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The Divorce Papers: A Novel
Author:
Rieger, Susan
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Class:
Fiction
Age: Adult
Language: English
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LC: PS3618.I
Print Run: 70000
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ISBN-13: 9780804137447
LCCN: 2013027552
Imprint: Crown
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Pub Date: 03/18/2014
Availability: Out of Print Confirmed
List: $25.00
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Hardcover
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Physical Description:
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461 pages ; 25 cm
H 9.49",
W 6.47",
D 1.5",
1.56 lbs.
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LC Series:
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Brodart Sources:
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Brodart's Insight Catalog: Adult
Brodart's TOP Adult Titles
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Bibliographies:
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Awards:
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Kirkus Starred Reviews
Publishers Weekly Starred Reviews
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Starred Reviews:
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Kirkus Reviews
Publishers Weekly
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TIPS Subjects:
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Domestic Fiction
Legal Fiction
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BISAC Subjects: |
FICTION / Women
FICTION / Humorous / General
FICTION / Literary
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LC Subjects:
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Divorce settlements, Fiction
Divorce, Fiction
Domestic fiction
Domestic relations, Fiction
Epistolary fiction
Epistolatory fiction
FICTION / Contemporary Women
FICTION / Humorous
FICTION / Literary
Legal stories
Women lawyers, Fiction
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SEARS Subjects: |
Divorce, Fiction
Divorce, Law and legislation, Fiction
Domestic fiction
Domestic relations, Fiction
Epistolatory fiction
Legal stories
Women lawyers, Fiction
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Reading Programs: |
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| Annotations |
| Brodart's TOP Adult Titles | 12/01/2013 |
| A criminal law associate who loathes face-to-face client encounters finds herself unexpectedly agreeing to tackle a Mayflower descendant's divorce case when the rest of the big partners leave 29-year-old Sophie Diehl to conduct what should be a simple interview. Debut Novel, 496pp., 70K, Auth res: New York, NY |
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| Starred Reviews: |
| Kirkus Reviews | 01/01/2014 |
| A brutally comic chronicle of high-end divorce told through letters, emails and a huge pile of legal memorandums. This is the first novel from Columbia Law School graduate Rieger. Brilliant 29-year-old Sophie Diehl is an up-and-coming criminal defense lawyer in the prestigious firm of Traynor, Hand, Wyzanski in the fictional New England state of Narraganset. Mia Durkheim, nee Meiklejohn, the daughter of one of Traynor, Hand, Wyzanski's wealthiest clients, has been served divorce papers by her husband of 18 years, pediatric oncologist Daniel. After Sophie fills in for the firm's vacationing divorce specialist, Fiona McGregor, to take Mia's initial interview--transcript provided--Mia decides she wants Sophia to represent her. Sophie reluctantly accepts the civil case under pressure from managing partner David Greaves. The intimacies of Mia and Daniel's marriage are laid bare largely through Mia and Sophie's emails and Sophie's detailed memos to David about the case's progress. The couple's skirmishes are comically vicious, while the issue of custody concerning their sensitive, precocious 10-year-old daughter deepens the marital drama. As Sophie gears up to battle the sleazy New York lawyer Daniel has hired, she also must contend with Fiona's ruffled feathers and office politics involving ethnic, class and gender issues brought to light in a flurry of interoffice memos--shades of The Good Wife. Meanwhile, Sophie's emails to her best friend chronicle a nonstarter romance and her complicated relationships with high-achieving, eccentric parents whose divorce still troubles Sophie. Rieger pulls out every legal document connected to the case, including witness affidavits, settlement offer breakdowns and legal invoices. Extremely clever, especially the legal infighting; this book should prove hugely popular with the legal set as well as anyone who has ever witnessed a divorce in process. 496pg. KIRKUS MEDIA LLC, c2014. |
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| Publishers Weekly | 11/18/2013 |
