A review by zaiphon
Madwoman by Chelsea Bieker

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

"Madwoman" delves into the psyche of Clove, a woman burdened with a fractured identity and a past she has long tried to escape. The narrative revolves around a letter from her incarcerated mother, who is imprisoned for the death of Clove's father. As Clove responds to her mother and grapples with her decisions, readers are drawn into a harrowing recount of her life, marked by exposure to domestic violence. 

This book covers a lot of the aftermath to a person dealing with something like domestic violence and we get a glimpse of the perspectives of Clove, her Mother, and even her Father. This book made me think of way generational trauma can impact a person, and even how we as a society viewed women and men involved in these type of toxic, co-dependent relationships. 

There is a twist that comes at the tail end of another twist, the former feeling as if it was resolved a little too quickly. This twist involved another character that I felt could have offered a deeper examination on abuse formed from trauma and sexism/misogyny, but this perspective felt underexplored. 

Despite this, "Madwoman" is still a great read and would make an excellent choice for book clubs, sparking discussions on its complex themes.