BookRack

Oliver’s Story by Erich Segal.

fiction

by  |  on March 6th, 2011  |  2 comments

>

Author’s note: To read my review of the Erich Segal classic ‘Love Story‘ please click here.
Here I will write about ‘Oliver’s Story’ based on Erich Segal’s follow-up to ‘Love Story’. Must say… it’s quite a let down. Probably was written… for the same reason that prompts the Czars of Bollywood to make the mandatory sequel to successful potboilers.
Plot summary of Oliver’s Story: Oliver Barrett IV found the love of his life in Jennifer Cavilleri (Jenny). And though the time they spent together was brief, it was enough to last a lifetime. Or so Oliver told himself. Now, two lonely years later, Jenny is gone and Oliver Barrett IV feels he will never love again.
Oliver doesn’t want to meet anyone, his social life becomes empty and seems to be irretrievably destroyed. His friends, father-in-law… all try to fix him up with eligible girls, but to no avail. He is lonely and lost and tries to lose himself in his work as a lawyer. The long hours don’t ease his pain, especially when he finds that his leftist views conflict with those of the senior partners at the firm. Eventually, Oliver’s inconsolable grief begins to alienate those around him, until the day he meets a beautiful and mysterious woman.
… Will Oliver find new love with Marcie Binnendale, the wealthy and beautiful heir to the Bonwit Teller fortune… and just out of a broken marriage? The two are a perfect match – equally rich and good looking, equally independent and yet vulnerable from their respective loses, and equally shy about commitment to another person. Despite his affection for Marcie, Oliver finds it difficult to leave the memory of Jenny behind, which causes major problems in his relationship with Marcie. What happens next?
The novel takes us through the decisions he makes, as a lawyer, a lover and a son.
‘Oliver’s Story’ is the sequel (1977) to the novel ‘Love Story’ by Erich Segal, turned into a movie of the same name in 1978… where Ryan O’Neal returns as Oliver Barrett IV and Candice Bergen essays the role of Marcie Binnendale. The film’s tagline is: “It takes someone very special to help you forget someone very special.”
Details of the book: Oliver’s Story: Erich Segal, pp 336, Paperback, HarperTorch, ISBN: 978-0380018444; ISBN10: 0380018446.
Photograph: The book jacket cover of Erich Segal’s Oliver’s Story. Pic. courtesy link.
Reviewed by: Roshmi Sinha.
Roshmi (34 Posts)


 
Add a comment

Comments (2)

  1. LindyLouMac Monday - 07 / 03 / 2011 Reply
    >Although it was in 1978 that I read this I also seem to recall it was a big disappointment after Love Story.
  2. Roshmi Sinha Monday - 07 / 03 / 2011 Reply
    >Absolutely! This was a total let down. I feel Erich Segal should have just let 'Love Story' be... and not followed-up on it...

Add a comment