Hello everyone! Emma and Kristy here. Are you ready for our January book club discussion?! The book we selected was The Wives by Tarryn Fisher. We are SO happy that so many of you have decided to join our little book club. 1900+ members on Facebook! That makes us smile. :)
If you haven’t read The Wives by Tarryn Fisher and don’t want to be spoiled.. stop here! We’ll be diving into every detail in this post so please don’t keep reading if you aren’t finished. xx
Read our recap & opinions, and also take a look at our discussion questions! Please answer any of the questions, leave your opinions and thoughts below in the comment section! This is an open forum. :)
Recap
Let’s do a little recap of the book, shall we? The main character of the book – Thursday, tries to be the perfect wife in an unconventional relationship to her husband Seth. She’s found herself in a modern-day polygamist relationship with her husband and 2 other wives. Seth travels within the Pacific Northwest to stay with each of his 3 wives throughout different days of the week. Thursday is okay with the setup, knowing that she is officially wife #2 within the trio of wives. Like anyone would feel in this sort of situation, Thursday often wonders about the other two wives, especially Seth’s third and newest wife. All she knows about the two other girls is what days of the week he spends with them. Thursday shares that she in fact did get pregnant with Seth’s baby at one point but suffered a miscarriage which left her extremely upset and depressed. That’s when Seth decided to take on a third and more fertile wife and Thursday agreed.
Thursday discovers the third wife’s name by chance – Hannah, and once she does.. her entire world begins to unravel. She begins researching everything she can about the other two wives. She even finds their social media accounts. She then travels to Portland to see where the newest wife, Hannah lives. Finding out all she can about the girls quickly becomes an obsession. In her quest Hannah discovers that Seth isn’t who he says he is and that he’s hiding secrets. She believes that Seth is abusing pregnant Hannah (based on marks on Hannah’s arm) and strikes up a friendship with her to find out more information. Hannah on the other hand doesn’t know who Thursday really is. At this point in the story, Thursday seems to be drinking quite regularly.. even during the day. She makes a fake dating profile and begins messaging wife #1, Regina to find out more information about her as well.
At a certain point in the story everyone finds out that Thursday is talking to the other wives and digging for info. She confronts Seth about Hannah’s abuse and he attacks her in their apartment. He then accuses her of being mentally unwell and checks her into a psych ward. Thursday becomes an extremely unreliable narrator to the audience at this point and it’s hard to figure out who’s telling the truth.. Seth or Thursday? Her parents help her but her mom seems very disappointed with her constantly which is hard on Thursday. When she’s released from the hospital, Seth essentially locks her in the house so she doesn’t keep investigating. She evades his clutches and escapes. Thursday drives to Portland to check up on Hannah, but Hannah acts as if she’s never met her before. Thursday then confronts Regina about everything who supports her many theories that Seth could be dangerous and hides secrets from his past. Thursday wants to warn Hannah.
Regina calls Thursday and tells her where Hannah is so they can talk. Thursday ends up going to Hannah’s apartment, where she tries to warn her about Seth when he walks in the room. Seth accuses Thursday of being crazy, telling her that they were never married to begin with, and she accuses him of lying and being abusive. It’s at this point that Regina walks in the room and tells Thursday that she’s just Seth’s mistress.. nothing more. Thursday begins remembering that what Regina is saying is true and we as the audience realize that Thursday is in fact mentally unwell. Regina then tells Seth and Hannah that she was only there to warn them about a message that Thursday left on her phone telling her that she was planning on hurting the two, even though this was a lie. Thursday, upset then tries to hurt Regina but ends up shooting Seth instead.
Thursday ends up back in the psych ward.. She was arrested but able to plead insanity. The doctor explains that she and Seth were never married, and every hint of her thinking that way was made up in her mind. The doctor also explains to Thursday that when she left the hospital the first time, her father was the one who stayed with her and helped her home.. not Seth. Thursday realizes that she ended up hurting her dad to escape and now remembers everything.
At the very end of the book, Regina comes to visit Thursday in the hospital to have it out with her one last time. Regina ends up calling Thursday crazy and Thursday KILLS HER.
Our Opinions
Both Emma and I had similar opinions about this book. There were a few things that we liked and several things we didn’t like about the storyline. This book was our first introduction to New York Times best seller, Tarryn Fisher. This book actually landed on the NYT Best Seller list for a couple of weeks and was hyped for months before it was first released. Before we cast any judgements about the author we’d like to read a couple of her other books first.
Things we liked:
- The Quickness. We really enjoyed how fast-paced this book was.. Emma finished it in 1 night. We both found it hard to put down.
- Modern-Day Polygamy. This was a creative idea in general – not one we’re used to reading about in thrillers of this type.
- Investigating. Once Thursday started snooping online, we were hooked! Who doesn’t like to google people!?
Things we didn’t love:
- The ambiguity of the name Thursday. At the beginning of the book it was a little confusing that the narrator, Thursday is really named Thursday since this is also the night she spends with Seth each week. Why did the other girls have typical names and she didn’t? It was distracting.
- Thursday’s Delusions. We both really enjoyed the first 50% 0f the book. The second half takes a complete turn. It’s hard to believe anything Thursday says and we felt this was such a cop-out to the story line. The ending was rushed with so many loose-ends.. everything falling under the umbrella of Thursday’s mental illness.
