Jonathan and Barbara Rose are the perfect couple, living the dream in their beautiful house, filled with their precious antiques, their darling children, and their prized Ferrari in the garage. It’s all any red-blooded American could possibly want. But when Jonathan experiences a sudden heart attack (or so he thinks) Barbara realizes that she wants a new life, without him. There’s just one problem: they both want the house. For husband and wife, it’s not just a residence: it’s a passion, one that will escalate an ugly divorce into a full-blown battlefield, complete with weapons and casualties.
In this viciously black comedy, the Roses will each do whatever they can to destroy their better half—no matter the cost to themselves.
The War of the Roses by Warren Adler was first published in 1981 by Warner Books. It is back in print as of July 22, 2025, thanks to an upcoming new film adaptation. Zando Projects provided a galley for review.
I remember fondly the 1989 film version starring Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito. So, getting a chance to read the original novel upon which it was based was an exciting prospect. I found it quite exhilarating to jump back to a classic, one that holds up extremely well after over forty years. The story had quite a bit of details that were different than the film, so it was a fresher, darker take on an already dark story.
The material things that make up the Rose's home are just as much a character as the couple themselves. That starts right from the opening chapter where Jonathan and Barbara meet at an auction. The whole theme of materialism is one that was prominent in the 80's when the story first came to be, and it still resonates today.
I was not aware that there was also a sequel written by Adler in 2013 called The Children of the Roses. His estate will be releasing another (previously unpublished work as the author passed in 2019) in the series The Curse of the Roses late in 2025 or early 2026.
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