shelby1994 's review for:

The Husbands by Chandler Baker

5.0

adventurous emotional funny tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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5 stars for pertinent social commentary wrapped up in a frothy murder mystery!  5 stars for the suburbs! 5 stars for the systemic unequal division of domestic labor! The number of times I snapped this book shut because it hit the nail on the head too hard.  

Before my husband and I married, we went through routine couples’ therapy (shout out to the normalization of therapy as a healthy part of a relationship!) and every single issue that this books covered came up.  Who felt like they did more work around the house? Who felt like all of the “planning” that comes with being in a relationship fell to them? Who felt like they were being taken for granted? Who felt like their partner had unrealistic expectations? Who was “winning” at therapy that week? 

Baker takes all of that emotion and pours it into this book.  It’s cathartic to the extreme, and it makes you sad to realize how dangerously relatable Nora is. 

Go into this with the expectation that your morals will absolutely go through the wringer and by the end of the book, you’ll almost feel guilty for how much you empathize with the characters.  

Side Note: I am counting down the hours until Reese Witherspoon announces she’s starring in the movie adaptation.