- Too many dark themes. Both of us felt like the story pushed too many triggering topics into one book for shock value. Miscarriage, domestic abuse, polygamy, mental illness, women vs women, parent issues, and more. How many themes did you count? All of these adding to the fact that you don’t know whether or not you can ever believe Thursday. Things became tough to swallow.
Plus that very abrupt and startling ending! We both felt like it was a bit ‘out there’ for our tastes.. it was both shocking and confusing. It didn’t feel realistic – we don’t believe Regina would ever visit Thursday in the mental hospital at that point under normal circumstances. Was the author trying to make a new ‘Girl on the Train’ or ‘The Woman in the Window’?
If you would like to read a book that is fast paced and exciting you might like to try, ‘The Silent Patient’ by Alex Michaelides. Such a great book.
Discussion Questions
- What did you think about the polygamist marriage angle? Was it believable for you at the beginning or was it too far-fetched?
- What were your opinions of Seth throughout the book? How did that change from the beginning through the end?
- Did Thursday annoy you as a character?
- There are a lot of themes in this book – miscarriage, abuse, mental illness and more. Do you think it was a well-thought out mix of themes or were they randomly mixed in for shock value?
- Regarding the psychiatric ward.. what were your thoughts on these sections of the book?
- Usually the main character is one you believe in. What bothered you the most about Thursday’s lack of credibility throughout the book?
- What did you make of the ending?
Please leave your thoughts, opinions and questions about the book below! The more comments the better. :)
February’s books have been selected – click here to learn more about this! Join our Book Club facebook group – we talk about other books, suggestions, questions, mid-month discussions and you can make new friends! Click here.
xo,
Kristy
2020 Book Club Posts
– January Book Announcement
– January Book Discussion
– February Book Announcement
– February Book Discussion
– March Book Announcement
Like you I preferred the first half of the book and I didn’t like the end at all. I wasn’t keen on Seth at anytime and went through all ranges of emotions about Thursday. It did cover a lot of issues in a relatively short book but at the time that didn’t bother me. It was a book I would probably never picked up so I’m pleased you chose it.
Thanks for your input Kim!! xo
I agree 100% with Emma and Kristy’s thoughts! Overall, I really enjoyed the author’s writing style and the fast-paced story. The first half was great and had so many opportunities for twists. It seemed like the second half (and ending) was too ‘easy’ of a resolution. It felt like the movies that end with the character waking up from a dream.
I couldn’t agree more on the ending.. Thanks Luna xo
I agree, I liked the pace. There were a lot of different things going on and I couldn’t tell what was real and what wasn’t real so that made it difficult to follow sometimes.
So true! While I loved certain parts at the beginning there were other parts midway to the end that threw me. :/ Thanks for sharing! xo
This book was an easy read but I didn’t find any of the characters very likable. Neither Thursday or Seth were people you could get behind. I did believe in the polygamist relationship initially. I think I caught a mistake in the trial. It talked about Seth hiding birth control pills from the first wife but it was Hannah the third wife that confided in Thursday that Seth was hiding her birth control pills 🤷🏻♀️. I didn’t feel that Thursday was unstable the first time she was hospitalized so the book did delude me until the ending. The ending was dismal as the whole book was actually. I didn’t dislike it but definitely didn’t love it either.
I totally agree Rebecca! Thanks for your input.. xo
Overall, I enjoyed the book, though the beginning felt grim: I was disappointed that anyone would accept the lifestyle Thursday had agreed to, that she didn’t believe that she deserved better. Sadly, in Thursday’s quest to be the perfect wife, to be the ultimate people pleaser, she literally sacrificed herself. There were so many references as to how women are conditioned to slip into this traditional role.
My takeaway:
The “disease to please” will put you on a fast track to the crazy train!
Here here! I completely agree with your take on the book. You just said it way more eloquently than I ever could!
I definitely agree with the responses here! The first half of the book was excellent, but the ending was beyond disappointing. To me it was almost as bad as an ending where the author writes “and then she woke up, it was all a dream.” Total cop out in my opinion. It’s okay to write about mental illness but I think it was done in a rushed way That left the reader feeling lied to. Some of the fun of psychological thrillers is seeing if you can guess the ending but the author made this impossible as she was too deceptive. The example of this that stands out most to me is when Thursday returns from the hospital with Seth but then we are later told that was a complete delusion and it was really her father staying with her. Lame! That being said, it was a fun choice for a book club because the ending was so jarring that I’m sure there will be lots of different opinions!
I really liked the book for how fast paced it was. Even though it got a bit far fetched for me I could not put it down because I just wanted to see what happened. I like the polygamy angle. Ever watch Big Love? That was one of my favorite shows! I don’t think I really ever cared for Seth. She didn’t make him likeable at all. Interestingly enough, Thursday didn’t annoy me. I wish authors could write a book though without turning the women into a crazy alcoholic just to discredit her. All the different themes didn’t bother me either. The ending was super abrupt and unexpected which I guess is what she was going for. All in all, I thought it was a great 1st book read and I would give the author another try with one of her other titles.
This is my opinion as well! I was on vacation when I read the book, so I finished it in a day, and then gave it to my daughter who did the same. I especially like “page-turner books” like this when I have the luxury of extended time, and am able to read a complete story in a relatively short period of time. I wonder if this book is being considered to be made into a film.
