hanwoods's review against another edition
2.0
Tbh I’m not sure how exactly this book ended up on my kindle, but I can summarise it all in one word. Predictable.
novelesque_life's review against another edition
3.0
RATING: 3 STARS
2020; Viking/Penguin Random House Canada
Recipe for a Perfect Wife was a difficult book to rate for me. The story instantly grabbed me, and both Alice and Nellie were interesting characters in the beginning. Around the halfway mark, I wasn't rooting for Alice anymore. Alice is the contemporary "housewife". She has been let go from her job, for reasons that unravel later, and tries to hide from her husband by playing up his dream of a family. She will be working on her novel (that she has "always" wanted to write) and having a baby. Except Alice doesn't want any of that. In fact, she is resentful of any chore she has to do as it puts her in role of a 1950s housewife. I was beginning to sympathize with the husband when the lies she told were the true making of all the blow ups. The way it ends, just makes me really dislike Alice. She could be a realistic character, but her selfishness just rubbed me the wrong way. I was invested in Nellie (a Housewife from the 1950s) and her life, right up until the end. As the novel edged to the end I basically let go of all expectations and harrumphed when I finished. I liked how the chapters opened with quotes from books that were referencing how a "housewife" was supposed to be. Instead of the ending being unique, or predictable but satisfying, I just felt a bit cold. I get that both women were trying to break the chain of being the perfect wife, but I just felt like it reinforced the idea that there is a perfect housewife. I may have read this a different way, but I do think this is a wonderful book to discuss within book clubs and group reads (especially when you can talk spoilers). I would like to try another novel by the author in the future. And, what a gorgeous cover, my true reason for requesting this one.
***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***
2020; Viking/Penguin Random House Canada
Recipe for a Perfect Wife was a difficult book to rate for me. The story instantly grabbed me, and both Alice and Nellie were interesting characters in the beginning. Around the halfway mark, I wasn't rooting for Alice anymore. Alice is the contemporary "housewife". She has been let go from her job, for reasons that unravel later, and tries to hide from her husband by playing up his dream of a family. She will be working on her novel (that she has "always" wanted to write) and having a baby. Except Alice doesn't want any of that. In fact, she is resentful of any chore she has to do as it puts her in role of a 1950s housewife. I was beginning to sympathize with the husband when the lies she told were the true making of all the blow ups. The way it ends, just makes me really dislike Alice. She could be a realistic character, but her selfishness just rubbed me the wrong way. I was invested in Nellie (a Housewife from the 1950s) and her life, right up until the end. As the novel edged to the end I basically let go of all expectations and harrumphed when I finished. I liked how the chapters opened with quotes from books that were referencing how a "housewife" was supposed to be. Instead of the ending being unique, or predictable but satisfying, I just felt a bit cold. I get that both women were trying to break the chain of being the perfect wife, but I just felt like it reinforced the idea that there is a perfect housewife. I may have read this a different way, but I do think this is a wonderful book to discuss within book clubs and group reads (especially when you can talk spoilers). I would like to try another novel by the author in the future. And, what a gorgeous cover, my true reason for requesting this one.
***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***
xena_p's review against another edition
2.0
We have all heard the saying do not judge a book by its cover. I hate to admit it but I often do judge a book by its cover or title. As soon as I read the title I wanted to read it. I had high hopes for it, but spoiler alert it did not live up to my expectations.
We have our two leads, Alice and Nellie, in two different time periods living two different but somewhat similar lives. Alice moves into Nellie's house almost 60 years after Nellie's stories took place there. Even though Alice does not want to leave the city, she follows her husband's plan as she does not work anymore and thinks this is the "least" she could do.
Nellie grew up poor, fell in love and married a rich man who had inherited a gum factory. Seemed like a fairytale until it doesn't.
Both of them are stuck in a life that does not entirely feel like their own.
All four characters are terrible in their own way but that's not something I hate in a book after all characters are supposed to be people like us. These characters although well-written have this half-baked feeling to them.
Yet my biggest disappointment with the book was the detonating plot as the story progressed. The beginning was promising and building up well. As the book progressed it seemed like much of the plot building was unnecessary or could have been conveyed through a better incident, phrasing, or anything that did not feel like the book was being dragged.
The plot was somewhat predictable, that's fine though I attribute that more to myself than the author. Even so, the book failed to deliver the plot twists, it simply seemed they had bad timing or did not fall with an impact heavy enough.
It was easy to read and somewhat fun, but I would not suggest it. I learned a few new phrases and words, and what I do not like in a book. Mostly it felt like a waste of time.
Overall 2.5/ 5 stars
We have our two leads, Alice and Nellie, in two different time periods living two different but somewhat similar lives. Alice moves into Nellie's house almost 60 years after Nellie's stories took place there. Even though Alice does not want to leave the city, she follows her husband's plan as she does not work anymore and thinks this is the "least" she could do.
Nellie grew up poor, fell in love and married a rich man who had inherited a gum factory. Seemed like a fairytale until it doesn't.
Both of them are stuck in a life that does not entirely feel like their own.
All four characters are terrible in their own way but that's not something I hate in a book after all characters are supposed to be people like us. These characters although well-written have this half-baked feeling to them.
Yet my biggest disappointment with the book was the detonating plot as the story progressed. The beginning was promising and building up well. As the book progressed it seemed like much of the plot building was unnecessary or could have been conveyed through a better incident, phrasing, or anything that did not feel like the book was being dragged.
The plot was somewhat predictable, that's fine though I attribute that more to myself than the author. Even so, the book failed to deliver the plot twists, it simply seemed they had bad timing or did not fall with an impact heavy enough.
It was easy to read and somewhat fun, but I would not suggest it. I learned a few new phrases and words, and what I do not like in a book. Mostly it felt like a waste of time.
Overall 2.5/ 5 stars
rebbemcc's review against another edition
2.0
A little heavy-handed and I figured out the twist early on, which I never do.
_ifwewerevillains's review against another edition
3.0
i see what they were going for but it just fell flat
anna_reads_too_much's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I was expecting to enjoy this one a lot more than I did. I really, really enjoyed Nellie's storyline from the 1950s. If found myself wanting to keep reading just so I could get to another one of her chapters. I really, really did not enjoy Alice's timeline in the present. I felt like I couldn't understand her and why she was making the decisions she was making. I also felt like it all wrapped up too fast and the conflict was never really sorted out.
plants_pages_poultry's review against another edition
2.0
Dual story lines meant to show parallels between 1950s house wife, Nellie, and modern day Alice. But comparing the actual abuse of Nellie to Alice’s self imposed misery is pretty insulting. Also strange moments where the house may be haunted but was never addressed?? Huh?
wonder_madeleine's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
ajregush's review against another edition
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
ra042312's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0