Normal Women
A Novel
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3.0 • 1 Rating
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
In this darkly comic story about how we value female labor—and don’t—a new mother becomes embroiled in danger when her friend, a controversial entrepreneur, goes missing.
When her daughter Lotte was born, Dani had welcomed the chance to be a stay-at-home mother. To be good at something, for once. But now Dani can’t stop thinking about her seemingly healthy husband, Clark, dropping dead. Not because she hates him (not right now, anyway) but because it’s become abundantly clear to Dani that if he dies, she and Lotte will be left destitute.
And then Dani discovers The Temple. Ostensibly a yoga center, The Temple and its guardian, Renata, are committed to helping people reach their full potential. And if that sometimes requires sex work, so be it. Finally, Dani has found something she could be good at, even great at; meaningful work that will protect her and Lotte from poverty, and provide true economic independence from Clark.
Just as Dani is preparing to embrace this opportunity, Renata disappears. And Dani discovers there might be something else she’s good at: uncovering secrets.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Hogarth (Motherthing) explores the nature of "women's work" in this snarky mystery. Danielle Silver despairs when she moves with her husband, Clark, and their baby, Lotte, back to her hometown of Metcalf for Clark's job. The citizens of Metcalf expected big things from Dani by the end of high school, but now everyone will learn she's just a stay-at-home mom with a philosophy degree and no marketable skills. After Clark's coworker dies unexpectedly, Dani spirals, suddenly aware she couldn't provide for Lotte alone if anything happened to Clark. Then she discovers the Temple, a donations-only, yoga-focused "religious organization" that aims to teach men empathy and vulnerability through "strategic sexual therapies"—that is, sex work. Dani is eager to prove her value and secure Lotte's future by becoming a Temple "healer," but then its proprietor, Renata, disappears. The police dismiss Dani's concerns that Renata met with foul play, so she launches her own investigation. Hogarth squanders a clever premise with skeletal plotting that glibly addresses the trivialization of female labor and raises issues of gentrification, capitalism, and sexual commodification without sufficiently diving into any of them. Paper-thin characters coupled with a slow start and an abrupt denouement further diminish the book's impact. Hogarth's fans will be disappointed.
