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ptstewart's review against another edition
4.0
I was intrigued the whole way, which is no small feat. The Husbands characterizes the challenges feminism attempts to confront in an intricate and deeply relatable manner—it would be difficult to not sympathize with Nora. She’s thoughtful, her train of thought is believable, and her struggle is palpable.
Based on the narration alone, the writing is strong, the voice is engaging, and there’s a quality to Nora that makes the reader stand by her, even if her logic is sometimes flawed.
Admittedly, I think it is possible that the book could have been shorter; the final reveal, explained in a cliche villainous monologue, comes after a longwinded series of events, which I’m not sure the plot needs. That said, I was never yearning to skip ahead, and I was always trying to pick up important clues (turns out that while I identified some of them, I failed to connect them to the story), so Baker had my attention.
I personally love a devious villain, and I love a sophisticated woman, so to put them together is extra exciting for me. But I also feel a twinge of boredom at the “violence for the sake of feminism” type, especially when better communication and divorce really are options. Allowing your partner to steamroll you until you break and being unwilling to have an actual adult conversation, which seem to both be the case for Nora, feels a bit like lazy motivation.
Based on the narration alone, the writing is strong, the voice is engaging, and there’s a quality to Nora that makes the reader stand by her, even if her logic is sometimes flawed.
Admittedly, I think it is possible that the book could have been shorter; the final reveal, explained in a cliche villainous monologue, comes after a longwinded series of events, which I’m not sure the plot needs. That said, I was never yearning to skip ahead, and I was always trying to pick up important clues (turns out that while I identified some of them, I failed to connect them to the story), so Baker had my attention.
I personally love a devious villain, and I love a sophisticated woman, so to put them together is extra exciting for me. But I also feel a twinge of boredom at the “violence for the sake of feminism” type, especially when better communication and divorce really are options. Allowing your partner to steamroll you until you break and being unwilling to have an actual adult conversation, which seem to both be the case for Nora, feels a bit like lazy motivation.
mhelen12's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
jodieclaes's review against another edition
5.0
I listened to this book and it was oddly relatable. If you read or listen to the book that should disturb you. Living in the same general area as the author I know these neighborhoods and people that she describes. When we first visited our neighborhood, over 20 years ago, it gave off a very Stepford quality...this book gave me that vibe. Cookie cutter houses but all different in the inside.
mandyherbet's review against another edition
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
elephantscook's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
thegracefulpal's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
kwintyler's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
jrayereads's review against another edition
3.0
I really enjoyed Baker’s writing style which was captivating and infused with lots of humor. The dialogue was painfully real and very believable and I was invested in Nora’s story. There was a solid amount of tension built at the beginning, both in Nora’s marriage, and also with the other women in the neighborhood. Unfortunately that tension didn’t really go anywhere? The twists were pretty predictable and bland. I was waiting for things to get CRAZY and they just didn’t.
3 stars for it being mostly enjoyable and I would definitely read something else written by this author. It mostly just needed stronger payoff for so much build up. I appreciated the feminist themes that Baker attempted to weave in, but they would’ve hit so much harder if the plot had been tighter.
Also a minor pet peeve is that the therapist character should NOT have basically all her neighbors/friends as clients. Not that she was that ethical of a therapist anyways, which is obviously the point, but still.
3 stars for it being mostly enjoyable and I would definitely read something else written by this author. It mostly just needed stronger payoff for so much build up. I appreciated the feminist themes that Baker attempted to weave in, but they would’ve hit so much harder if the plot had been tighter.
Also a minor pet peeve is that the therapist character should NOT have basically all her neighbors/friends as clients. Not that she was that ethical of a therapist anyways, which is obviously the point, but still.