The Mad Wife: A Bestselling Novel of Motherhood and Madness

Lulu Mayfield has spent years creating the perfect 1950s suburban life, managing her home and raising her children while keeping up appearances. After the birth of her second child, she begins to feel exhausted and disconnected as buried memories and grief resurface. When a new neighbor named Bitsy moves in, Lulu becomes suspicious of the life behind her neighbor’s flawless exterior. As her curiosity grows, Lulu must confront difficult truths about herself and the reality she has been living. The trigger warnings for this book may be considered spoilers; they are listed at the end of this post. Skip them or read them! A story about a 1950s housewife sounded intriguing, especially since there’s that underlying truth that back then, a woman was only supposed to be a wife and mother and keep the house running and operating. I didn’t know where the book would go, but I was captivated immediately. This book reeks of darkness and eeriness and you just know something bad is lurking around the corner. But when it actually hits you, it’s an absolute gut punch. I felt this was a great read but I do understand how it can be especially triggering for certain individuals so read with caution. Trigger warnings: miscarriage, stillbirth, infant loss, postpartum depression, grief, chronic illness, mental illness, medical trauma, forced institutionalization, medical gaslighting, trauma bonding, suicidality, substance use (prescribed drugs)

A well written and informative book.

I couldn’t stop listening—there were so many moments that made me gasp out loud, and the ending completely caught me off guard. That said, I might hesitate to recommend it to anyone who is pregnant or in the postpartum stage.

Would rate 3.75 ⭐️. Love the twist but it took a while to get to. Once it hit I couldn’t get enough. Touches on a lot of important topics.

My dear LuLu, very maternal towards my baby