Book Review: The Mad Wife by Meagan Church

They called it hysteria. She called it survival.

This book is centered on Lulu Mayfield, a woman trying to mold herself into the perfect 1950s housewife.

Based on that sentence alone, we kind of know where this story is headed.  What woman can be "the" perfect housewife?

When a new neighbor, Bitsy, moves in Lulu suspects something darker lurks behind the woman's constant smile.  And perhaps it does, but maybe that's not her fault, could her husband have had something to do with the distant smile?

As the story progresses Lulu's so-called perfect facade starts to crack.  And others, including her husband are beginning to notice.  And Lulu begins to worry what her husband might do to her to "fix" her.

Hysteria was actually a common medical diagnosis for women in the 1950s and the treatments could be as simple as drugging the woman or they could involve more invasive and inhuman treatments.  A real concern for some women at the time.

This book, billed as a domestic drama, was so heart wrenching and the writing so evocative.  And I think it will resonate with a good majority of women (particularly) mothers, as we have all experienced the "expectations" of us - whether or not we give a damn about the expectations - we know they are there.  And those "expectations" back in the 1950s were far higher than they are today.

Occasionally, I am a Ditz

 Y'all...I am a logical person, a rational person, a generally sane person (oh hush, I have my moments) and a fairly intelligent person.

And then there are moments, like last week, when I am reminded that occasionally I am a ditzy person.

As most of you know, I like to do jigsaw puzzles. I generally have one going most of the time.  I buy my puzzles based on the picture - not necessarily by the brand which, as you may remember, has caused a problem on at least one occasion.  Thank goodness, that issue has reoccurred...yet.

At any rate, one day last week as I was sifting through the pieces of my puzzle my eye was caught by the letters on the back of the pieces.  This is nothing new as I've noticed letters on the back of other puzzle pieces before - but never thought much about it.  Maybe I thought they just spelled the brand of the puzzle or maybe the name of the puzzle.  I don't know.

But on that day, something "clicked" and I looked more closely at those letters.

It was only then that it dawned on me.  Those letters signfy the sections of the puzzle.  A is the top left section and so on.  Which turns out to be REALLY helpful when there are repeating themes/colors in the entire puzzle.

Why am I admitting this ditziness publicly on the internet...where it will be a testament to my sheer inability to notice what is right in front of me FOREVER?

Because, I can't be the only one.  Right?!