This is the first thriller type book i’ve read and I agree it was very fast paced and a book that you can read quickly (even though im a slow reader) but i too agree with both Kristy and Emma for the same reasons. I wouldn’t read this authors other books and didn’t really like this one overall. Ending was awful and too far fetched. I started to feel crazy by the end of it 🤪
I have mixed feeling about the book. I also enjoyed the beginning and then was confused at times. I did want to continue reading as I wanted to see how it ended. I agree there were many dark parts in the story that were a bit disturbing but I am still glad I read it. I’m happy to read your next selection, Louise Miller’s book as I do enjoy light, happy stories better.
I agree with Kristy & Emma’s review. I really love a good plot twist or surprise ending but I don’t like it when I feel like the author “cheats”. When you go back there are no clues that she is insane until close to the end. Like remember the twist at the end of the first season of West World? My chin hit the floor and I loved it because sure enough looking back there were clues.
But overall it was a good book, entertaining & fast paced. I tend to have a problem finishing books but I finished this one fairly quick! (For me anyway)
I mostly enjoyed the book. I liked the ending. Albeit a bit disorganized, I thought it was manic and crazy much like Thursday and was trying to keep pace with the thoughts running through her brain. Definitely a surprise twist that I didn’t see coming! I don’t quite understand the parental relationship and how they didn’t pick up on her delusions sooner although maybe I missed that.
The one part of the book where Thursday says she thinks she looks great (because she’s been taking care of her body, etc. and she looks great physically even if her mind is sick)… it was on her way to meet with Regina, one last time. I kept thinking did she really great or did she just “think” she looked great because of the meds. she was on. I kept wondering that one for a few days. I didn’t know what to believe. I wasn’t sure if Regina even really died.
I like everyone enjoyed the fast pace. But was extremely disappointed with the end. Just didn’t seem real? Looking forward to reading February’s book!
Totally agree with Kristy and Emma in the first half but the last part of the book I lost interest and was hard to finish. Would not recommend this. Looking forward to February’s book.
I really liked Thursday! I was surprised that she wanted to get so close to the other wives; to actually befriend Hanna and lure Regina into correspondence was getting too close to the fire. She had me going up until the very end. I believed her fabricated story. I was waiting for Seth to be revealed somehow,some way. Ending was so abrupt and I can’t believe Thursday had a violent streak too. Such a quick read, interesting plot, completely draws the reader in. Not a book I would ever choose to read but so glad I did. Loved the pace and intrigue. I would read another book by this author.
I agree, I did not mind Thursday as a character, and the first half of the book was excellent. When she was in the psych ward, I started seeing it from the viewpoint that she could definitely have a mental illness, and then it made sense the way that it ended, because mental illness is tricky, and always ends up surprising The outsiders because we don’t really know what’s happening in their brain. I feel like the disconnects between her not knowing that Hannah’s house was really her house, and confusing Seth with her father, and not really knowing that she wasn’t married, and whether or not Seth’s parents were even alive, a lot of those plot twists didn’t really end up making connections for the audience. In a way that would have helped to make the ending make sense. But, that being said, from the brain of a mental patient, it was probably pretty accurate, meaning that they don’t always have their questions resolved either.
First of all I didn’t like the husband from the start. Secondly the name The name Thursday wasn’t really reveled until the end! I thought the plot twist that she was all 3 wives in her mind. All in all I’m glad I read it but the end was disappointing for me. I’m a happy love story kinda girl❤️
I’m so excited to be a part of this book club! The book was gripping- I didn’t want to put it down. I agree with yalls pros and cons. Excited to start February’s choice!
I was unsure about the polygamy storyline at first. As I got further in, it was plausible. Then there was a point in the book, after Thursday found out that her name was on the deed of Hannah’s house that I thought perhaps all of the wives were, in fact, Thursday and she had multiple personalities. The relationships were all a little confusing.
I felt bad for her until we got into the Regina storyline and I found out Thursday broke up a marriage. Then it didn’t bother me that Seth had hooked up with Hannah, because what did Thursday expect? Some men, if they will do it with you, will eventually do it to you. And she became less credible as her psychosis took over, so it was hard to tell what parts of the story were “real” and what parts were Thursday’s crazy.
Seth was unlikeable from the start and became more unlikeable as the story unfolded. He started out as a polygamist, who had 3 wives, which made him unlikeable, then became a cheater who poisoned his wife/girlfriend to cause a miscarriage, and by the end I really hoped Thursday had killed him. I do think he was abusing Hannah.
I found The Wives to be a quick read. I didn’t mind the number of heavy themes and didn’t find them distracting at all as they were all integral to the storyline. What I don’t think I can forgive I the abrupt ending, and the death of Regina. It wasn’t necessary at all to do that.
Let me say that when I read the last paragraph, I actually said, “Are you kidding me?!” out loud. This book left me with so many questions. Why did her mother harp on her about keeping Seth a happy husband? Did she lie to them the whole time telling them they were married? I think I remember her saying early in the book that neither of their parents were at their (later to find out fictitious) wedding. Why is her name on Hannah’s house?? Why didn’t the author explore Seth’s clearly sociopathic and alleged psychopathic personality? Perhaps the author will write another book from Seth’s point of view…hard pass on that, though.
