Well Behaved Wives: A Novel
In 1962 Pennsylvania, Ruth has been desperately trying to please her seemingly infallible mother in-law, Shirley, ever since she and her new husband moved back home. To help ease the transition and ease into domesticity, Shirley signs Ruth up for etiquette classes for young housewives, where Ruth meets several other young ladies, all journeying on different paths with different hardships. These classes are taught by the ever-graceful Lillian Diamond, whose poise and composure looms in such a way that surely her life must be perfect. As the book unfolds, each of these women confronts personal struggles. Ruth battles how she will pursue her passion via a career in law while desperately attempting to meet the standards of Shirley and Lillian, and after realizing a lack in her life, embarks on a journey to add meaning.
These women bring the reader through an experience which not only speaks to friendship and personal pursuit of passion, but also to the misconceptions which cloud the career of housework and still prevail in the present day. These include the mental health issues surrounding housewives, with a nod to the destructive effects they sometimes wield in the pursuit of keeping up appearances. Additionally, the book provides a thoughtful and uniting narrative on the stigma of abusive relationships and the importance of finding one’s way during great strife. Despite several sections of slow-build, this book is an insightful and entertaining glimpse into the many struggles of housewives. Recommended for anyone wanting to know some of the true cost of “picturesque” behavior in suburbia.
