Taut and engaging, this reminds me of the sparse and emotionally direct prose of Rachel Cusk and Deborah Levy, with a thriller edge. Really glad I picked this up to read this month!
The novel has a simple but powerful premise: what happens when your separated husband disappears, and you have to fly out to try to find him, but nobody knows you’re actually living apart?
How to be the wife and also not the wife? Who deserves to grieve and memorialise a person? What do other people really know of a marriage?
My favourite bits were the moments of suspense, grief, and the masterful way that the dynamics between grieving mother and daughter-in-law unfold. So many perfect character sketches and scenes. The selfishness of grief feels very lived-in.
A very engaging read with a slightly cold, intelligent heart that keeps you guessing.
One word: taut.
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