Thursday is the second of three wives in a polygamous marriage to Seth, a man she sees only once a week. She initially agrees to this arrangement to keep him, following a strict protocol of silence regarding the other women. Her composure breaks when she discovers a scrap of paper identifying the third wife, Hannah. Thursday begins tracking Hannah and eventually initiates a secret friendship with her. After noticing physical bruises on the other woman, Thursday begins to doubt Seth’s version of the truth and questions the mental stability of the first wife.
Fans of psychological thrillers read this book to experience a narrative grounded in unreliable perspective and shifting memory. Readers who follow the domestic suspense genre walk away with a study on how gaslighting and isolation influence a person’s grasp on reality. The story offers a look at the trade-offs people make for emotional security and the ways obsession can dismantle a person's identity. It appeals to those interested in the mechanics of manipulative relationships and the breakdown of trust between partners.
Practical and escapist; an easy read.
Best for readers like The Escapist Adventurer. Which reader are you?
Insights from The Wives
“I am a fragment of a woman.”
Thursday waits all week for a single day with her husband. It shows how easily we shrink ourselves to fit into someone else's life.
“I’m the one who stayed.”
Seeing Seth through Thursday's eyes is exhausting. You realize how much energy goes into making excuses for someone who treats you like an option.
The way Thursday obsesses over the other wives is so relatable. We all compare our worst days to someone else's highlight reel.
“A name. A name is everything.”
That scrap of paper with the name Regina changed everything. One tiny piece of evidence can dismantle your entire sense of safety.
- Published
- 2019
- Publisher
- Graydon House
- ISBN
- 9781488054358
- Language
- EN
