Satisfaction

By Gillian Greenwood

Who hasn't occasionally looked at a friend and wished to swap lives--to leave behind the normal routine of their own for the excitement and intrigue of all they don't have? Is anyone ever really satisfied with his or her life? Is Amy, who married James and built a life and a family with him, satisfied by the house and the children? Or does she lie awake at night wishing she was young and glamorous like her sister Grace, or free and unfettered like her twin, Thea? And James? Is he happy? He loves Amy--of course he does--but what if he had a chance with someone else, someone sexy and fresh? Would he be able to pass it up in favor of the comfort and stability of his life? Or would he trade it all for the freedom Archie has? Archie has always been satisfied with his life--why not? With success, money, good looks, and a series of girlfriends, one prettier than the next, how could he be otherwise? But now a doctor has taken away his confidence with one terrible word, leaving him more vulnerable and alone than he ever has been before. He can't help looking at James, his best friend, and envying his life with Amy. After an affair with Archie, Amy's twin, Thea, moved to L.A. to find herself. She wanted to stake out her own territory as far away from her sister and all the complications of being a twin as possible. Back in London now, she finds herself once again longing for and terrified by all that Amy has. Even Grace, who is standing on the cusp of the success she has worked so hard for, seems to be looking for something else. Her role on a popular nighttime soap opera is limiting; she wants to move on to something bigger. And although she likes the handsome movie star she'sdating, she can't quite get over an ongoing girlhood crush. Then one week each of them comes closer to reaching true satisfaction than they ever thought possible. But as all the pieces fall into place, a terrible tragedy alters the bedrock of their friendships forever, making them take stock of what they have, what they thought they wanted, and all that they have lost. A perfect mix of love, betrayal, tragedy, and redemption, Satisfaction leads us through the lives and loves, painful failures, and uncommon successes of this close-knit group of friends.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0307351386
• ISBN13: 9780307351388
• Release Date: June 2007
• Publisher: Shaye Areheart Books
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 1.37 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.6" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

A "most satisfying" first novel

Much like a photo album catches moments in time, so Satisfaction by Gillian Greenwood captures the essential spirit that moves each member of her ensemble at specific moments of their lives, over a period of years. In Satisfaction, Greenwood favors character development rather than plot. The story revolves around three sisters and their mother, the men in their lives and the choices they make. The plot is simply a vehicle to explore the characters' feelings and responses. The author's intimate insights into the ways people face their struggles, victories, and the grind of daily existence, fascinate me. These lines from the text sum up her approach beautifully. "He felt sudden compassion for the many foolish actions his friends had put before him over the years. He could see their follies now for what they were, a probing for signs of life, proofs against death or a moribund existence." I hope those lines make as much sense out of context as they do within the confines of the book. In essence, sometimes we do things or consider doing things to mix things up a bit--just to see what would or could happen. All of us have seen marriages thrive or dissolve, careers climb or crash, games won or lost--all on account of someone's impulsive behavior--individuals acting out the "what ifs" of their lives. To understand this behavior as a way to feel more alive makes it easier to feel compassion for the human condition and the sometimes irrational choices we all occasionally make. Though a skillfully written and entertaining book, the value of Satisfaction rests more in having read the book than reading it. I feel like a better, more compassionate person for having spent a few hours reading this book. .And it's likely the effects of Satisfaction will last long after I've forgotten most other books. Armchair Interviews says: Great expectations and unfulfilled promise illuminate Gillian Greenwood's fine first novel, Satisfaction.