So many theories were swimming in my brain as I was reading, but maybe that is why it makes for such a good book for discussion. Many times I thought Seth was just marrying women for their money, but that didn’t pan out. Why was he so hell bent on having a family when he was supposedly causing miscarriages because he didn’t want to feel “upstaged” by a child?? Was all that made up in her mind? Did she suffer from post partum depression? I have no idea what to believe. I even thought at one point that she had multiple personalities or she was living out an imaginary life from something she had seen on the street and she was really a recluse. I’m probably giving plot ideas out free for new writers.
At any rate, I do feel that she captured what an emotionally abusive relationship and manipulation looks like. Thursday removed herself from her family and friends, and subsequently from any accountability, because hearing herself say those words to someone else would make her realize how incredibly toxic and unacceptable her situation is. A situation of denial, manipulation, lack of self-worth (which is probably why she has a name like Thursday….she doesn’t feel she deserves a name…she’s a nobody), and destruction.
I really don’t know how I feel about the rest of it or the ending. I’m still chewing on this one. I’ve searched all over the web for forums to see what answers or theories others have to all these dangling questions. If you guys have anything to add, please post!
Thank you Kristy/Emma for hosting this blog discussion!
Keep up the good work on IG, too!!
Yes! At one point I thought maybe she does have multiple personalities, that would go along with the crazy ending and make a lot of the disconnects makes sense. Also, what was up with her mother? Were they really that clueless about their daughter? And why would they name her Thursday lol?
I too read this book in one day. The first few chapters I was hooked. I felt sorry for Thursday(didn’t like the name either). I wanted her to find out more info on the other wives. When Thursday was admitted to the psych ward I was getting a little bored, I thought the book was taking a weird turn. The ending was crazy, I really didn’t expect that ending, I did enjoy the writing. The author is great! Would read another one of her books!
I did enjoy reading the book. I read it in a day and a half because I wanted to know the climax and resolution. It was hard to relate to Thursday from the beginning because of what she was willing to put up with from a man. I got over that because the story line intrigued me. The ending was rushed and unrealistic. No way she would get a visit from first wife. And the many themes all jumbled leading up to the end did make me frustrated. It was entertaining for the most part. Do you think they will write a screenplay?
I couldn’t agree with your synopsis more. I did enjoy the book for the first 2/3, then the writing got lazy. I’d give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Out of 5. I enjoy reading all genres of books but find the thriller genre the hardest to do right. So many, this one included, just throw a zinger in there at the end and call it a thriller.
I wasn’t bothered by the polygamy and actually added to make the story more interesting. I’ll admit that I’d be googling and stalking the other wives (although can’t fathom being in this situation). The confusion with the name Thursday was silly and unnecessary. I actually went back to the first few chapters to see if she was called another name. (She was not). Another important factor for me to enjoy a book is liking the main character. Not one had any redeeming qualities, thus I had a “who cares” mentality.
That said, thank you for starting the book club. I’ll certainly continue to participate. 😘
So far so good.
Enjoyed this book, an easy read, but really was left feeling like the story ended unfinished.
I really enjoyed this book. I was not too fond of Seth in general. I do agree that for a while I didn’t realize her actual name was Thursday as the other wives were referred to as days of the week. Although it was difficult to trust Thursday toward the end of the book I will say this was my favorite part. In my profession I have encountered numerous people who have unfortunately ended up in a psych ward. Most people describe similar feeling to those Thursday felt while there and not liking how they felt while being on medication. I also thought of Claire From Homeland because although she was bipolar she would not take her medications. It definitely kept me on my feet wondering what was real and what was not.
I think if you like fiction and suspense, a thriller, this is a great book for you. It’s no romance novel. It was a twisted story and yes the ending was out there, but I really enjoyed it!
I didn’t really like Seth. I thought the polygamy angle was an interesting one. The psych ward was also a good twist.
Unlike some others, I liked the quick read. My kind of book!
It took me a minute to figure out it was a polygamy situation. After I figured it out It didn’t surprise me. I watched the series Big Love along time ago…lol. The whole story sort of made me think of how “crazy looking” abused women appear to professionals & to other people. On one hand, I had a lot of empathy for Thursday on the other hand I thought she walked into the situation with her eyes wide open. She was so willing to settle for crumbs as were the other women. The fact that people can be so mean to each other saddened me. I’m being judgie here now, but Seth seemed the typical abusive and manipulating predatory character that knew his job well.
Hi Kristy & Emma ,
Tku for the book suggestion , I have to say I’ve never read a book that annoyed me more than this one , I actually was skimming over the last few pages and wanting it to end , it gave me anxiety lol 😂
Looking forward to the next one though 🥰
I personally enjoyed the book. I am a huge psychological thriller fan so I was excited to read the book. It was an easy read and had a quick pace which I liked. The polygamist aspect was definitely interesting and I kept thinking why would someone agree to this type of lifestyle. There were so many twists and turns so it kept me on my toes. I liked Thursday through most of the story but by the end she annoyed me. I couldn’t stand Seth through out the book and really wished the shot would have killed him and not just paralyzed him. I didn’t see the ending coming at all and was so shocked. I really didn’t like how abruptly it ended or just the ending period. Overall I would give the book 4 out of 5 stars and I would recommend it to others. I am curious to see what other books this author has written.
