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The Girls
These days the news is full of reports about the graying of America, yet it’s rare that old people appear in contemporary fiction except as stock characters: the indulgent grandmother, the wicked witch. In her first novel in a dozen years, the acclaimed author of How She Died and Sweetsir gives us four grand old ladies, sisters, each unique and indelibly real, in a poignant and very funny story about the last American taboos, old age and dying.
As the novel opens, Jenny, the youngest at eighty, has flown down to Miami—that gaudy, pastel-hued haven of the elderly—to look after her two failing oldest sisters: Eva, ninety-five, always the family mainstay, and Naomi, ninety, who is riddled with cancer but still has her tart tongue and her jet-black head of hair. The fourth sister, Flora, still has her black hair too, straight out of the bottle, but no head for the hard decisions facing Eva and Naomi. An energetic eighty-five, Flora spends her time dating (“He’s mad about me, I only hope he can get it up!”) and making the rounds of the retirement homes with her standup routine, the Sandra Bernhard of the senior set.
The Girls gives us these four full-if-wrinkled-fleshed women with all their complaints and foibles, their self-absorption and downright orneriness, their unquenchable humor and immense courage. Aches and pains, wrinkles and hearing aids, wheelchairs and walkers—out of these, and out of the human spirit, Helen Yglesias fashions a novel that moves us, opens our eyes, and makes us laugh out loud.
As the novel opens, Jenny, the youngest at eighty, has flown down to Miami—that gaudy, pastel-hued haven of the elderly—to look after her two failing oldest sisters: Eva, ninety-five, always the family mainstay, and Naomi, ninety, who is riddled with cancer but still has her tart tongue and her jet-black head of hair. The fourth sister, Flora, still has her black hair too, straight out of the bottle, but no head for the hard decisions facing Eva and Naomi. An energetic eighty-five, Flora spends her time dating (“He’s mad about me, I only hope he can get it up!”) and making the rounds of the retirement homes with her standup routine, the Sandra Bernhard of the senior set.
The Girls gives us these four full-if-wrinkled-fleshed women with all their complaints and foibles, their self-absorption and downright orneriness, their unquenchable humor and immense courage. Aches and pains, wrinkles and hearing aids, wheelchairs and walkers—out of these, and out of the human spirit, Helen Yglesias fashions a novel that moves us, opens our eyes, and makes us laugh out loud.
117 pages, ebook
First published August 25, 1999
About the author
Helen Yglesias
11 books3 followersHelen Yglesias (1915–2008) is the author of five novels and several works of nonfiction. A former literary editor of the Nation, she wrote for the New Yorker, the New York Times Book Review, the Los Angeles Times, and Harper’s, among many other publications. She lived in Maine and New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
August 6, 2010
This is one of those books that you could read in one night but you stretch it to two to prolong the pleasure. I'm racking by brain to recall where or who recommended this treasure. I'd like to thank that person and see what else they've read.
As I get older, I enjoy reading stories of family, and relationships. Also, end of life issues are in the forefront of my mind as I've lost both my mother and brother this year.
The Girls in this story are four delightful sisters, Jenny, Flora, Naomi, and Eva, 80, 85, 90, and 95 respectively. Jenny is called to Florida to help Flora look after the other two, one dying of cancer and the other, failing due to age. Spirited women all! Yglesias explores the aging process and the issues of said with an expert eye and wonderful passages. There is humor and love and life in these pages. I don't have sisters but wouldn't mind be adopted by any of these. The Girls is just a lovely, little book with a great deal of heart!
As I get older, I enjoy reading stories of family, and relationships. Also, end of life issues are in the forefront of my mind as I've lost both my mother and brother this year.
The Girls in this story are four delightful sisters, Jenny, Flora, Naomi, and Eva, 80, 85, 90, and 95 respectively. Jenny is called to Florida to help Flora look after the other two, one dying of cancer and the other, failing due to age. Spirited women all! Yglesias explores the aging process and the issues of said with an expert eye and wonderful passages. There is humor and love and life in these pages. I don't have sisters but wouldn't mind be adopted by any of these. The Girls is just a lovely, little book with a great deal of heart!
