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renshow's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Murder
oliviaclaire's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I seem to be on a run of stories with a great or unusual premise that just don't quite deliver. The Husbands confronts the issue of unequal roles in the household by introducing a small utopia outside Austin TX where the male partners in every household are equal if not majority caretakers, cooks and cleaners in their homes and families. Nora Spangler, an overworked attorney up for partner and soon to be mother-of-two, is amazed and relieved when the women of the neighborhood convince her that her family can be just the same but obviously, everything is not what it seems.
I enjoyed some of the web blogs and news articles (including comments) used between chapters to highlight some of the issues plaguing women at work and at home and there were definitely moments when I felt for Nora in her relationship with her husband Hayden. Weaponised incompetence is a term that most definitely springs to mind... but overall this book just didn't stick the landing for me.
Part of the issue with the mystery element of the book is that it's quite obvious early on who is pulling the strings and who our villains are likely to be. Obviously, the wives must be doing something to their husbands to create this forward-thinking paradise and it just so happens that one of them is a psychologist and another a neurosurgeon. Points if you can guess who might be culpable... It's not exactly threading a lot of potential villains or plot twists into the mix.
The other issue is that Nora just isn't a likeable character. I feel for her predicament but she just bottles up all of her issues and then when her husband becomes a paragon of fatherly virtue at home she has no problem taking full advantage of the situation from the off and basically using him as the help. It's not even a slow tipping point from him pulling his weight and her seeing this as a pleasant change of pace before realising he's now gone too far. She's absolutely wrapped up in herself and ready to make the most of her own upgraded spouse.
As I said, strong premise and unique idea but lacked something in the execution that made it hard to feel for the characters or stay absorbed in the mystery.
I enjoyed some of the web blogs and news articles (including comments) used between chapters to highlight some of the issues plaguing women at work and at home and there were definitely moments when I felt for Nora in her relationship with her husband Hayden. Weaponised incompetence is a term that most definitely springs to mind... but overall this book just didn't stick the landing for me.
Part of the issue with the mystery element of the book is that it's quite obvious early on who is pulling the strings and who our villains are likely to be. Obviously, the wives must be doing something to their husbands to create this forward-thinking paradise and it just so happens that one of them is a psychologist and another a neurosurgeon. Points if you can guess who might be culpable... It's not exactly threading a lot of potential villains or plot twists into the mix.
The other issue is that Nora just isn't a likeable character. I feel for her predicament but she just bottles up all of her issues and then when her husband becomes a paragon of fatherly virtue at home she has no problem taking full advantage of the situation from the off and basically using him as the help. It's not even a slow tipping point from him pulling his weight and her seeing this as a pleasant change of pace before realising he's now gone too far. She's absolutely wrapped up in herself and ready to make the most of her own upgraded spouse.
As I said, strong premise and unique idea but lacked something in the execution that made it hard to feel for the characters or stay absorbed in the mystery.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence and Murder
Minor: Domestic abuse
jkc's review against another edition
tense
slow-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
kaylahcc's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood and Murder
ncoletti's review against another edition
challenging
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Death, Blood, and Murder
lannies's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Murder, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Physical abuse
lit_with_lauren's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Fire/Fire injury
babayagaofficial's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Girlboss, Gatekeep, Gaslight: The Book.
Kind of painfully white and hetero and upper-middle-class, but enjoyable in spite of it.
The few women of color felt really tokenistic to me — one Black, one East Asian, one South Asian, check, check, check! Does that have any effect on their lives or personalities at all? Nope!
Kind of painfully white and hetero and upper-middle-class, but enjoyable in spite of it.
The few women of color felt really tokenistic to me — one Black, one East Asian, one South Asian, check, check, check! Does that have any effect on their lives or personalities at all? Nope!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Sexism, Blood, Grief, and Pregnancy
Minor: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
painausten314's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Murder
Moderate: Death, Misogyny, and Fire/Fire injury