"The War of the Roses", by Warren Adler

Written in 1978 this novel was translated to a film starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner in 1989 and was a huge success from the get-go. It tells the story of Jonathan and Barbara Rose iconic breakup of their marriage.

This story brings the dark side of the human nature. People just do the most horrible things to each other on the end of a marriage. Greed, materialism and selfishness whittle away at an individual’s integrity, destroy common sense and encourage turbulent feelings that lead to violence. Mr. Adler has created a masterpiece in his fictionalization of a macabre divorce.

I loved the book as much as I did watching the movie. The players antics are so vividly described I couldn’t help but picturing Douglas and Turner acting out their rage against each other, sad and funny at the same time. The narrative is well-done and entertaining. The details of how a relationship can deteriorate are extremely well-written. The dialogue is sharp, humoristic and brutal. The players are great: sexy, cruel, vengeful and resourceful.

“The War of the Roses” is a brilliant and clever book, wildly funny and deeply disturbing