We had a fun weekend watching cross country on Saturday and reconnecting with college friends who happened to be in town for the XC meet as well. Big Sister and her husband were back for the weekend, so we went to Oktoberfest on Friday night with them, and it also gave me the motivation to whip up an apple crisp for people to enjoy.
The reading hasn't been great in terms of quantity, but the quality has been top notch. I wasn't exactly sure what to expect from The Mad Wife, but it didn't disappoint.
It's the 1950s and Lulu has spent her married life trying to mold herself into the perfect housewife. She's not really happy, though, even though from the outside it might look like she's leading a picture-perfect life.
After the birth of her second child, Lulu's life seems to be unraveling. When a new family moves in next door, Lulu becomes fixated on Bitsy, a mother and wife like herself. Alghough Bitsy appears happy, Lulu senses something darker lurking underneath Bitsy's smile.
From the blurb on the back, I felt like this might be a novel of suspense, but felt that overall that was misleading. It's a little slower and more thoughtful than that, as we learn about Lulu's struggles and see how the expectations placed on women during that time were hard to live up to.
I thought this one was entirely engaging and the best I've read of Church's work. I could see book clubs enjoying discussing Mad Wife and examining the ways the roles of wife and mother have changed over the past several decades.
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