I couldn’t agree more with Emma and Kristy!! I had the exact same thoughts and discussed it with a friend because I felt the need to talk about it! This isn’t a typical Tarryn story. She is primarily a romance writer. There were too many triggers going on and some unbelievable things happening! The name, Thursday, ugh! I also loved the first part and got engrossed in the polygamy angle. It was a fast read with a totally unbelievable ending! It ruined the whole read for me, which made me sad because I really wanted to like it! There were so many great ways Tarryn couldn’t have taken this , minus all the “ extra” issues that dwelled and happened to Thursday! It was Gone Girl gone haywire.
Totally agree with Kristy and Emma. I love a good thriller and loved that it was a page turner but really disappointed in the ending. Thrilled that you started this book club….thank you.
I really enjoyed this book and I think the author did an outstanding job dealing with a difficult and complex subject matter. Having had the harrowing experience of dealing with a neighbor’s psychosis, I can vouch for the accuracy with which Thursday’s mental illness was written. It is alarming yet amazing how believable a delusional person can be. The ending was disturbing, but, again, having experienced how someone so sweet can turn violent during a psychotic break, I wasn’t too surprised.
In short, a good book is one we continue thinking about and THE WIVES certainly fits the bill. :)
Like our hosts and the majority of opinion, I too enjoyed the first half of the book. Kristy and Emma you make an incredible point in that it was quick to captivate an audience. I enjoy a good thriller, and although there were many trigger themes, the book had good bones to set it up for a terrific thriller. However, it fell completely flat for me. There was a multitude of ideas I had in my head, that in my opinion would’ve made a better ending. For example, what if Regina and Hannah did actually know each other, as it had been presumed by Thursday, from the picture she saw on social media, and if Seth were indeed married to Thursday but was trying to get her money. I think I would’ve enjoyed it more if some accusations that Thursday believed to be true, were actually true. Those are my thoughts, I may try another book from this author, because it’s apparent that she is able to pull in the audience with suspense.
Hi Kristy and Emma! I am so happy to be READING again and to be a part of Your book club. I thought the wives was a great choice to start 2020. Call me nieve but i actually believed the polygamy storyliNe which made Seth hard to like. When thursday’s mental illness was revealed, it was hard to know what was real from then on. Overall, i enjoyed the book and look forward to read #2!
I was rooting for Thursday for the 1st part of the book. At one point, I thought- Wow! It looks like this story is taking an uplifting turn and she is beginning to realize her self-worth and will move on from this incredibly unhealthy relationship. The last half of the book kept getting more and more disappointing and the ending was a total let down. I have found that the best authors know the ending of their story before they begin writing the first chapter. It didn’t appear that this author had a firm grasp on how she wanted this book to end. We’ve all had that experience where you become totally invested in a story- whether it be a move or a book. And then the ending comes and it is such a huge disappointment that it ruins the entire story. One of my favorite authors said something that is so true: “The first chapter sells a book and the last chapter sells your next book”. I love being a part of this book club however I will never pick up another book by this author.
I read this book in 2 days so it did pull me in. But i did struggle with so many issues in this book. Seth Was such a Manipulative psycho and that really bOthered me from the first chapter and all the way through! And i struggled with the later part of the book wIth what Was real and what THURSDAY WAS MAKING UP IN HER MIND. AND IN THE END WHEN SHE KILLED reGina when she came to visit her, i thought did she really kill her or did she make that up in her head also?!
I also agreed with Emma and Kristy. Even though the book moved fast it was too dark for me, kinda creepy especially by the end. The main character Thursday was not likeable and I really need someone to root for. Rather than a thriller it felt more like a horror book in the end. It really explored all aspects of how women find value in themselves and how they create value of themselves to society. For instance women’s relationships with men and how do they keep those supported? Other women? Parents and employers? The book took on too much, but I do have to say I became aware of how much pressure women are under just to justify their existence. I needed to find something uplifting after reading this!!
I enjoyed the book. I am a huge fan of psychological thrillers so this was right up my alley. It was an easy read with a quick pace. I thought the polygamy aspect was interesting but I kept thinking why would anyone agree to such a lifestyle. I liked Thursday throughout most of the book until towards the end when she was getting a bit annoying. I didn’t like Seth throughout the book and I wished he would have died instead of being paralyzed when he got shot. I really didn’t like the ending I felt like it was very abrupt and left too many unanswered questions. Overall I would rate the book 4 out of 5 stars and I would recommend it to friends. I am interested in checking out other books from this author.
You brought up many topics that even though I read them I overlooked them. But now that you point them out they did cover a lot of issues. For me they were uncomfortable issues. Not that they should never be discussed, but a bit overwhelming to be included all at the very same time.
Naming the main character Thursday was incredibly confusing. It took me a long time for that to register that it was her given name.
And like many of you, it ended in a rush of activity and with many loose ends….. not that I would want a sequel by any means, but it could have ended much stronger.
My mom and I both read this book. After she read it, she said of course anyone named Thursday would be crazy! But I was disappointed that this became another “is the woman going crazy or not” story. I think it would have been more interesting if it had stuck with the original premise that all women involved knew they were wives. I also liked when it seemed like Regina and Thursday were going to team up to save Hannah. The twist at the end really took the blame off of Seth, who was not at all a good man or innocent, and pinned it all on Thursday. Although she was obsessive, I didn’t dislike her character, so I hated how it turned out in the end.
