Praise for Truth and Consequences
“A delightful writer whose novels are a pleasure to read, Lurie [is] . . . a writer well worth cherishing for giving us novels that are as gracefully edifying as they are incontrovertibly entertaining.” —Los Angeles Times
“There is not one wasted word in Truth and Consequences. . . . Lurie’s language is as sharp as the claws of pain that rule Alan’s life and the pangs of guilt that threaten Jane’s. The book is delightfully readable. You are into it and out of it before you know it, but not without a fresh look at the maneuvers inside marriage.” —Chicago Tribune
“This is a comedy of adultery with a comedy of academia thrown in . . . as in the best comedies, everyone gets justice, and no one escapes it.”
—The New Yorker
“Amiable, quietly witty and readable.” —The Washington Post
“Lurie . . . is back doing what she does best.” —The Miami Herald
“Another razor-sharp satire of upper-class social norms and male-female relationships . . . a fascinating peak at the complexities of love and marriage . . . a brilliant romp . . . Lurie has created a novel that both pokes fun and commiserates with her characters, a tough feat and a wonderful read.” —Rocky Mountain News
“Alison Lurie is a master at writing about how relationships—even the best of them—can come unraveled faster than you can say ‘affair.’ Truth and Consequences strikes a chord because its protagonists must answer a difficult question we can all relate to: What happens when, as Jane repeatedly says, life is ‘all wrong’? Lurie’s characters are believable because they force us to ponder this. . . . Her ability to probe the complexity of human relationships becomes apparent, and the story offers plenty of tough insights about what it means to love someone and about the often illogical nature of human relationships.” —Star-Telegram (Fort Worth)
“Lurie’s direct writing makes her novel a compelling read, and her plot drives her characters successfully. The reader is allowed the near-voyeuristic pleasure of watching old ties die while new ones begin. Even readers who aren’t fans of romance will be enticed by Lurie’s ability to fill her story with engaging characters.” —Richmond Times-Dispatch
“A biting, funny glimpse behind the scenes of a prestigious college. . . . Lurie . . . has a light touch with college comedy, here, and her characters are true to life—spend any time around a campus and you’ll know them all . . . fun reading.” —Buffalo News
“The characters are what make this book flow. Lurie is whip-smart and very funny.”—The Associated Press
“Truth and Consequences is wise and funny, with a sublimated sexiness that keeps the pot bubbling in a way that transcends the narrowness of academic novels. Lurie is at her best when she’s sly, and she’s plenty sly here. In Truth and Consequences, she’s in top form, carefully portraying a range of deluded people but never subverting them.” —Palm Beach Post
“Lurie is a poison-pen satirist who particularly enjoys skewering academics and writers. In this tightly wound, fairy-tale parody about the ruthless self-regard of creative people and the revenge of the good and steadfast, Lurie toys with the conventions of romance. Lurie is wickedly entertaining as she mocks everything from the ego of the artist to the bossiness of the meek, and everyone lives happily ever after.” —Booklist