just_one_more_paige 's review for:

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty

4.0

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Well this book was intense. The author did a great job developing characters and stories and having them collide enough to make it interesting but not too much that it seemed contrived. And what a great exploration into morals, decisions and justifications. As well as consequences for each one of those. The idea of Pandora's box here was definitely on target (and the exploration on what might have happened, in the epilogue, was very satisfying...adding that in really brought everything together). I enjoyed reading the book very much, but I think the feeling I came away with is what prompted me to give the book 4 stars. And I know that's not really fair, because the mere fact that the author was able to illicit such strong reactions from me means that she nailed it. But I think the mix of depressing themes, all introduced along with the "middle-aged life" theme of the book, was just a little too much for me. I think the book explored so many difficult, negatively life-changing event that could happen and how it effects life (both in the past and the now and the future) and presents such a downer view of people's personal thoughts of their marriage partners, etc., that it was just a bit too much for me. I came away hoping like hell that not every marriage/life ends up like this. And I know its a literary device (these lives are more interesting the write about than the normal ones) but I just want to hold out my hope that this isn't an inevitable future as long as possible. So, while I'm going to read something light and happy next, to take away all the bad feelings this book created, I would definitely recommend it. Well done, author, on being able to write in such a real and impact-ful way.