Just going to cut to the chase and say that I liked the first half of the book as well. The driving scene with her almost hitting other vehicles seemed to be where it changed for me thinking Thursday was a mess. I didn’t like the name reference either.. I had to go back to the beginning and see if it was a nickname.. What are the chances that was her name really?? Didn’t like the ending at all just found it really unbelievable to think that this person who was so delusional was working as a nurse as well!!? She overshadows Seth which I feel we really don’t know exactly what his character was really about. I looked forward to this book but the ending had me shaking my head. 🤷♀️
I agree with the comment about the name Thursday. Confused me somewhat.
I personally did not believe the story as I was reading it. I felt We had very little information about Seth’s character, so could not form an opinion on him.
Did not like the ending at all. Shocked that it ended like that. I agree with others that it seemed rushed.
The way it was written did enable me to imagine where she was and the surrounds easily.
Any way I am glad that I did read it as don’t usually read thrillers and also first book I have read for some time. Looking forward to the next one.
Hi, like you I loved the fast past, the interesting and different theme of polygamy and the investigative part. As the book went on I liked it less and less although to be fair, the pace continued and it still held my interest.
Re question 7: I just hated the plot as it got closer to the end. The conclusion of a character smashing another ones head on the floor and killing them was vile and I thought totally bizarre that it occurred in the penultimate paragraph – I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that ended without any contextualising or coda afterwards. I’m possibly getting a bit old in my outlook but during the second half of the book I was thinking it don’t really want to be reading about all these horrible and violent things’.
It started so well, I wish it had continued in that vein as the husband sounded like a rat and there was something dissatisfying in discovering he wasn’t ha ha.
That said, it’s been great reading along with others and I’m looking forward to February’s choices!
So I started off really enjoying the book and liking Thursday even though I didn’t know that was her name.
Sadly I found the polygamy somewhat fanciful then my feelings towards Thursday changed. Couldn’t understand the neediness and weakness of her character. That’s when I realised she was
the one to watch.
I then raced through the book just to see if I was right…..sadly I was!
Good choice and looking forward to the next! Thank you.
I really believed the polygamist dynamics at first (not my personal view though!)
My views of Seth were pretty constant! I felt he was controlling!
I felt Thursday was a damaged soul. Needed more self confidence.
I felt the themes were mixed for shock value. Perhaps disturbing for most. But made me think of how others might be affected by these.
I was dismayed by the care in the psychiatric hospital. Also by the mind of a psychiatric patient!
For me the ending was good – disturbing as well.
I feel Thursday needed a partner who encouraged her!
Enjoyed this read!
I was quite interested and enjoying the book in the beginning. I did think the polygamist marriage was far fetched, but I wanted to hear more about how someone would deal with it.
I told my daughter and a friend to join the club and read it when I was at the start, but when I got to the end…I was disappointed and wish I hadn’t said it was good after all! No worries, they were fine. They both agreed that they didn’t care for the ending.
I read The girl on the train and also The girl in the window and enjoyed both of those books.
I completely agree with Kristy and Emma’s thoughts on the book. Perhaps the only thing I would add is how insteresting it was to read about and hear people’s thoughts on polygamy. Coming from a Muslim Arab culture, this idea is Islamically acceptable, though typically culturally frowned upon in 21st century Arab Muslim relationships. I’ve been really enjoying the interactions and posts up on the Facebook group too. I look forward to February!
I agree with the fast opening of this book. I was intrigued by Thursday’s name and the premise of the polygamy as an interesting story.
It took me a bit to understand the miscarriage as being her reason of craziness.
I loved the first half of the book was disappointed with the fast ending. Killing her was not something I thought she was capable of doing.
I read this book on vacation and like Emma couldn’t put it down! The first half was much easier to read, the second half was written in a way that I felt like I was going insane along with Thursday. I wanted to finish the book just to get out of the mental state I was in reading it. I think that’s a great thing for an author to be able to accomplish, but it’s pretty uncomfortable for me as a reader.
Ultimately I think one selfish man ruined the lives of 3 women. Regina and Thursday certainly weren’t innocent, Hannah was the true victim of their dysfunction.
I agree that Regina likely would not be visiting Thursday in the psych ward, but it was certainly a dramatic ending!
Thanks for the recommendation on The Silent Patient, I have it but haven’t read it yet. I’m going to move it up in my queue :)
1. I do not think the polygamist marriage was too far-fetched. I think she did a great job of making it modern and believable. She made it seem more like an open relationship by the way she explained it.
2. In the beginning of the book I did not feel strongly about Seth at all. He sort of just felt like an accessory character to use to create the polygamist relationship and therefore the entire story line. I started to feel frustrated and mad at him in the middle of the book when she starts to talk to Hannah and notices the bruises. This is about the time that I started to dislike him as a character, but not strongly until he attacked her and she went to the hospital. At this point when he started “lying” to the hospital staff about her being mentally ill and that she made up the entire polygamist relationship in her head, I got really frustrated with him. I just put myself in her position and thought about how stuck you would feel if no one had known about the relationship and now the hospital staff thinks she is mentally ill. Even when we found out that she truly was mentally ill and none of it was real, I still did not like Seth towards the end.
