The War of the Roses
A Novel
Now a major motion picture, The Roses, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman, Warren Adler’s iconic 1980s tale of a crumbling marriage—an era’s defining portrait of a macabre divorce.
“Terrifying, black-humored, black-hearted and bristling.” —Gillian Flynn, New York Times bestselling author of Gone Girl
ISBN
9781638932956
Language
English
Page count
208
Edition
Paperback
Sale date
July 22, 2025
Dimensions
5.5 x 8.25
About the Book
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 . . .
Reviews
“Brilliantly captures the chaos of divorce, turning a personal tragedy into a universal truth.”
“Brutally honest and darkly humorous, revealing the complexities of love.”
“The divorcing Roses go to battle over their beautiful home and the objects in it―and take revenge to stunning heights. You may have seen the fantastic 1989 film with Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas, but the book is even more terrifying, black-humored, black-hearted and bristling, because you’re trapped inside the self-justifying, increasingly mad minds of Jonathan and Barbara Rose.”
“A darkly twisted, sharply written, rabbit-hole of a story.”
“Warren Adler’s sharp wit transforms the turmoil of a crumbling marriage into a captivating narrative that resonates with anyone who’s loved deeply.”
“A profound exploration of love’s complexities.”
“A darkly comic study of a viciously disintegrating marriage.”
“One of the OG classics of domestic noir, Warren Adler’s The War of The Roses remains as sharp as a thorn and as deliciously dark as when it first arrived decades ago. The cat and mouse between the vicious, cutthroat Roses plays out in splendid fashion! An engrossing, exquisitely entertaining portrait of a divorce gone wickedly off the rails. I could not put it down!”
“Adler masterfully depicts the absurdity of love’s end, reminding us that every relationship has its battles.”
“A poignant commentary on relationships, exposing the thin line between love and hate.”
“Skillfully blend[s] humor and heartbreak in a story that feels both personal and universal.”
“With an updated cover and author revisions, this novel continues to delight dark-humored souls. . . . For those with a taste for revenge and the darkly comic, for those who would enjoy a sharply written story filled with dynamic, puerile acts of antagonism: this beach read is for you.”
“In War of the Roses, Adler illustrates that the end of love can be just as compelling as its beginning, making us question the nature of commitment.”
“If you are looking for a high-octane tale of marital dysfunction with guaranteed laughs (however acidic), The War of the Roses is endlessly diverting.”
“A very, very funny novel.”