An important and resourceful read from Amy Sue Nathan
By: Abigail Dawn
Released on November 1, 2022, Amy Sue Nathan’s “Well Behaved Wives” is a historical fiction that will take some readers out of their comfort zone and allow them to think critically. Published by Lake Union Publishing, this story is a page-turner that gets your blood boiling.
Book Summary
The story starts in 1960s America, where Ruth Appelbaum, a goal-oriented, law school graduate, begins her newlywed life in her in-law’s attic. Ruth hasn’t yet told her in-laws about the bar exam and her dreams, and is determined to please her mother-in-law, Shirley, this includes participating in etiquette lessons to become a proper housewife.
Ruth meets a group of young women, and finds out dark secrets of spousal abuse. Ruth’s determination to challenge the status quo, also challenges the society ideals of “staying out of people’s marriages.” With her new group of friends, they’re determined to do whatever it takes to ensure the safety of a friend, regardless of the etiquette rules they break along the way.
Book Review
Although Nathan’s plot and characters impact the story, it’s the author’s abilities to tap into the reader’s emotions throughout the entire novel. Nathan captures empathy, feminism, social justice, all while developing a story that isn’t so much in our past as we would like to believe. Readers will be yelling at the characters through the pages, asking them to “open their eyes,” “smarten up” and “believe what women are asking you to believe.”
Nathan taps into an ongoing issue through a historical lens, allowing readers to understand that history will repeat itself if we don’t continue to fight to make changes, regardless what element of social justice we’re referencing.
A small, but relevant distraction was the main character’s name. Over the last year most historical fictions that I have read the main character’s name is Ruth. Although a powerful name, that holds significant historical value, it’s becoming redundant in the historical fiction world.
Although the author touches upon important issues of spousal abuse, more research would’ve tackled the underlying background and longevity of abuse. The novel had room for exploration, and it could have replaced some of the unnecessary content. Only towards the end does Nathan start to inquire about abuse over time and psychological ramifications, and at that point it felt rushed. Additionally, as a reader, I sometimes forgot that the book took place in the 1960s, and kept placing myself in the 1940s and 1950s. I only remembered at the epilogue, when the story flashed forward to 2005. The novel had many references that suited a different era, and this sometimes made the novel hard to follow. Finally, the end of the novel was predictable and overdone. Predictable endings, often ruin a flow of a good story.
Overall Recommendation
I recommend this novel for readers who want to open their minds and think critically about a relevant problem still happening today. I appreciate that the author left resources at the back of the book for readers who know someone, or may be someone, in an abusive relationship.
7.5/10