3. Thursday did not annoy me as a character.
4. Honestly, I had not put a lot of thought into the amount of themes brought in until I read this post. Now that you bring it up, I realize there are a lot of themes brought in, and although some of them come together, I think there are too many themes for one small book. That being said, it did not ruin the book for me.
5. This part of the book was very realistic and I thought they did a good job explaining what it would be like to be in a psychiatric ward and not believe you were supposed to be in there.
6. I was not bothered by the lack of credibility. I thought it made for an interesting twist that I have not experienced in any book I have read before. It really put you inside the mind of someone with severe mental illness and gives you the perspective that you would never normally get.
7. I thought it was very abrupt and unnecessary. I do not think it makes sense that Regina came to visit out of nowhere. Also, they made it seem like she was getting a lot better and then she killed her out of nowhere.
First I have to say this is the second book I have read from this author. The first was Marrow and I did not care for the ending of that book. I decided to give the author a second chance and hoped for a different outcome. I did enjoy the quick read of this book and I was really interested up until about a little more than halfway through.
The polygamist angle did not bother me it gave the book an interesting direction. However, I did keep saying out loud, “HOW COULD YOU AGREE TO THIS?!” In the beginning the polygamist direction was believable and it made me dislike Thursday as a character because I felt like she settled and had no self-esteem. At one point I began to feel sorry for Thursday and I wanted her to be strong. I never liked Seth I felt like he was a selfish SOB that preyed on women.
I did feel like there were too many themes going on and I did not feel like they were well thought out. Every time a theme was mentioned I thought the book was going to head in the direction of the specific theme, but it never did and I was left with TOO MANY twists and turns.
Regarding the psychiatric ward…. I did not like this section of the book.. When Thursday ended up in the psych ward I started to not care for this book because I felt like I knew what was going to happen since I have read a previous book from this author.
In the end it was hard to really feel connected to Thursday because I did not know what was real and what wasn’t.
I did not like the ending of this book, it left so many unanswered questions. I felt crazy. LOL
First, I have to say this is the second book I’ve read from this author. The first book was Marrow and I did not care for the ending of that book. I decided to give the author a second chance and hoped for a different outcome. I did enjoy the quick read of this book, I love psychological thrillers, and I was really interested until a little more than halfway through.
The polygamist marriage angle did not bother me it gave the book an interesting direction. However, I did keep saying out loud, “How could you agree to this?!” In the beginning the polygamist angle was believable and it made me dislike Thursday as a character, because like she settled and had no self-esteem. At one point I began to feel sorry for her and wanted her to be strong. I never liked Seth I felt like he was a selfish SOB that preyed on women.
There were way to many themes going on and it did not seem as though they were well thought out. Every time a theme was mentioned I thought the book was going to head in the direction of the specific theme, but it never did and I was left with way TOO MANY twits and turns.
Regarding the psychiatric ward… I did not like this section of the book. When Thursday ended up in the psych ward I started to not care for this book because I felt like I knew what was going to happen since I have read a previous book for this author.
In the end it was hard to really feel connected to Thursday because I did not know what was real and what wasn’t.
I did not like the ending of the book, it left so many unanswered questions. I felt like I was crazy. LOL
I agree with your opinions as well. It was a quick read (“listen”) – I use my commute time to “read” during the week using the Audible app. First half of the book had me hooked, but the turn of events was a bit shocking – I’m a romantic and like happy endings. Thursday’s name was confusing for me as well given the references to the other wives. I did not like Seth, especially with the idea of him being a polygamist; I didn’t feel sorry for him in the end either – not sure why really, but maybe it was given the truth about the situation (Thursday’s mental illness) he should have been more compassionate. All in all, not my favorite book, but a pretty good read. Looking forward to the Feb book. xo
I am definitely in the minority. I loved that it was fast paced. I liked that the characters were not likable from the beginning because it keeps us guessing. Nothing worse than knowing by chapter 3 “whodunnit”! I agree the end seemed a bit rushed, but it was unexpected and I will take that over a long, drawn out end that you KNEW was coming.
I liked all of this too! Agreed.
AS the author hoped, I immediately saw things through Thursday’s perspective….trusting her view and her decisions. As the story unraveled I found myself spending a lot of time flipping back in the book re-reading and trying to figure things out. The author was clever in that she hooked many of us and led us to assumptions that were shattered towards the conclusion. Rather than aligning with Thursday, I should have had more empathy for Seth.
Loved the first half! The 2nd half wasn’t as good as I had hoped. I almost felt it was a different author …..You know when you watch a movie, and the ending just leaves you hanging with questions? That is how I felt. However with that being said, I did enjoy the book itself.
Sorry if this has been touched on already, but did we find out if Seth’s parents were actually dead, was that part true?
I was definitely hooked on it but I felt like the author started to give away clues too early, about Thursday’s mental state, and that things weren’t happening as they were in her head. I was disappointed in the ending too, it got a bit far fetched, was an enjoyable read though, definitely passed time on the bus for me!
You know.. I’m not actually sure! That’s very curious. I think it was true personally. And I agree with you that it was too early of a reveal. xx
The book captured my interest because of the content ( polygamy ) but greatly disappointed. I thought for sure there would have been more about that subject. It was quick to read but disappointing at best. Especially the ending. But it’s always great to be part of a book club and be able to compare notes. Thanks
I am little more than half way through this book. Seth seems definitely to be a bad guy, and I somewhat feel for his wives. Thus far, this book is holding my attention.
