The Mad Wife by Meaghan Church

"Lucy (Lulu) Mayfield tries to be the put-together, perfect picture of the good wife and loving mother she sees in all the magazines. She even has "Good Housekeeping's official schedule on how to keep a tidy house, on her refrigerator door. The truth is, though, most days, she struggles to work up the energy to cook, clean, raise a child, and have dinner on the table. Exhaustion is her constant companion, and when, one sleepless night, she sees lights on in the new neighbors' house, her curiosity is piqued. She's determined to find out more about the quiet, shy Bitsy Betser because she just has a feeling that she's hiding something. The truth she uncovers is earth-shattering. This was an emotionally charged, heart-wrenching tale of one woman's desperate plea to be seen, heard, and understood in a world where, sadly, women were better seen and not heard. I devoured this book and would recommend it to anyone who has ever felt overlooked or brushed aside

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Pros: I flew through this book, read it in two days. It was compulsively readable. 

Cons: It’s an unfortunate truth that women were and sometimes still are expected to “play their part.” I’m glad I’ve never had an issue being honest about how I’m feeling, regardless of how it might sully my reputation/Lulu's "escape" in Part 2, I don't think, could have actually happened. Still, for the sake of the story, I understood why it did, but the security was horrifically lax. 

Full Review: 

Lulu Mayfield is the epitome of the 1950s housewife. Her hair and makeup are perfectly in place, all rooms are spotless, and dinner's on the table, with a drink for her husband as soon as he steps through the door after a long day at the office. She even has the schedule on how to keep a tidy home from "Good Housekeeping" on her fridge. 

The truth is, that schedule is just a piece of paper and often overlooked. Lulu's been finding it more difficult to summon the energy to cook, clean, and do all the things a "good housewife" should do. She never knew how exhausting motherhood and keeping house would be. There were no classes to take, and her mother isn't the nurturing type, so she's had to try and learn all of this on the fly.

She has a few friends in her neighborhood of Greenwood Estates, the small piece of Suburbia she calls home. Nora and Hatti, whom she plays cards with once a week while the children nap. It's a small refuge where they can sit and talk about grown-up things without small ears to hear them. 

Things start to change when Lulu realizes she's pregnant again and a new family moves into the house across the street. Once Lulu returns home from the hospital, her daughter Esther, a small pink bundle in her arms, she starts to wonder about the new neighbors, the Betsers. All of Lulu's attempts at being friendly are met with vacant, distant stares and short, staccato answers from the wife, Bitsy. Also, there are no pictures of Bitsy's beautiful daughter, Katherine, in her house. 

Something just isn't sitting quite right with Lulu, but when she starts to dig deeper, she uncovers a truth that will literally make her world implode. 

This was a compulsively readable, heartfelt, and heart-rending story of one woman's desperate fight to be seen and heard in a world where women are expected to simply be picture-perfect, silent dolls. It was a difficult and emotional story, and Lulu's frustrations and wish to simply be seen, heard, and understood had me both near tears and also furious at the horrific toxic masculinity of life in 1950s Suburbia. It was a poignant commentary on societal expectations and how damaging they can be, but through it all Lulu fought and stayed true to herself.