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oxfordcommas91's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I thought the plot here was actually really creative - it certainly hasn't been done before - and it drew me in very quickly. I like magical realism but I actually wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did given some meh reviews I'd read.
Despite really liking it, I don't think this book would work for everyone, and I was about 75-80% of the way through before realizing that I'd been waiting for some major twist that simply wasn't going to come. You shouldn't go into this expecting a major turn of events - it's just a magical attic doing magical things, handing our main character an ever rotating cast of men of all shapes, sizes, races, and personalities - in perpetuity. That was the only part that was a bit of a "let down" for me - I was waiting for a twist or a grand explanation for a book that wasn't set up for that sort of plot.
This book was genuinely funny though and full of raw moments about what it means to be a woman and a wife in modern day society. The pacing kept me on my toes and I was surprised - as some other reviewers/readers have mentioned - that there were parts that made me oddly emotional that I was truly not expecting. I think this book can have a lot of potential takeaways and hidden messages depending on who the reader is and your life experiences. That is to say, I don't think everyone will take the same thing away from it, and I think that's a good thing.
Graphic: Gun violence, Infidelity, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug use, Grief, and Alcohol
vaykay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Car accident and Pregnancy
blissofalife's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The ending was satisfying, I think it was the perfect solution and provided a clean wrap-up of events. Part of me hopes that there will be a sequel where we get to explore the final decision and its aftermath, and part of me recognizes how perfect this was as a stand-alone novel. I look forward reading any future works by Holly Gramazio!
Moderate: Violence, Blood, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Stalking, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
torturedreadersdept's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Body horror
Moderate: Cursing, Blood, and Alcohol
Minor: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
spaghettireads's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Gun violence, Infidelity, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
cesca_natalia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I decide to read this, at first, solely because of the cover art. It's pretty, stunning, gives off 70's vintage art & with the word "husbands" falling down from the attic, it's so aesthetically pleasing. I'd say if this doesn't end up well, at least the cover art looks cute.
The Husbands were told from 3rd POV where us, as a reader, meet Lauren, drunk & half panic after saw a male stranger inside her flat whom later she found out was her husband which she somehow totally forgot about. In the morning, before she could confronted the stranger, he was gone & replaced by another male stranger which happened to be another husband of her.
This part of Lauren's husband magically change & an attic were a part of it is the one which baffled me a lot. This idea is uniquely authentic & very thought-provoking; all I'm thinking every time is "when will this end? and how? and why?"
From the character itself, Lauren, as our main, were giving a very astonishing & wonderful development; through the book, we follow her journey, her question & confusion regarding everything that happened in her life & from the girl craved for a perfect husband & perfect love life to girl whose satisfied & felt enough with her life, Holly Gramazio definitely did an amazing job.
The Husbands, in my opinion, is more of a story of women's self-journey to find herself rather than trying to find the perfect untainted husbands. The Husbands in here were acted as her "bridge" or "equipment" for her to achieve those self-discovery. And I think it's so nice of Holly to create this book; I certainly could relate with Lauren's story & couldn't wait to read more from her in the future.
This masterpiece is 5 out of 5; I totally recommended this for all of you to read
Minor: Drug use, Gun violence, Sexual content, Violence, and Grief
aargot1's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gaslighting
Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic