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stitchbooks22's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I really enjoyed this and raced through it. It focuses on an important topic (domestic violence) and is set in the Covid lockdown. I think it worked really well and was very funny, despite the seriousness of the topic. The friendship that formed between the women was also wonderful to see come to life throughout the story. I’d really recommend this book!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Death, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Dementia, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Violence, and Vomit
Minor: Infertility
lorrared's review
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
“Sally. Ruth. Samira. Janey.
They all have a story. They all have a breaking point. And they all have a husband to dispose of.”
Both heartbreaking and hilarious.
Each woman is in a unique situation of long term abuse and then on top of that COVID lockdowns exacerbates the issues.
Each of their stories were heartbreakingly sad and it perfectly shows why it isn’t so easy to find a way out of abusive relationships.
Although a very dark and tough subject, Alexia managed to make me laugh a lot and enjoy the touching moments of their healing, their friendships and their support for each other. They are all likeable characters and I was rooting for them all.
The Authors Note made the subject come to life and will stay with me. This book definitely did its job, it made me laugh, but also made me think. Thank you @alexia.casale
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Murder, and Pandemic/Epidemic
broncoannee's review against another edition
dark
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Violence, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Physical abuse
readsbyhope's review against another edition
This was too content heavy on a topic that I couldn't read and it was incredibly slow paced.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Death, Pandemic/Epidemic, Murder, and Violence
emshawkes's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
With the popularity of female murderer books at the moment – several of which I’ve read – I’m surprised that my husband hasn’t started to get nervous.
But seriously, this book brings something new in the form of Domestic Violence. According to the stats in the author’s note: “on average a woman is killed by a man every three days in the UK; in the vast majority of cases that man is a current or former partner” And in America “…there are around 16-17,000 domestic homicides per year… [and] one in two female murder victims is killed by a domestic partner…” This book brings together the reality of living with Male Violence against Women and Girls (MVAWG), set against the backdrop of Covid Lockdowns when “67% of victims told Women’s Aid that the abuse they were suffering had escalated”.
This book centres on Sally, Ruth, Samira and Leila and the very, very tired new Mum. I saw her identity a coming and wasn’t surprised. Edwina the rule-abiding (busy body) neighbour also features heavily I enjoyed her story arc, going from near-hated neighbour to a supportive, wry friend. I saw her part in the story unfolding ahead of it happening as well.
Most of the book is narrated from Sally’s point of view, with bits from the other ladies as we discover how their home lives unfold for them to find themselves in the position of having to dispatch the dead body of their abusive husbands.
The writing was full of dark humour and made me laugh, but it was the story of friendship; of people who come from different backgrounds, but who are united by the trauma of an abusive partner that really drew me in and made me love this story.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
But seriously, this book brings something new in the form of Domestic Violence. According to the stats in the author’s note: “on average a woman is killed by a man every three days in the UK; in the vast majority of cases that man is a current or former partner” And in America “…there are around 16-17,000 domestic homicides per year… [and] one in two female murder victims is killed by a domestic partner…” This book brings together the reality of living with Male Violence against Women and Girls (MVAWG), set against the backdrop of Covid Lockdowns when “67% of victims told Women’s Aid that the abuse they were suffering had escalated”.
This book centres on Sally, Ruth, Samira and Leila and the very, very tired new Mum. I saw her identity a coming and wasn’t surprised. Edwina the rule-abiding (busy body) neighbour also features heavily I enjoyed her story arc, going from near-hated neighbour to a supportive, wry friend. I saw her part in the story unfolding ahead of it happening as well.
Most of the book is narrated from Sally’s point of view, with bits from the other ladies as we discover how their home lives unfold for them to find themselves in the position of having to dispatch the dead body of their abusive husbands.
The writing was full of dark humour and made me laugh, but it was the story of friendship; of people who come from different backgrounds, but who are united by the trauma of an abusive partner that really drew me in and made me love this story.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Domestic abuse
sadiaa's review against another edition
4.0
This is the first time I've read a book set during the lockdown period, and it's an incredibly important one. The abuse faced by (mainly) women during this time when they were stuck inside with their abusers is an untold story that we don't think about, but is a story that needs to be told. It's dark, but alleviated by snippets of dark humour and female friendships. You can't help but root for all the women.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Bullying, Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Violence
phoebemagdalena's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The Lockdown Ladies' Burial Club - the nickname the protagonists in this book give themselves - just surprised me (in the best possible way).
While there is definitely a strong current of despair threaded throughout this novel, hope is beckoning enticingly in every page, even the more grim ones. I did not think I could relate so closely to an experience of Lockdown I have never even remotely lived through, but the narrative style envelopes the reader in the lives of these 5 women even before you get to know them properly, let alone by the time you get to like them.
There's danger lurking in every corner, behind every page. The final chapters were read while I was holding my breath (so so well done with the suspense!), and the end is simply perfect - including the author's note disclaiming just how improbable the events narrated are, yet how close to life and frequent the protagonists' situations were.
The dark humour (the blackest I've probably ever read) landed gracefully, and while I might not have giggled while reading this novel, I have definitely snorted derisively a fair few times.
While there is definitely a strong current of despair threaded throughout this novel, hope is beckoning enticingly in every page, even the more grim ones. I did not think I could relate so closely to an experience of Lockdown I have never even remotely lived through, but the narrative style envelopes the reader in the lives of these 5 women even before you get to know them properly, let alone by the time you get to like them.
There's danger lurking in every corner, behind every page. The final chapters were read while I was holding my breath (so so well done with the suspense!), and the end is simply perfect - including the author's note disclaiming just how improbable the events narrated are, yet how close to life and frequent the protagonists' situations were.
The dark humour (the blackest I've probably ever read) landed gracefully, and while I might not have giggled while reading this novel, I have definitely snorted derisively a fair few times.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Sexual assault
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