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A review by likeagilmoregirl
My Husband by Maud Ventura
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Instead of recounting the premise of this novel as other reviews have done very well, I would simply like to say that this novel is not going to be for everyone, but it is worth the attempt.
The narrator in this novel (the wife/Obsessor) can only be described as unwell and unlikable. I found this stream-of-consciousness narration difficult to get through at times, yet I felt just connected enough to keep reading. The wife is awful, but familiar. She is representative of the contradictory lives that people who identify as women are expected to lead. And because of that, it was easy to relate to her and even easier to hate her.
For a majority of this work, I expected to rate this 3.5 stars. Until the last 30 pages. The final chapter and the epilogue completely change the perspective we have of the wife’s actions with an abrupt, yet not completely unsurprising turn. Was an epilogue really worth treading through the entire novel? For me, absolutely, it was well worth it. This was a 5 star read for me and I can’t wait to read it again.
The narrator in this novel (the wife/Obsessor) can only be described as unwell and unlikable. I found this stream-of-consciousness narration difficult to get through at times, yet I felt just connected enough to keep reading. The wife is awful, but familiar. She is representative of the contradictory lives that people who identify as women are expected to lead. And because of that, it was easy to relate to her and even easier to hate her.
For a majority of this work, I expected to rate this 3.5 stars. Until the last 30 pages. The final chapter and the epilogue completely change the perspective we have of the wife’s actions with an abrupt, yet not completely unsurprising turn. Was an epilogue really worth treading through the entire novel? For me, absolutely, it was well worth it. This was a 5 star read for me and I can’t wait to read it again.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
Moderate: Self harm
Minor: Infertility and Pregnancy