August 4, 2023
I thought this book would be perfect for me, but I was sadly mistaken. Despite the fact that the sisters did end up successfully making plans for the end of their lives, they never achieved the acceptance or forgiveness that I thought was going to happen. It seemed that all they did was argue and find fault with each other and it lacked the closure that I was anticipating.
January 25, 2017
I liked the description of this book. So much written about young people, older people on the periphery only and these were very old! eighty and upwards four sisters five years gap between them and all very much aware of what is happening to them and the surroundings and their future, limited though it seemed.
Jenny has turned up being the youngest to help Flora, the flamboyant one assist in the moving of Eva and Naomi to an assisted living home. The eldest is 95 articulate and sensitive and each sister is quite articulate with Flora being the extrovert and outgoing still thinking she is attractive to the opposite sex and quite flirtatious!
Interesting read on four different characters of women, how aging affects each of us in different ways (I am sure most readers can identify with one of these women!) I was certainly able to. Very nice take on the aging process and what we should or shouldn't possibly do to avoid embarrassing our children!
Jenny has turned up being the youngest to help Flora, the flamboyant one assist in the moving of Eva and Naomi to an assisted living home. The eldest is 95 articulate and sensitive and each sister is quite articulate with Flora being the extrovert and outgoing still thinking she is attractive to the opposite sex and quite flirtatious!
Interesting read on four different characters of women, how aging affects each of us in different ways (I am sure most readers can identify with one of these women!) I was certainly able to. Very nice take on the aging process and what we should or shouldn't possibly do to avoid embarrassing our children!
September 18, 2017
I found this story about an 80 year old coming to town to take care of her older sisters (85, 90, 95) in Miami very depressing. It was well written, so I rounded up from 2.5 to 3 stars.
February 11, 2017
Honestly, this book could be used for assisted suicide. I'm not trying to be mean, but I don't think that I have ever read a more catty, depressing book than this one. I had high hopes for this when I read the blurb. It sounded like a book that would reveal family secrets and keep the reader engaged. Instead, all I got from it was the main characters accusing one another and fighting throughout the book. About the only good thing I can say about this, is that it is short.
This review is based on a complementary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
This review is based on a complementary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
September 24, 2009
This book was very whiny and negative. It was hard to like the characters because they were grumpy and mean to each other. What I got out of it was... that is not how I want to leave this world, having my sisters still bickering and jealous of each other.
December 28, 2012
As much as I wanted to like this book, it just fell short of my expectations. The characters weren't all that likable and the story was under developed, which is too bad because I liked the premise of the book and thought it could have been good.
August 21, 2021
This was an odd little book but it did hold my interest for the most part ( although the fact that is was a short read. This is the story if 4 elderly sister: Eva aged 95; Naomi aged 90; Flora aged 85 and Jenny aged 80. Their parents, brothers, and spouses are all dead. The oldest 3 sisters live in Florida and Jenny lives in Maine. Because the 2 oldest sisters are coming close to the end of their lives, Jenny travels to Florida to help take care of them. There is a lot of bickering and arguing and jealously between the sisters and most of this short story is taken up with that theme. However, in spite of all that, the sisters love and care very much about each other as they face together the last chapters of their lives.
May 28, 2017
The characters of the four elderly sisters of this story is it's strength. The topic is different, four sisters with the youngest being eighty. The story studies the familial relationship the love hare aspects and how family defines us in so many ways, how we want to be free of it and yet how it pulls us to loyalty to that basic unit. The story is well told but given the unique material, it never reaches the profound, being what is the point of this story.
October 17, 2019
What could have been a depressing tale is told with humor, compassion and common sense. Jenny, a spry 80 year old, travels to Florida to assist her 85 year old sister, Flora, in taking care of their two other sisters, Naomi who is 90 and Eva who is 95. Eva has cancer and Naomi diminishing strength. All are independent creatures and very different from each other except for one characteristic -- they all love each other in their own way.
