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Mrs. March

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Mrs. March is a psychological thriller that follows the titular character, a New York upper-class housewife, as she spirals into paranoia and madness after suspecting that her husband's bestselling novel is based on her. The book delves into Mrs. March's delusions, her descent into psychosis, and her increasing inability to distinguish between reality and fantasy. Set against the backdrop of New York's upper class society, the novel explores themes of identity, perception, and the weight of societal expectations.

Characters:

The characters revolve around Mrs. March, whose instability and unlikable nature draw the reader into her turmoil and paranoia.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is intricate and beautifully crafted, combining suspense with a deep psychological exploration.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot centers on a housewife who becomes paranoid about her husband's novel and its possible implications on her life, leading to a gripping psychological descent.

Setting:

The setting is a wealthy New York backdrop that highlights the contrast between material success and personal despair.

Pacing:

The pacing is slow-burning, gradually escalating the tension as the protagonist's mental state deteriorates.
It was a large tome, the cover featuring an old Dutch oil painting of a young handmaiden touching her neck modestly. Mrs. March passed a rather impressive pyramid of hardcovers in the window of one of...

Notes:

Mrs. March is a wealthy New York housewife and mother.
Her husband George is a successful author whose new book has made him a bestseller.
Mrs. March's life feels superficial, like a performance, leading to her identity crisis.
She becomes increasingly paranoid after a comment suggests she is like a character in George's book.
The character in the book is an unlikeable prostitute, which disturbs Mrs. March.
Mrs. March believes her husband could be a murderer inspired by real events.
The novel delves into psychological themes, exploring her descent into madness.
The protagonist is only referred to as 'Mrs. March', emphasizing her identity as George's wife.
She has a troubled upbringing, feeling unloved by her parents and isolated in her adult life.
The story is a mix of psychological thriller and horror, with gothic elements.
There is a significant twist in the plot that challenges the reader's perception of reality.
The novel has been compared to the works of Shirley Jackson and Alfred Hitchcock.
Readers have mixed feelings, finding it both disturbing and fascinating.
The book has been received positively for its writing style and character development.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

The book contains several triggers including themes of mental illness, domestic distress, references to death and murder, and general psychological distress.

From The Publisher:

“I read Virginia’s novel in one sitting and was so captured by it I knew I had to make it and play Mrs. March. As a character, she is fascinating, complex, and deeply human and I can’t wait to sink my teeth into her.” —Elisabeth Moss A Jenny Lawson "Fantastic Strangeling Book Club" Selection Oprah Daily • Best of the Month USA Today • Books Not to Miss Who is Mrs.

March? George March’s latest novel is a smash. No one could be prouder than his dutiful wife, Mrs. March, who revels in his accolades. A careful creature of routine and decorum, she lives a precariously controlled existence on the Upper East Side until one morning, when the shopkeeper of her favorite patisserie suggests that her husband’s latest protagonist—a detestable character named Johanna—is based on Mrs.

March herself. Clutching her ostrich leather pocketbook and mint-colored gloves, she flees the shop. What could have merited this humiliation? That one casual remark robs Mrs. March of the belief that she knew everything about her husband—and herself—thus sending her on an increasingly paranoid journey that begins within the pages of a book.

While snooping in George’s office, Mrs. March finds a newspaper clipping about a missing woman. Did George have anything to do with her disappearance? He’s been going on a lot of “hunting trips” up north with his editor lately, leaving Mrs.

March all alone at night with her tormented thoughts, and the cockroaches that have suddenly started to appear, and strange breathing noises . . . As she begins to decode her husband’s secrets, her deafening anxiety and fierce determination threaten everyone in her wake—including her stoic housekeeper, Martha, and her unobtrusive son, Jonathan, whom she loves so profoundly, when she remembers to love him at all.

Combining a Hitchcockian sensibility with wickedly dark humor, Virginia Feito, a brilliantly talented and, at times, mischievous newcomer, offers a razor-sharp exploration of the fragility of identity.

A mesmerizing novel of psychological suspense and casebook insecurity turned full-blown neurosis, Mrs. March will have you second-guessing your own seemingly familiar reflection in the mirror.

Ratings (6)

Incredible (2)
Loved It (2)
Liked It (1)
It Was OK (1)

Reader Stats (14):

Read It (6)
Want To Read (7)
Not Interested (1)

1 comment(s)

Loved It
1 month

I found this to be a rather unique domesyic thriller about an house wife in the 50s, realizing she might know her husband as well as she thought and his mysterious work and a lot of suspicious happenings. Enjoyed the audiobook anf really hope I can find it as an physical book in my library soon enough to reread!

 
 
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