| In Rieger's clever and funny debut--an epistolary novel told through memos, e-mails, and letters--Sophie Diehl is a criminal lawyer, working for a law firm in the fictional state of Narragansett in New England, similar to Massachusetts. As she says herself, "I like that most of my clients are in jail. They can't get to me; I can only get to them." One of the firm's managing partners asks her to do an intake interview for Mia Meiklejohn Durkheim, daughter of one of the firm's most important clients, whose husband served her with divorce papers at a local restaurant. Sophie reluctantly acquiesces and has to learn how to handle a divorce case (rather than a criminal one), while juggling family dynamics, nasty interoffice politics, and the ups and downs of her own romantic life, all as the year 2000 approaches. Lovers of the epistolary style will find much to appreciate. Rieger's tone, textured structure, and lively voice make this debut a winner. Agent: Kathy Robbins, Robbins Office. (Mar.). 496p. PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, c2013. |
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| Journal Reviews |
| BookPage | 03/01/2014 |
| An epistolary tale told through emails, interoffice memos, legal documents and handwritten notes, The Divorce Papers is a witty and engaging first novel from author Susan Rieger. As is obvious from the title, the book features a divorce at its center. However, Rieger makes it about much more as she covers topics ranging from childhood trauma and fresh romances to office politics and literary theory. Sophie Diehl is a criminal law associate living in New England and apprehensively approaching her 30th birthday. She is horrified when her boss hands her a divorce case on a week when the firm's experienced divorce lawyers are away; she prefers the minimal-contact work she specializes in and, as a child of divorce herself, wants nothing to do with handling one. But when her efforts to extricate herself from the case fail, she finds herself immersed in the extremely bitter marriage dissolution of Mia Meiklejohn (her client) and her wealthy oncologist husband, Dr. Daniel Durkheim. The case involves not only infidelity and dramatic clashes, but also a troubled 10-year-old daughter. While this plot might sound like an overwrought soap opera with a chick-lit slant, the execution is funny and intelligent. Rieger herself went to Columbia Law School and has worked as an attorney and university administrator, and her prose--peppered with literary, historical and philosophical references--is whip smart. And although there is no traditional narration, the reader becomes well acquainted with Sophie and her inner world, particularly through emails sent to her best friend Maggie, her new boyfriend, her parents and her charmingly erudite boss, David Greaves. The narrative flow does stumble at times, particularly when several pages of full legal documents are presented; while Rieger obviously has a great enthusiasm for the intricacies of the law, some readers might find these sections tough to slog through. But overall, The Divorce Papers is a sharp read and an impressive debut. Rebecca Stropoli. 480pg. BOOKPAGE, c2014. |
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| Booklist | 02/01/2014 |
| Sophie Diehl is a young law associate working for a well-established New England firm. She specializes in criminal law, working with people behind bars, at least partly to avoid the face-to-face contact family law requires. But with the other associates out of town, Sophie is called to do an intake interview for a divorce case. She agrees, with the stipulation that her involvement ends when the interview is over. Instead, the high-profile client takes a shine to Sophie, insisting Sophie handle her divorce. With heavy support from her boss, Sophie agrees to tackle this new challenge, becoming a better, more confident lawyer in the process. Rieger presents her story in epistolary fashion, through personal correspondence, office memos, e-mails, articles, and legal papers, giving the novel an almost voyeuristic feel. Where Rieger excels is with her characters. Sophie and her crowd are witty, insightful, and interesting people. Although the legal documentation gets heavy at times, Rieger's method of delivery makes her first novel a refreshing and absorbing read. Gladstein, Carol. 496pg. AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, c2014. |
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| Library Journal | 02/15/2014 |
| Sophie Diehl is a criminal lawyer, and she prefers working with the incarcerated. However, filling in for a vacationing colleague results in her handling a divorce case--and not just any divorce case but that of a major client's daughter, Mia Meiklejohn Durkheim. Sophie works through this assignment while simultaneously trying to come to terms with her complicated love life and her own divorced parents. VERDICT This debut novel is written in what the author calls "Epistolary 2.0" through emails, memos, and the occasional note. While this concept is intriguing, the legal documents on Mia's divorce bogs down the pace. Though these items are easily skipped without losing the story line, they are numerous enough to disrupt the flow of the novel. At a certain point, one wonders why these incredibly detailed legal agreements are in the book at all. At the same time, Sophie becomes rather whiny when her family life and love life are not perfect, though there's really not much wrong to begin with. The only saving grace is the character of divorcee Mia, who manages to be funny and real. Brooke Bolton, North Manchester P.L., IN. 496p. LIBRARY JOURNAL, c2014. |
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9780804137447,dl.it[0].title
| Review Citations |
| New York Times Book Review | 06/01/2014 |
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