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This was a well written but hard to read book. I love that the author has her nameless MC say she always wanted to write a book length poem and the book is written in these stanzas that effectively reflect a moment, an idea, but also move the book forward. The MC recounts her 14yr plus relationship with John. And you are right there, living the abuse, almost none of it physical, with the wife. I felt awful. It made me think of friends I‘ve 👇🏼

I‘m halfway through this book and I don‘t know if I can finish it. Has anybody listed to the John Delony Show? I listen because I think as a reader I‘m drawn to the drama but just like this book he has women who call in and ask-I found out my husband was sexting 9 other women and he doesn‘t think it‘s cheating, but we‘ve compromised so that he‘s only sexting 3 now-what should I do? Another woman-My 10yo daughter came home from a play date 👇🏼

I'm really enjoying this year's #ToB! I got myself a mug to commemorate finishing the whole shortlist (as I did in 2023). Today's decision and commentary---between Liars and The Book of George---are particularly interesting, and I enjoyed reading them while enjoying decaf from my official mug.

Once I started I could not stop reading. I found the story compulsive and kind of suffocating. The husband was so appalling - so self righteous, so unreliable, so unappreciative - I kept thinking “how dare he?”. I was beyond anger and into claustrophobia. While her relationship was outside my experience (and I recognise more than ever how lucky I am in mine) the description of caring for a small child was very relatable. #ToB2025 👇

I read this in a constant state of fury. The story of a woman in a marriage who gives up her career and her sense of self to man who belittles her and refuses to acknowledge her contributions to their lives and his own neglect. My blood was boiling but I couldn‘t look away . I saw so many things in Jane‘s marriage that I have observed in relationships around me. Another book I wouldn‘t have picked up without the #tob25.

Early on in this novel one of the female protagonists says in relation to marriage and divorce: “And if it‘s too easy to get out of, who‘d bother trying? […] In my day the worst thing you could imagine was being unmarried - you just went with the first fellow who asked you.”

This is a character study of what happens when marriage is the only option. How does this influence the women, the men and their children?

An amazing read

The first half of this book could have been pulled straight from my life and I suspect a lot of women will relate and cringe. It was almost hard to read but then the second half moved away from what I would consider standard ways patriarchy shows in heterosexual relationships and towards how that extends in combination with a narcissistic spouse. I LOVE a book where you get to just hate someone and there‘s nothing redeeming about John here.

Do you want to know what it feels like to be metaphorically boiled alive? This book is doing that for me and I suspect any woman who‘s dated a man will relate to the quiet sinister parts of patriarchy in a relationship displayed in this book.