I think this was another one of my 3 for the price of 2 buys. However, I wouldn't buy it given the chance again.
No! It's a very readable book, and I couldn't put it down. So, it only took me a day to read, so what I'm saying is, I wish I'd picked it up at the library. That aside, it's humourous, fast paced, and the author makes some very good observations.
Helen, the main character is a downtrodden housewife when we first meet her. She is in the midst of preparing an elaborate dinner party for her husband's boss and wife, and maybe some other guests, they are implied. However, she decides to have a drink of wine, and a relaxing bath. She falls asleep, to be woken by her husband arriving home from work. He berates her for not having everything ready, but she tries to rescue it. The dinner party goes from bad to worse, and he starts to belittle her in front of their guests. (She has never failed to produce beautifully cooked meals in the past.) Then he goes on to complain about some one's driving nearly causing him an accident, Helen merely comments that it is always the other person, never him at fault. Other guests join in the discussion. Helen issues a challenge, which he takes up. The next day he tackles the challenge, but in carrying it out, he is in a freak accident and he ends up dying.
The rest of the story is about how Helen emerges from her cocoon, and starts to enjoy life.
This book is a lovely take on how a downtrodden woman claims back her life. In some places it felt very familiar to me, and probably would to most women who have been the submissive partner in a bullying relationship.
Labels: humour