TheWaroftheRoseshasovertimeemergedasasynonymformoderndivorceanditsemotionalaftershock.Sinceitspublication,ithasspawnednumerousfilmandstageadaptations,promptedendlessdiscourseonthedynamicsofdivorce,andhasbecomepartofthelegaljargondescribingtheproceedingsthatfollow.Adler’siconictaletakesusfromsuburbanblisstoadeadlyterritorialbattle.JonathanandBarbaraRoseareatfirstglancetheperfectcouple.Jonathanhasastablelawcareer;Barbaraisanaspiringgourmetentrepreneurwithapromisingp?térecipe.Theirlargehomeholdstherichantiquecollectionthatoriginallybroughtthemtogether,aswellasthelovingfamilialbondthatintertwinesthemwiththeirchildrenEveandJosh.WhenJonathanfindshimselfsuddenlygrippedbywhatispresumablyaheartattackandBarbaraconfrontsthelovelessspelllingeringbetweenthem,thesun-soakedskythatwasoncetheRosefamilyuniondriftsintoatorrentialdownpour.Theirmutualhatredbecomesammunitioninadomesticwarfarethatescalatesinthemostunpredictablewayswhiletheyhelplesslyeyetheirdwindlingnuptialflame.Inthechaosthatunfolds,Adlerallowsamomentofmuchneededcontemplationontheshapeoftoday’smatrimonialbonds.TheWaroftheRosesilluminatestherelationship-shatteringmaterialism,contempt,andselfishnessofhusbandandwifebyposingatimelessquestion:howfararewewillingtoallowourmaterialpossessionsthepowertodefinewhoweare?Aretoday’smarriageshauntedbythestruggletogeteven?