I told you all about how I joined this online book club started by the awesome blogger Bonnie over at Life of Bon. If you are interested in joining the book club click here for more info
January's pick was the book The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty.
I loved this book. I asked for it for Christmas and was so excited to get it and start reading. I could not put it down! The story line was intriguing, the character's interesting and the writing style kept me hooked until the very last page. Great pick
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS (Spoilers in questions. Or at least hints of spoilers.)
+ The book is told from the viewpoint of three women. Which women did you like the most and why?
I loved Tess. I felt like out of all the woman she was very relatable. I sympathized with her situation, and rooted for her every step of the way. I was a little bummed with how the ending played out but at the same time thought it was realistic
Whom did you dislike the most and why?
I disliked Rachel. As much as I felt awful for her and what had happened to her and her family all those years ago, her treatment of her son made me so sad. I know that grief is something that you will always carry but in her case she let grief consume her which damaged certain relationships in her life
+ What would you have done if you had found out the secret that Celia did? Did you agree with the way she handled it? What is the "right" thing to do in a situation like that?
These questions were what I kept asking myself the entire time I read the book. As a person who studied criminal justice in college and is also the daughter of a cop, to me the right thing would have been to turn the husband in to the authorities. However that isn't always so black and white. Especially since they revealed that if the autopsy would have been done correctly it would have shown a totally different result.
I do feel like Celia did the right thing by telling Rachel what happened. Rachel needed and deserved closure and she got it. Plus an innocent man was being accused of doing something he hadn't done and no one should suffer for a crime they did not commit
+ What was the point of the side story with Tess? Do you excuse the way she acted during that week because of the uncertainty in her marriage?
I do excuse the way Tess acted during that week of uncertainty. I think Tess changed the most out of all the character's in the book. She used her cousin as a buffer in regards to her relationship and was dependent on that relationship to get her through social situations. Including her marriage. I loved that she stood her ground and took her son away while she tried to figure out what was the right way to handle the situation. And while hooking up with an ex may not have been the best way to figure things out I think it forced her to look at things in a way she hadn't done before. Tess needed to feel wanted and desired and Connor made her feel all those things. I think her relationship with Connor made her realize what was good about her marriage and what needed to change. It also made her realize what she needed to change in herself and enabled her to stand up for herself in the situation
+ Do you believe the bike accident was adequate "penance" for what John Paul had done?
+ Did you like the resolution of the book? Did you feel there was enough closure?
I don't think anything could be adequate "penance" for John Paul. But in this situation I am torn. I feel like it could be adequate in that eye for an eye sort of way, but if you look at the fact that he didn't really kill Rachel's daughter it seems kind of unfair! Maybe it has more to do with Polly's age more than anything else.
I did like the most of the resolutions of the book. I felt like Rachel got closure and is well on her way repairing her relationship with her son and her daughter in law. I feel that Celia and John Paul will have long years ahead sorting out their marriage and dealing with what happened to their daughter. Similar to what Rachel endured all those years
But I disliked the resolution for Tess. I did not like seeing that her cousin is still in the picture years later, although married at least. I felt like Tess' husband just chose her over losing his son. And while I'm all for making a marriage work no matter what especially if kids are involved, I also don't think that should be the only reason people should stay together. But everything seems to work out for everyone in the end
Again I loved this book and I'm already halfway through next month's read I Am Malala. I am looking forward to reading everyone else's thoughts
+ The book is told from the viewpoint of three women. Which women did you like the most and why?
I loved Tess. I felt like out of all the woman she was very relatable. I sympathized with her situation, and rooted for her every step of the way. I was a little bummed with how the ending played out but at the same time thought it was realistic
Whom did you dislike the most and why?
I disliked Rachel. As much as I felt awful for her and what had happened to her and her family all those years ago, her treatment of her son made me so sad. I know that grief is something that you will always carry but in her case she let grief consume her which damaged certain relationships in her life
+ What would you have done if you had found out the secret that Celia did? Did you agree with the way she handled it? What is the "right" thing to do in a situation like that?
These questions were what I kept asking myself the entire time I read the book. As a person who studied criminal justice in college and is also the daughter of a cop, to me the right thing would have been to turn the husband in to the authorities. However that isn't always so black and white. Especially since they revealed that if the autopsy would have been done correctly it would have shown a totally different result.
I do feel like Celia did the right thing by telling Rachel what happened. Rachel needed and deserved closure and she got it. Plus an innocent man was being accused of doing something he hadn't done and no one should suffer for a crime they did not commit
+ What was the point of the side story with Tess? Do you excuse the way she acted during that week because of the uncertainty in her marriage?
I do excuse the way Tess acted during that week of uncertainty. I think Tess changed the most out of all the character's in the book. She used her cousin as a buffer in regards to her relationship and was dependent on that relationship to get her through social situations. Including her marriage. I loved that she stood her ground and took her son away while she tried to figure out what was the right way to handle the situation. And while hooking up with an ex may not have been the best way to figure things out I think it forced her to look at things in a way she hadn't done before. Tess needed to feel wanted and desired and Connor made her feel all those things. I think her relationship with Connor made her realize what was good about her marriage and what needed to change. It also made her realize what she needed to change in herself and enabled her to stand up for herself in the situation
+ Do you believe the bike accident was adequate "penance" for what John Paul had done?
+ Did you like the resolution of the book? Did you feel there was enough closure?
I don't think anything could be adequate "penance" for John Paul. But in this situation I am torn. I feel like it could be adequate in that eye for an eye sort of way, but if you look at the fact that he didn't really kill Rachel's daughter it seems kind of unfair! Maybe it has more to do with Polly's age more than anything else.
I did like the most of the resolutions of the book. I felt like Rachel got closure and is well on her way repairing her relationship with her son and her daughter in law. I feel that Celia and John Paul will have long years ahead sorting out their marriage and dealing with what happened to their daughter. Similar to what Rachel endured all those years
But I disliked the resolution for Tess. I did not like seeing that her cousin is still in the picture years later, although married at least. I felt like Tess' husband just chose her over losing his son. And while I'm all for making a marriage work no matter what especially if kids are involved, I also don't think that should be the only reason people should stay together. But everything seems to work out for everyone in the end
Again I loved this book and I'm already halfway through next month's read I Am Malala. I am looking forward to reading everyone else's thoughts
Visiting from Life of Bon- I feel almost exactly like you about the book!! Except why does everyone hate Rachel?!?! Anyway. Tess was my fave too, at first, and I'm the same way with Celia- I know the right answer was to turn him in, but how can you? Anyway. I can't say I liked this book, but it was nice to read your discussion after Bonnie's was SO different than mine!! Just goes to show, right?
ReplyDelete"She used her cousin as a buffer in regards to her relationship and was dependent on that relationship to get her through social situations. Including her marriage." Interesting perspective - I hadn't even considered this. I don't think it has changed my opinion of Tess, but thanks for pointing out something I'd not thought of. Excited to hear what everyone else thought of The Husband's Secret :)
ReplyDelete"I felt like Tess' husband just chose her over losing his son." I completely agree. He seemed pretty determined to be with Felicity until Tess decided to take his son away. If I were Tess I probably wouldn't have been so forthcoming with my forgiveness. Felicity was her cousin! I can't even imagine.
ReplyDeleteStopping by from the link up! Really enjoying everyone else's take on this book.
I was really bummed with the conclusion of Tess' story line too! I just didn't like that she got back together with Will for the sake of Liam...or that she never knew who the real father of her daughter was. I liked her as a character and I feel like her ending took away from her integrity as a "person".
ReplyDelete