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A review by okevamae
The Charmed Wife by Olga Grushin
5.0
The premise of this book seems dark, but straightforward: Cinderella, miserable after 13 and a half years of “happily ever after,” wants out of her marriage. I can almost guarantee that whatever you think this book is going to be, you’re going to get something completely different. In fact, two or three people could easily read this book and come out with two or three entirely different ideas of what exactly was happening. I’m still not exactly sure what really happened, and I still loved it. And I love that I still don’t completely know.
I don’t want to give too much about the book away, I feel like it would spoil the surprise for anyone interested in reading it. The terms “modern fairy tale” and “fairy tale retelling” don’t quite do it justice. Definitely read it with an open mind to the strange directions it will take. There’s a big twist that was set up very clearly, and yet I still loved the reveal. It’s going to get weird, and you might think it’s bad editing or just bad writing. In my opinion, it’s not that at all. Hang in there. The result is a weird and wonderful feminist skewing of the Cinderella story – and the fairy tale genre as a whole – that’s not quite like anything I’ve read before. I found it to be totally worth the ride.
Also – don't sleep on the mouse subplot. Trust me. It will eventually add a whole other dimension to the story.
Just as a heads up, if you don’t like ambiguous realities or non-linear storytelling, this is probably not the book for you.
TW: gaslighting, cheating, self harm, prescription drug abuse, and a subtle but persistent thread of fatphobia.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I don’t want to give too much about the book away, I feel like it would spoil the surprise for anyone interested in reading it. The terms “modern fairy tale” and “fairy tale retelling” don’t quite do it justice. Definitely read it with an open mind to the strange directions it will take. There’s a big twist that was set up very clearly, and yet I still loved the reveal. It’s going to get weird, and you might think it’s bad editing or just bad writing. In my opinion, it’s not that at all. Hang in there. The result is a weird and wonderful feminist skewing of the Cinderella story – and the fairy tale genre as a whole – that’s not quite like anything I’ve read before. I found it to be totally worth the ride.
Also – don't sleep on the mouse subplot. Trust me. It will eventually add a whole other dimension to the story.
Just as a heads up, if you don’t like ambiguous realities or non-linear storytelling, this is probably not the book for you.
TW: gaslighting, cheating, self harm, prescription drug abuse, and a subtle but persistent thread of fatphobia.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.