Bite-sized book reviews
Bite-sized book reviews
“The Mother-in-Law” was my first of Sally Hepworth’s work, and I stumbled upon it through my Libby app (and a positive review from a bookish friend). I’m glad I did—I really liked it! The story alternates between past and present timelines, weaving the narratives of two main characters. This setup lets you, as the reader, gradually piece together the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of a key character. Was it suicide? Murder? And who would stand to gain from her death? I appreciate books that offer shifting perspectives, allowing you to empathize with different characters as their stories unfold. It reminds me of Jerry Seinfeld’s bit “You always root for whichever animal’s the star of the show that week. Like if it’s the antelope, and a lion’s chasing the antelope, you go, “Run, antelope, run! Use your speed! Get away!” The next week it’s the lion, and then you go, “Get the antelope! Eat him! Bite his ass! Trap him! Don’t let him use his speed!” Clearly, we’re easily swayed by whichever perspective is presented to us. “The Mother-in-Law” does this well, also capturing the dynamics and challenges that often color relationships between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law.