A review by poorlywordedbookreviews
Mrs Caliban by Rachel Ingalls

reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘴, 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥.

   

What a weird little book.

   

Its plot summary reads like something from the niche monster smut section - depressed, isolated housewife starts bonking a 6’7 frogman the moment he walks through her door - but mercifully only alludes to said inter species shenanigans. Instead it focuses more on Dorothy’s lonely, monotonous, grief ravaged life in suburbia, stuck with her cheating husband.

   

Stylistically it’s odd, the characters and dialogue are so unrealistic, yet often work - as the seem like perfectly condensed conversations, like someone used a shrink ray. It’s overall compulsively readable. However, I’m not satisfied with the ambiguity of the ending. It’s inconsistent in how it presents as realism vs delusion vs metaphor. Whichever it is it feels like it comments on many things but had no overall message itself unless I’m missing something?! Please educate me 😅 I think the last thing Estelle says should be the key?