What: “My Husband” by Maud Ventura
Why: This is genuinely one of the best books I’ve read since rediscovering my love for reading post-college. The novel, translated from French, is about a wife whose every waking moment revolves around her husband. The main character, the wife, dedicates all her time to analyzing her husband’s behaviors and adjusting hers accordingly, despite having a job and young children. Essentially, the wife has never left the honeymoon phase after being married for 15 years.
“My Husband” explores how staying in that newlywed bliss is actually detrimental to a relationship. I love books with unhinged female main characters, especially if they are also the narrator. The narration in this novel is so sharp and cunning – I too felt like I was with the wife as she detailed her obsessions. Despite the main character being so out of touch, the novel still maintains a great deal of relatability. Anyone who has been driven crazy by love or a romantic partner can relate to this novel during at least one moment.
“My Husband” is wonderfully fast-paced but still detail-oriented, taking place over the span of one week. I’m not typically a fan of thriller-style books. The twist here was entirely unexpected; there are no cliches of murder or a missing person. I personally read this book in a day, something that rarely happens for me. Despite the main character being so reliant on her husband for her emotional wellbeing, the novel is feminist and fresh for the modern woman. Even though the wife obsesses over the husband, his character is almost irrelevant as this novel is about the wife. If this book wasn’t about the main character’s marriage, I would want to read more and more about her on her own – a true testament to the power of this character and the author.
Where: This is available as an e-book and e-audiobook from the Monroe County Public Library system.How: You can request books online by logging in to your account keyslibraries.org and get e-books and e-audiobooks 24/7 at estuff.keyslibraries.org. If you don’t have a card, you can visit your local branch or register online to get one. Questions? info@keyslibraries.org
Recommended by: Carly Neilson, library assistant, Key West Library
See previous recommendations at keyslibraries.org/shelf-help.
