A review by major_tom
The Hunting Wives by May Cobb

dark mysterious 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

2.5

This book becomes what it promises to be only half way through. Before that, we get endless pages of way-too-detailed Facebook surfing and coffee making (oh, and drinking! SO.MUCH.DRINKING). I mean, different types of coffee and process surrounding making it could indicate thought process and emotional state of the character, if it wasn’t explicitly described on the following page. While we do get a good character description of main character as well as others, it seems to me that we could have gotten so much more given how many pages were dedicated to description (rather than any action).

The first half made me think I’m reading erotic smut but without the good stuff. It’s such a weird way to write out a story, I don’t really get.
I mean, adultery is wrong, but it’s presented as such a scandalous and unexpected turn of events that it’s even funny. You do describe the cast as people who would DEFINITELY have an affair, but then expect us to be in any way involved in this? I got bored waiting for it, honestly. And it wasn’t even that interesting, just drunk ladies doing drunk things.
And a white woman who doesn’t believe she may be bi? Has a blog writing about Asian herbs and knowing nothing about them but that they “keep your blood pressure down”? Is the most descriptive example of teenage hormones? Please stop. A character may be unlovable, but don’t make feeling horny their whole personality, please. It’s just lazy writing.


I believe the book could have been twice as short and wouldn’t lose anything. While I did like the style, it was just so pretentiously lengthened: this space could have been used to make the community more interesting, with secrets and drama. Rather than that rich village with several bored to death housewives. 

Overall, I will not recommend this book. It has some good parts, but overall it’s too long for it’s own good, as if you’re reading a film script. I wanted to like it, I was intrigued by the premise, but it’s disappointing. 
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