploration of the human condition, filled with moments of both melancholy and joy.

Quick quotes

    Munro's feel for her own characters is, in contrast, as pure as Chekhov's and as unviolated by any appeal to an external system of thought.

    Her stories explore the complexities of human relationships and the decisions that shape our lives.

    The collection is a masterful exploration of the human condition, filled with moments of both melancholy and joy.

Appears in Lists