Publisher: Dutton (Penguin Group)
Release Date: January 21, 2020
Genre: Adult Fiction
In this captivating dual narrative novel, a modern-day woman finds inspiration in hidden notes left by her home’s previous owner, a quintessential 1950s housewife. As she discovers remarkable parallels between this woman’s life and her own, it causes her to question the foundation of her own relationship with her husband--and what it means to be a wife fighting for her place in a patriarchal society.
When Alice Hale leaves a career in publicity to become a writer and follows her husband to the New York suburbs, she is unaccustomed to filling her days alone in a big, empty house. But when she finds a vintage cookbook buried in a box in the old home's basement, she becomes captivated by the cookbook’s previous owner--1950s housewife Nellie Murdoch. As Alice cooks her way through the past, she realizes that within the cookbook’s pages Nellie left clues about her life--including a mysterious series of unsent letters penned to her mother.
Soon Alice learns that while baked Alaska and meatloaf five ways may seem harmless, Nellie's secrets may have been anything but. When Alice uncovers a more sinister--even dangerous--side to Nellie’s marriage, and has become increasingly dissatisfied with the mounting pressures in her own relationship, she begins to take control of her life and protect herself with a few secrets of her own.
When Alice Hale leaves a career in publicity to become a writer and follows her husband to the New York suburbs, she is unaccustomed to filling her days alone in a big, empty house. But when she finds a vintage cookbook buried in a box in the old home's basement, she becomes captivated by the cookbook’s previous owner--1950s housewife Nellie Murdoch. As Alice cooks her way through the past, she realizes that within the cookbook’s pages Nellie left clues about her life--including a mysterious series of unsent letters penned to her mother.
Soon Alice learns that while baked Alaska and meatloaf five ways may seem harmless, Nellie's secrets may have been anything but. When Alice uncovers a more sinister--even dangerous--side to Nellie’s marriage, and has become increasingly dissatisfied with the mounting pressures in her own relationship, she begins to take control of her life and protect herself with a few secrets of her own.
My Review ♥️
"Even in pain Nellie understood her role - the wife who bowed to her husband, who apologized for things out of her control, who made his life easier even if it made hers harder. The perfect wife."
Each chapter starts out with actual quotes from publications from the 1950's that will either make you cringe, or roll your eyes, with their outdated ideologies, but add such 'flavor' to the story. Nellie's chapters also have a recipe from her book, which was also a cute touch, but the cuteness stops there.
There is a tremendous amount of sinister subject matter, including adultery, sexual harassment, and even rape, that is incredibly difficult to read, yet so spellbindingly written, it's like a car accident that you can't tear your eyes away from. The incredibly dark subject matter was stifling and oppressive, yet was written so powerfully that I was glued to every word, yet hating what I was reading at the same time.
My Rating: ★★★★★
About the Author
Content Warning: Profanity, Alcohol and Tobacco Use, Sexual Content
*I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through NetGalley. All views and opinions expressed are completely honest, and my own.
No comments
Thank you for visiting! :)