Oh I just loved this one. Seriously. And I was totally surprised by the end (I'll obviously keep it to myself) but I have to be honest and was like, What???? But despite the slight skepticism this was one of the few books that I couldn't put down, until I made myself because I wanted to try to savor it instead of reading it in one day- which would have been irresponsible of me and also because I like to have something lined up for the next one and I didn't have anything and wanted to avoid the post-good-book-void. And I'm a mom and do have things to do so I coudln't just while away the day with this awesome piece of chick lit. Even if I really wanted to.
It's the tale of Alice Buckle and Alice's family : William the husband, Zoe the 15 year old daughter and Peter the 12 year old son. Alice is a part time drama teacher who stumbles into her own bit of drama when after thinking her marriage was lacking something (after 20 years) and she found herself in that gray area of "what now?". So imagine the convenience of finding an email inviting her to be a part of a survey regarding marriage. It pays $1,000 and is by a credible company so Alice becomes (for confidentiality reasons) Wife 22. Which resonated way more than me thinking it was about a polygamous marriage. And I think I got my fill of polygamy in The Lonely Polygamist (a pretty good, if not long-winded book).
So Alice is a worrier. Aren't most moms? She's sweet and a little self deprecating but totally loveable even though she entertains the idea of having a relationship with Researcher 101 - who is the person she's in communication with for the survey. The researcher emails her questions and she answers them. But since she's confessing all these things about her marriage (mostly good thoughts and memories) but some confessions are more private and the reader can see how easy it would be to think you're interested in this anonymous person listening and being all interested in what you have to say. Basically the grass is greener and all that.
Other than the survey we have William who gets let go from his job and then an old friend of Alice's daughter comes to stay. And then there is the undercurrent of Alice worrying about her daughter having an eating disorder and her son being in the closet.
The story is told through prose as well as many Facebook status updates and parts of the survey so the reader has this three dimensional instantaneous view of what's going on with the Buckle family. I'm usually not a fan of books told through letters or email or in Jennifer Egans, Welcome to the Goon Squad when an entire chapter was done in powerpont- I skipped it. But for this book it worked. It all worked and I'm exctied about any of Gideons new books that I hope hope hope she comes out with.
Wife 22 is at the Windsor Locks library and I will be so excited to check it out to you!!
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