A review by stationannie
The Mother-In-Law by Sally Hepworth

4.0

 3.5 stars, rounded up. 

 

I liked the story, but I could not warm up to Diana. I understand her character is complex, and the decisions she makes are based wholeheartedly from a place of what she believes to be good intentions. She is so unmoved by the plights of her family, and I just can’t help but hate her for it. 

 

I get that she wants her children and their respective spouses to understand the value of money and to not rely on handouts, but it’s to the detriment of their happiness. I believe that a parent’s duty is to not only teach values, but also to help your children when they are in need if you have the means to do so. They did not ask to be born on this hellish earth. 

 

When Diana’s children ask for money, she could have easily made it a loan with stipulations of repayment. I know she had no help from her parents in her time of need, but instead of breaking that cycle, she chooses to punish her children. I struggled to reconcile that. She does appear to have some character growth, but it’s minimal and takes a really long time to get there. 

 

In the end, I wasn’t surprised at how things transpired. The only surprise was the who. I think the family dynamics in this book were much deeper than Hepworth’s other ones, which is what kept me going. Had Diana been a more likable character, I think the book would have been an easy 4 stars. It was a unique take on a domestic thriller, and I certainly don’t regret reading it.