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A review by nonprofitkate
An Inconvenient Wife by Megan Chance
5.0
I loved this book and I could not put it down (I even read it during some of my college classes)! I picked this book up on impulse while perusing the college library fiction stacks and I wasn't sure I would enjoy the book. It sounded very similar to The Awakening by Kate Chopin or Room with a View by E.M. Forster, neither of whom I'm a fan. I thought I'd give it a try anyway and I was not disappointed.
The novel follows Mrs. Lucy Carelton, a woman who comes from high society and has married well. However, Lucy is very different from her other hoity-toity acquaintances, as she longs for more from all aspects of her life. She is essentially trapped by a society who sees her a an accessory who should be seen and not heard.
Lucy's husband is a kind and caring man who really believes he has Lucy's best wishes at heart. He is successful as a banker in New York and provides her with all that she could ever want. Neither he nor Lucy can figure out why she is so unhappy. Lucy's father also believes he has Lucy's best interest in mind as well. Between her father and husband, Lucy has little control over who she is, what she can do, or where she is going in life.
To remedy this problem, Lucy is sent to Dr. Victor Seth, a prominent neurologist who believes hypnosis to be the answer to Lucy's problems. During the course of Lucy's treatment, she and Dr. Seth become very close. The relationship becomes more complex and Dr. Seth almost has complete control over Lucy. The book comes to a head in an event that neither Lucy nor the likes of New York's high society ever thought possible.
While it was a little predictable, most of the time I found myself going back and forth in my mind over several issues in the book. Who is controlling whom? Who is the good guy? The bad guy? Is there even a good or bad guy? Even after I finished the book, I still wasn't sure where my allegiance lie with the characters. If you are interested in historical fiction, women's studies, or a good drama, this is the book for you. It will have you on the edge of your seat the whole read!
The novel follows Mrs. Lucy Carelton, a woman who comes from high society and has married well. However, Lucy is very different from her other hoity-toity acquaintances, as she longs for more from all aspects of her life. She is essentially trapped by a society who sees her a an accessory who should be seen and not heard.
Lucy's husband is a kind and caring man who really believes he has Lucy's best wishes at heart. He is successful as a banker in New York and provides her with all that she could ever want. Neither he nor Lucy can figure out why she is so unhappy. Lucy's father also believes he has Lucy's best interest in mind as well. Between her father and husband, Lucy has little control over who she is, what she can do, or where she is going in life.
To remedy this problem, Lucy is sent to Dr. Victor Seth, a prominent neurologist who believes hypnosis to be the answer to Lucy's problems. During the course of Lucy's treatment, she and Dr. Seth become very close. The relationship becomes more complex and Dr. Seth almost has complete control over Lucy. The book comes to a head in an event that neither Lucy nor the likes of New York's high society ever thought possible.
While it was a little predictable, most of the time I found myself going back and forth in my mind over several issues in the book. Who is controlling whom? Who is the good guy? The bad guy? Is there even a good or bad guy? Even after I finished the book, I still wasn't sure where my allegiance lie with the characters. If you are interested in historical fiction, women's studies, or a good drama, this is the book for you. It will have you on the edge of your seat the whole read!