I really liked this book, but could only give it three stars. The problem was most of the stories condoned extra-marital affairs, and I believe in monogomy so the subject matter was a bit touchy. All the stories take place in a retirement community where a bunch of people live. The women are real yentas (busybodies) and you will especially enjoy the book if you are aware of jewish culture. The best story was the one about a new widower and all the old ladies who were trying to get their hooks into him. He was totally unaware of the reasons behind their actions. I also enjoyed the story about the old couple whose sons hate each other, and how much the mother wants them to be friends. I can relate, I hate my siblings and they hate me, and there is my poor old jewish mother in the middle!

The book is an easy, fun read and if not for the extramarital affairs, I would have given it a 5

I listened to this book on tape in the car and frequently found myself talking back to it, saying things like: "Is the dialogue going to stay this trite?" and "You've got to be kidding." Imagine my incredulity when, halfway through this abysmal book, I found out that it had been made into a movie starring two of my favorite actors. I could tell from the trailers that the plot had been changed considerably for the film, and no wonder. But why would anyone waste millions of dollars turning a bad book into a movie?

After hearing terrible reviews of the film, I waited until it appeared on cable and finally watched it. Amazingly, it's even worse than the book, with unbelievable characters who wander through the plot jumping to the most illogical of conclusions at the most improbable times.

Readers who like good fiction would be well advised to steer clear of this plane crash of a book (and the movie too). Read "The Pilot's Wife" by Anita Shreve for a better treatment of a post-air disaster mystery.

I too got the book from the library. The pain each of them felt seemed very real. Then the pain changes to immense anger. The book is an easy read that kept my attention. If the movie succeeds then I would guess they will release a paperback of the book, but look in your library if you want it sooner. Another thing, don't expect the movie to be like the book. They have changed the names of all the characters.

I thought this was a very unique little book, and it kept my interest from the first to last page because its characters were not predictable. I liked the heroine more and more as the story progressed...she was such a strong person. And I liked the twist re. her attitude toward her little boy. Not stereotypically female at all! I don't want to spoil the plot (not at all like the movie - much, much better) but I would encourage people to read it. It's a lot of fun and thought-provoking.

If Adler is a decent writer, Cult certainly doesn't show it. This e-book suffers from slow pacing, bad characterization, and a boring plot. Adler's description of the action is often confusing and muddled. The cult--usually something ripe with conflict--is a static character. They're so dull that they are a worthless adversary. Adler gives us only the faintest glimpse of their motivations and beliefs, making it hard to believe that anyone would join or stay with the group. The characters are whiny and unbelievable. They move through a series of contrived action scenes that lend nothing to the plot. There have been better fiction books on the subject.

The book was well written and it did hold my interest, however I wouldn't consider it a thriller or a frightening story. Religious cults have been in the news and a great deal has been written about their procedures and so called brainwashing. The story brought nothing new to the issue. In fact, the story dealt lightly with a serious subject. I expected to read a story written after the author had done extensive research and maybe had something new to say. What I read was something akin to a cover story in a news magazine.

I wouldn't recommend the book. The characters are one dimensional and the story is a straight ahead narrative with no twists or turns that make a better story hold the reader's interest.

I could not give a 5 rating because nothing is perfect, but this is truely a scarey book! The comparisons made to 9/11 and Waco and Jonestown are right on! We need to be aware of how these things can happen right in our own backyards! A quick read.

I have enjoyed very much the two previous Adler books I read, so when I found this one in the library, I was all primed for a good weekend read. I am at page 184 and just closed it with a slam. I was somewhat interested in Carol and Ken's reuniting and planning a way to be together. But then when Carol's husband and Ken's wife are involved in the exact same scenario ... telling each other, "have any two humans had such out of this world sex?" I stuck with it twenty or more pages and then, mid-sentence, couldn't stand another word of such tripe.

Ken and Carol meet again, years after the passionate and sultry love affair of their youth. Each married to others, they plot together to end Carol's marriage. They must find a way to keep her wealth from falling prey to her prenuptual agreement, which could leave her virtually penniless, which Ken knows all to well, not being a financial success himself. This book is so far off the mark - it's really all over the place, including a Safari complete with raging elephants, a drunken guide who speaks swahili and sex drives that are just too much to be of any interest to the listener (or reader). This is adult material, with far too much of the sappy description of private body parts and their functions, usually reserved for the romance novel set. Reader, David Dukes not particularly proficient at the voice characterizations on this one. My advice - don't waste your time on this audio cassette.