Maud Ventura: My Husband (2023, Cornerstone Publishing)
English language
Published Sept. 12, 2023 by Cornerstone Publishing.
This book was totally wacky. Narrated by a wife talking about how she's obsessed with her husband but also tests him all the time and wishes he would do more for her. But it gets more and more unhinged throughout. Maybe satirical, but also no winking if so. Translated from French so maybe that's why it's hard to say how funny it's supposed to be.
What starts as a mundane story quickly becomes filled with obsession and doubt. It became so information dense but the information was petty. The narrator's reaction was anything but.
I was sure I had the end worked out about 20 pages in, nope. Then again I was sure 20 pages from the end, nope.
An amazing read.
This book was so for me. High stakes (at least in the eyes of the narrator), compelling and bingeable, strong voice, intensity that keeps increasing, obsession, pettiness. Love it. On top of all that are feminist themes worthy of discussion and some excellent wit.
The clementine incident kills me.