March 19, 2020
Depressing
Sorry, but maybe because I'm 70, but I found the book to be very depressing. It is very sad to me to think the only place left when you get old is a Nursing home. If it was to show how close the sisters were U did not see it. The last thing I need to read is something depressing. I have the News to do that.
Sorry, but maybe because I'm 70, but I found the book to be very depressing. It is very sad to me to think the only place left when you get old is a Nursing home. If it was to show how close the sisters were U did not see it. The last thing I need to read is something depressing. I have the News to do that.
September 23, 2017
Good grief! Do grown women really act like this? Disliked every character except Jenny. The other sisters were either nagging, complaining, or crying. Jenny may be the baby of the family but she is the only adult in the room.
November 16, 2017
It was okay. VERY old sisters get together to plan each others' nursing home and future plans. Even though they are in their 80's / 90's they act like young children and carry their childhood attitudes and petty feelings. It was interesting to see that "some things never change."
May 6, 2017
Rather depressing . I'm in that age range.
June 13, 2017
Four sisters, now 80, 85, 90 and 95 years old are reunited when one them is approaching the end.
October 5, 2017
The girls, sisters aged 80,85,90,95, gather to take care of one another. I enjoyed seeing how they reverted to childhood behavior patterns. Very believable.
October 24, 2017
Sisters
To much detail about surroundings, landscapes etc.
These are sisters ages from 80 to 95 there should have been more of a story line about each individual's life.
To much detail about surroundings, landscapes etc.
These are sisters ages from 80 to 95 there should have been more of a story line about each individual's life.
October 26, 2017
A quick read. Fairly well written, with interesting, albeit unlikable, characters.
November 10, 2017
Depressing at best
I kept waiting for the book to get better...wanting it to get better. It had potential, but lacked entertainment. The ending was abrupt and left me wanting.
I kept waiting for the book to get better...wanting it to get better. It had potential, but lacked entertainment. The ending was abrupt and left me wanting.
December 3, 2017
Good read. Makes you look at growing older a bit differently.
March 25, 2018
Terrible do not recommend. Waste of time.
June 30, 2018
Bad Ending
Good story idea but events seemed to be random. Poor ending; it seems as though the author just decided to quit.
Good story idea but events seemed to be random. Poor ending; it seems as though the author just decided to quit.
September 10, 2019
Last days
Sisters and trying to deal with life when old age happens. Sisters will still treat each other as if they were still young.
Sisters and trying to deal with life when old age happens. Sisters will still treat each other as if they were still young.
November 6, 2019
Cute story but found at times difficult to read due to lack of punctuation.
December 3, 2020
Found this book to be sadder than expected, but still entertaining.
April 30, 2021
To be read by those 70 and older.
March 8, 2023
Short read about 4 aging sisters how they cope with getting to the end of their lives and their memories of earlier times.
August 2, 2019
Funny, sad, timely.
Loved the interaction of the sisters! No matter the age, health, or time in life, the family hierarchy is still in place.
Loved the interaction of the sisters! No matter the age, health, or time in life, the family hierarchy is still in place.
July 16, 2009
The Girls by Helen Yglesias is about Jenny's trip from Bangor Maine to Miami Florida to be with her older sisters as they prepare for Naomi's death. The women range in age from eight to ninety-five.
The blurb in the book jacket says the book is here to fill the gap in contemporary fiction where there are no older woman as characters except as stock characters: the indulgent grandmother, the wicked witch and so forth. While that may have been the goal, I don't think The Girls succeeds.
My first problem I have is with their extreme age. I realize women do tend to live longer than men (and the brothers and husbands are all deceased) but it their age ranges just didn't seem believable for all they are doing. It seems to be trope in fiction that where there is one old character, he or she must come from a large and close family. The sisters from this book fall into that trope. Having Jenny coming to visit one, maybe two sisters, it would have been more believable than having a family reunion of four.
