Advance Review: The Wives by Tarryn Fisher

Synopsis

Imagine that your husband has two other wives.

You’ve never met the other wives. None of you know each other, and because of this unconventional arrangement, you can see your husband only one day a week. But you love him so much you don’t care. Or at least that’s what you’ve told yourself.

But one day, while you’re doing laundry, you find a scrap of paper in his pocket—an appointment reminder for a woman named Hannah, and you just know it’s another of the wives.

You thought you were fine with your arrangement, but you can’t help yourself: you track her down, and, under false pretenses, you strike up a friendship. Hannah has no idea who you really are. Then, Hannah starts showing up to your coffee dates with telltale bruises, and you realize she’s being abused by her husband. Who, of course, is also your husband. But you’ve never known him to be violent, ever.

Who exactly is your husband, and how far would you go to find the truth? Would you risk your own life?

And who is his mysterious third wife?

Review

I don't know how many of you have read any of Tarryn's previous work, but The Wives is definitely in the vein of Marrow and I Can Be A Better You (though I prefer the original title of Bad Mommy), in that it is really dark and twisty.  But it is a different level of Tarryn Fisher than her other work.  You don't realize how dark it actually is until about half way through, and then HOLY SH*T that's the end?!

I'm not going to go into detail on the plot because you've already read the synopsis.  However, I will say that you end up questioning your own sanity during this adventure.  Back and forth. Back and forth.  Is she crazy? Am I crazy?  Is this such a devious gaslighting situation that I, myself, am being gaslighted, too?

Reading The Wives, after having ready literally all of Tarryn's solo authored books (as well as the series she wrote with Colleen Hoover - highly recommend that mind f*ck), I feel like this has raised her writing to a whole new level.  As amazing as Mud Vein (my favorite book ever) is, and Marrow and Atheists Who Kneel and Pray, this book was a little different.  It had me questioning my own morals and how far I would be willing to push my own boundaries if I were in the same situation.

Exciting, breathtaking, and nerve wracking, The Wives is my top read of 2019.

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