A review by specificwonderland
Helpmeet by Naben Ruthnum

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Edward the philanderer. He got his due. 


We meet Edward and Louise, a happy couple, as Edward has been struck with a mysterious affliction. Basically he's decaying and rotting away, with fresh blood and wetness that Louise toils over, lest he becomes "dry". I liked how for the first few chapters, we meet and get an overview of new characters. First Bill, then Tom, then Jean. If I wrote a book, this makes sense to me, to introduce characters simply, at each new chapter. 

Edward has been hemorrhaging money and his things are being repossessed and jettisoned as he languishes. For this reason, Louise complies with his wish to travel via railway carriage to Buffalo, to an apple farm where Edward grew up. When they get to the farm after his morphine-induced coma, he tells Louise the yarn of how this happened to him. 

Pretty disgusting but also, there have been worse marriages.