Editorial note: I received a copy of The Husbands in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.
The Husbands by Holly Gramazio is an entertaining story about choice and relationships.
I like reading magical realism novels from time to time! I think one of the best to do it is The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (a must read if you haven’t yet!). Most of the time there’s never an explanation for why this ‘magical’ event is happening, the main character just goes along with it, which helps these stories flow rather quickly.
When I first read the synopsis for The Husbands by Holly Gramazio—a story about a woman, a magical attic and an endless supply of husbands—I thought it sounded charming and fun. And it is! But like many of these kind of time loop type stories, it gets a little repetitive at times. However, overall I did quite enjoy it.
What’s the Story About
Lauren returns home from drinking one night and sees a man in her house who says he’s her husband. But problem is, she’s not married. But according to everyone else, she’s been married for years.
As she tries to adjust to this new reality, he goes up to the attic and back down comes a new husband. And thus, every time a husband goes up to the attic, a new one comes down.
This causes Lauren to experience all kinds of husbands and life situations. But it then becomes a question, of how does one make a choice to stay in their present when they know they can change it in an instant?
Lauren’s Journey
Lauren is an interesting enough protagonist. While I appreciate this is a lighter story, I do think she could have had a tad more development. I’m still not entirely convinced why the universe thought she needed to experience this multiple husband phenomenon. But maybe the answer is simple: just go with it.
She’s the typical single London gal who is fine on her own but certainly would like a partner. And the idea that she can choose a different husband or lifestyle, is pretty appealing for her. It’s one of those stories where you can imagine how you would react if you experienced something similar.
She did experience a growth journey, but it wasn’t as apparent as other stories in this genre. Again, it kept with a more lighter tone.
Verdict
Overall, I think this is a fun and entertaining read. It doesn’t ponder as much about oneself like others in the genre. Lauren does grow quite a bit and takes control of her own life. But again, I would have like to have seen more of why this happened to her.
And there’s a chunk where it feels repetitive. However, something happens in the story that takes in an interesting direction.
It also leans much into humor, and never really takes itself or the scenario too seriously.
If you’re looking for a cute and easy read, this is a good choice. For book clubs, check out my discussion questions here.
