Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons

Audrey is a protagonist, point-of-view character, and a founding member of the Angry Housewives. She comes from an Italian family that lives in the Chicago area. Her father is part of an important law firm and her grandfather patented several inventions, the royalties of which help support her. Audrey is a sensual, curvy woman who enjoys sex and likes wearing clothing that makes her feel sexy and flirtatious. She believes in monogamy, and is hurt when she realizes that her husband is having sex outside their marriage. She eventually divorces him but does not hold a grudge; instead, she remains on friendly terms with him and his new wife, Cynthia. Audrey loves her sons but did not provide them with much discipline or guidance when they were growing up, and her son Davey’s wildness causes her concern.

Initially, Audrey does not consider herself a spiritual person—she is more of an earthy type. However, she accepts that she saw the spirit of her grandfather after his death, and she will occasionally have flashes of insight that turn out to be premonitions. At a lonely point after her divorce, Audrey finds support in her friendships with both the housewives and her neighbor, Grant, and she is buoyed when she begins going to church. After she is visited by what she believes is a vision of God, Audrey receives pastoral training and becomes a pastor.

As a pastor, Audrey maintains her irreverence and love for children. She becomes a youth pastor and helps those with terminal illnesses. She is a loving, practical, accepting person who tends to be both prosaic and optimistic, and she is a loyal friend and devoted mother. She enjoys being around other people, inviting Grant to live with her, as they both remain single. She remains hopeful that she will find true love, but doesn’t resent any of her life circumstances. In maturity, she is still the same easy-going, relaxed, tolerant woman she was in her youth.

Slip is another protagonist, an occasional point-of-view character, and a founding member of the Angry Housewives. She grew up in New Jersey with a brother, Fred, and a father who gave his children what he thought of as Indigenous nicknames: Slip was Warrior Bear, and Fred was Laughing Spaniel. Slip’s given name is Marjorie, but grew up with the nickname Slip due to her small stature. She is short, compact, flexible, and very strong. Well into adulthood, she can do flips and walk on her hands, and she can also beat her male relatives at arm wrestling.

Slip’s physicality reflects her temperament. She has a reactive, hot-tempered personality and feels strongly about issues of social justice. She is the activist of the group, the outspoken feminist, and the one most likely to participate in a protest. She has a strong and nurturing relationship with her husband, Jerry, who is a meteorologist and appreciates Slip’s outspoken, opinionated nature. Slip likes to remain active, both physically and in supporting social causes. She frequently disagrees with people; when she quarrels with Audrey, she holds a grudge, but when Audrey makes an overture of peace, Slip takes it.

Slip’s main struggle in the book is coming to terms with the suffering of her brother, Fred, after he fights in the Vietnam War and has post-traumatic stress disorder. Slip is also challenged with a cancer diagnosis. She is honest and forthright, and is bothered when she learns that people have kept secrets from her, like Merit’s abuse and Faith’s past. Slip is fiercely loyal to the people she loves and is proud of her children, especially of Flannery writing a novel. Slip proves true to her warrior nickname and keeps fighting to the end.

Kari is a protagonist, a point-of-view character, and one of the five founding members of the Angry Housewives. She is of Norwegian descent and was married to Bjorn, who died before the story’s opening. Kari is a bit older than the other housewives and worked as a teacher while she was married.

Through Kari, the novel illustrates how being a good mother is independent of biological parentage. Kari is devoted to her family, especially her brother Anders and her niece, Mary Jo. Their closeness is what makes Mary Jo turn to Kari when she becomes pregnant, and Kari doesn’t hesitate to take in Julia. Kari finds fulfillment and her life’s joy in being Julia’s mother. She is resilient, as illustrated by her response when people comment about Julia being half-Black.

Through Kari, the novel also illustrates the importance of honesty and communication. Kari keeps Julia’s parentage a secret at Mary Jo’s request, and is deeply hurt by Julia’s rejection when Julia feels that Kari lied to her.

Kari has a strong nurturing instinct and is creative in sewing and baking. Her Christmas parties are an annual event that everyone in the neighborhood enjoys. Kari is tolerant and forgiving, always finding the best in a situation and keeping her chin up. She is a steady source of support for the other housewives and never takes sides. She is optimistic, remaining hopeful even when Julia is angry at her. Kari learned how to handle grief when her husband died and relied on the support of her family to help her through her mourning; when others hurt, she provides this same acceptance.

In some ways, Kari is a static character. She is a deeply kind, reliable, loyal person and remains so from the beginning to the end of the novel. On the other hand, she experiences growth. She learns the importance of honesty, even when the truth can potentially hurt someone. In this way, she is also dynamic, changing during the novel’s course.