The second problem is Naomi's cancer. The odd thing about cancer is that the younger you are the more deadly it is. New, healthy cells mutate more in the presence of cancer than old and infirm ones do. Naomi at ninety five, may very well have breast cancer but it wouldn't be as well spread through body as it's described. Again, if all the sisters were fifteen to twenty years younger, the cancer would be a real and believable family tragedy.
The third problem is their attitude. I realize Helen Ygelsias was trying to create realistic older women by avoiding making them the old dearies that so often show up in fiction. Unfortunately she goes overboard in the other direction. For the entire book they bitch and mouth off at the world. They are rude. They are crude. They are bigoted. If the sisters hate the ethnic diversity of Miami so much why the hell are they still living there? Jenny is the only who can legitimately complain as she's the outsider. And complain she does, from the very first page to the very last page.
The only character I connected with at all and who truly struck me as a believable character was Eva. She's under medical treatment for something and the medicine has affected her appearance and her mental cognition. Despite all of this she's actually the nicest of the sisters. She genuinely cares for them and worries about them (although many of her worries are delusions).
While The Girls is a noble attempt at writing literary fiction with older women for an older audience I don't think it works.
The blurb in the book jacket says the book is here to fill the gap in contemporary fiction where there are no older woman as characters except as stock characters: the indulgent grandmother, the wicked witch and so forth. While that may have been the goal, I don't think The Girls succeeds.
My first problem I have is with their extreme age. I realize women do tend to live longer than men (and the brothers and husbands are all deceased) but it their age ranges just didn't seem believable for all they are doing. It seems to be trope in fiction that where there is one old character, he or she must come from a large and close family. The sisters from this book fall into that trope. Having Jenny coming to visit one, maybe two sisters, it would have been more believable than having a family reunion of four.
The second problem is Naomi's cancer. The odd thing about cancer is that the younger you are the more deadly it is. New, healthy cells mutate more in the presence of cancer than old and infirm ones do. Naomi at ninety five, may very well have breast cancer but it wouldn't be as well spread through body as it's described. Again, if all the sisters were fifteen to twenty years younger, the cancer would be a real and believable family tragedy.
The third problem is their attitude. I realize Helen Ygelsias was trying to create realistic older women by avoiding making them the old dearies that so often show up in fiction. Unfortunately she goes overboard in the other direction. For the entire book they bitch and mouth off at the world. They are rude. They are crude. They are bigoted. If the sisters hate the ethnic diversity of Miami so much why the hell are they still living there? Jenny is the only who can legitimately complain as she's the outsider. And complain she does, from the very first page to the very last page.
The only character I connected with at all and who truly struck me as a believable character was Eva. She's under medical treatment for something and the medicine has affected her appearance and her mental cognition. Despite all of this she's actually the nicest of the sisters. She genuinely cares for them and worries about them (although many of her worries are delusions).
While The Girls is a noble attempt at writing literary fiction with older women for an older audience I don't think it works.
September 10, 2016
Really wanted to like this, but could not. The ladies all had stories which I hoped to hear, but what we get is kvetching and residue from their lifelong squabbles, mostly without sufficient context to follow on its endless meander through Miami. Made me long for the dying already. Just like their kids and grand kids. Oy, that is sad. I get it that people don't improve with age and illness. I was hoping the encounters with each other would reveal something more engaging about the sisters' strong bonds, which after all is where we enter the story. Their grief is skirted about, interrupted at every turn and overwritten by nonsense that can only lead to hair-pulling. Frustration is what I took away. The girls' solution to their pain apparently is a mani-pedi to make it all better. At best they sing. That is the reader's sign that the talking is over and off they go to bravely face their transitions. Grim. And not funny. And since when did Miami become so relentlessly heartless, soulless, loud and dirty? Obnoxious it may be but it has it's charms too, which were not found here. Even sad, whiny old Jewish (or fill in the blank) ladies are more interesting and embraceable than this snap shot portrays. I will stop whining now. Time for a nap.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews