NetGalley Top Reviewer

NetGalley Top Reviewer
NetGalley Top Reviewer

Tuesday, October 8, 2024

Madwoman by Chelsea Bieker

 Meandering drama disguised and promoted as a thriller.


I should have marked this DNF but once I start something, I have to finish it. This story of a totally neurotic married woman (known as Clove) with two children basically turned me off from the start. Her mother is in prison because she confessed to killing Clove's father many years ago. Clove has not once contacted her mother so is sent into a downward spiral when she receives a letter begging for Clove's help to get released from prison now that domestic violence is better understood. 


I can't even begin to describe the angsty stream of consciousness narrative that follows as Clove attempts to deal with the stress of her mother's request/demand. There is not one decision or action she takes that I could relate to. I couldn't stand anything about Clove or Jane. The whole healthy living and clean food part drove me up the wall. Clove needs years of therapy. Any empathy I initially felt for her was gone after the first couple of chapters. It seemed like this went on forever and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. 


I tried listening to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book but did not like the narrator at all -- all the voices basically sounded the same. I recognize that I am an outlier in my thoughts, but I was definitely the wrong audience for this type of story.

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.

Genre - emotional drama, spousal abuse, psychological

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