Normal Women

I thoroughly enjoyed this. I'm a big fan of domestic women going insane stories and it didn't disappoint at all. It wasn't as perfect as Motherthing, which I read earlier this year, but if you enjoyed that, you'll definitely enjoy this.

Normal Women, the new novel by Motherthing author Ainslie Hogarth, is the story of Dani, a stay-at-home mom struggling to come to terms with her new role. Her lack of independent income leaves her feeling vulnerable, and her fears about her husband dying lead her into an obsession with the mysterious Temple, a business with a shady reputation and a staff of women who seem enviably confident and empowered.

Normal Women feels more like a novel of ideas than of plot. As Dani slowly descends into paranoia, she comes into contact with a host of female characters who are all trying to find and maintain a sense of independence and purpose in a world dominated by men. Prostitutes, momfluencers, entrepreneurs and of course, the Normal Women of the title - Dani's mom friends, seemingly content with their husbands and cosy families. I really enjoyed the first 3/4 or so of this book, a slow burn in which Dani's world-view becomes increasingly warped, and there's a sense that the story is heading somewhere very dark indeed. But after an unexpected plot development, the story started to lose its grip on me, and I was ultimately left puzzled by the final twist. I'm not sure if I was supposed to take it at face value, or if it was meant to leave a lingering sense of something 'off', potentially a bit unreal.

Overall, though, I found this an enjoyable, thought-provoking and entertaining read. The satire, in particular, is excellent. I can't compare it to Motherthing because I haven't read that one yet, but based on how much I liked Normal Women, I'm definitely looking forward to giving it a try.

An astonishing second novel from Hogarth - a spot on satire of Millennial wellness culture. It's slow at parts, but the dark humour more than makes up for that.

Thank you to Atlantic Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of Normal Women by Ainslie Hogarth. I loved this book! Ainslie Hogarth writes in such a unique way that completely immerses me in the story and somehow manages to scare me and make me laugh all in one.

It’s very difficult to describe this book without giving everything away. It’s a book meant to be discussed and dissected and argued about - if you’re in a book club please add it to your list!! (If you’re not, just make whoever you can read it).

Dani is a stay-at-home Mum, back in the town she grew up in, the town where her dad was worshipped and her mum was whispered about. Dani is her husband’s dependant, but unlike her friends, ‘The Normal Women’ this terrifies her. What if something happened to her husband? How would she support her daughter? She has no useful skills. Or so she thinks until she meets the owner of the Temple: a spiritual/yoga club / house of sex workers. This starts to make Dani think she maybe does have skills after all.

This is such an odd story but in the best way. Dani is a bit of an anti-hero, she’s not awful but she’s not great and I loved that. She doesn’t strive to be likeable. She’s going through something like postnatal depression and this is and isn’t what the book is about. The title actually tells you a lot, for me it’s a double meaning of being an outsider (the Normal Women being the inside club) and also being above it, being meant for something more.

What seems normal from the outside becomes unconventional when you take a peek under the surface and it raises the question: what is normal?

The story tackles a lot, from gender roles, to class divides and gentrification to how sex workers operate. For me, the author makes a solid argument about how one could go from losing touch with their body through child bearing and reclaiming it through sex work. There’s a strong message of reclaiming your power, though like I said, Dani is no one’s role model.

I really really loved this and just want to talk about it endlessly. Can’t wait to hear what you think.

Thanks so much Atlantic books and netgalley for my review copy.