I agree pretty much with all the items you have mentioned. I assumed that her being named Thursday was still her delusion – as in, doctor’s would call her name but she’d just hear Thursday, even when she was being medicated. Maybe she did have a normal name, but she could only associate it with thursday?
I also got the book yesterday and finished today quick 24hr turn around :D
Oh my gosh. I read The first couple of pages and put it aside. Too much. This was just not my cup of tea. 💖🥂✨
I began reading the book as soon as I got it. It was fast paced and difficult to put down. The author draws you into the story quickly and keeps you hungry for more .
However, as much as I liked the first half of the book, I was disappointed in the last half. I feel like the different strands were randomly put together and I didn’t like the way it ended.
I am appalled and intrigued by the polygamist idea. But too many other issues to actually focus on or make a statement it seemed to me that she simply got to the end and didnt know what to do with the characters. So she quickly dispatched them.
I also read the Silent Patient and they have similar story explosions. There is something very unsettling about abrupt endings for me. Very Hitchcock-esque.
I have been reading through all the comments and agree with all of you. The name Thursday was just strange and all I could think of after I finally figured out that was her real name was Thursday’s child has far to go! The one thing I wonder about was Thursday said several times that she was the one with the money, yet this was never explained as to why or how she had money. I like the comment someone made earlier about the Disease to Please, unfortunately I know too many women who feel this way! Can’t wait for next months book.
I couldn’t agree with your synopsis and opinions more. Loved the first half but I too felt rushed with too much content the last half. Thursday should have only been named Thursday if there was a Monday and Tuesday:A quick read but not my favorite!
I think the book had potential to be really amazing. I couldn’t put the first part of the book down and thought the polygamy plot very interesting. The book was far too long in some parts and the ending far too rushed. It felt like the author stopped writing half way through and passed the book to someone else to finish. I couldn’t relate to Thursday and found the story line too far fetched to be believable. In saying that however, I don’t regret reading it and although the plot had some major flaws I still couldn’t put it down and finished the book in one day.
This is a wonderful, thank you so much!
I’m late to the discussion, as I didn’t get a chance to read the book until this week. I have to say that I completely agree with your synopsis. The book was so good and had me so consumed until it got close to the end. Like others have said, it seems like it was finished in a hurry. Plus, it made the rest of the book confusing. What was real and what just in Thursday’s mind? I am wondering if there was more to the story for the reader’s imagination. Maybe some of what Seth told Thursday was true, but he twisted it to make her think it was all in her head. If she had a mental breakdown after she lost her baby, maybe she was having trouble determining what was real and what was in her head. I suspect that it was true that Seth told her was divorcing Regina but told Regina she was a mistress. Maybe he manipulated her all along and actually did cause her miscarriage.
Thank you for the book choice! I’m a little late as I just finished but I completely agree with your notes! I loved the first half of the book, couldn’t put it down and was on the edge of my seat for the twists and turns. But I was not as into the second half, especially psych ward segments. I was hoping for a bigger twist, a bigger reveal – was thinking maybe Regina or Hannah were in on it with Seth to one day gain access to Thursdays trust. Or maybe the babies were really still alive and living with him, something surprising. But having it just be all in her head was a bit of a letdown, and the ending was so abrupt. Thanks again so much, and looking forward to the next book!
I totally agree with everything said on this thread. I just completed the book and now need some sort of therapy. I liked the first half of the book until she ended up in the psyche ward. At that point, I almost wanted to stop reading because I knew at that point, I wouldn’t be able to tell if Thursday was delusional or not and during the latter half, I wasn’t certain if I shoot root for her or not. I wanted to believe she wasn’t crazy, but I sensed it would go there. I kept thinking that her best friend Anna was going to be a big part of some big reveal, like his new wife or something, but that didn’t happen. I thought that Lauren would help her somehow and I also hoped that she would just forget about Seth and seek to have a normal life, not looking back and just going forward which is how I wanted to end the book.
I loved it! I love a page-turner and I especially love a book that has surprise after surprise. I hate books that are easy to figure out. I put the Woman on the Edge down after one chapter because I already figured out the end. My daughter is getting her PhD in schizophrenia so I thougtht this book was really interesting told from the schizophrenic’s point of view. This is their reality. I loved the ending! I laughed out loud! I felt like Thursday had the last laugh!
I’m glad I’m not the only one with these opinions. I thought the “I imagined it all because I was delusional” ending was a big cop-out, too. It’s like the author didn’t have a clear vision of how things were going to unfold in the book, so she just took the easy route. It’s the same as books and movies where a whole story plays out and the main character wakes up and says, “Oh, it was just a dream.”
The last couple chapters made me feel like I’d wasted my time reading the entire beginning of the book because I was trying to put all the pieces together of the story, and I was hopeful that the answer would be like an aw-hah moment, but no, just disappointment. Seems like the author was under a deadline to crank something out.
I love this book because there is mystery and I can imagine myself as the chacter.
I thoroughly enjoyed the first part of the book, the novel idea about their setup was exciting, I was really hoping for any number of like ten different ways the story could have gone when she started snooping around, but I did not expect nor did I enjoy the whole “it was all in her head because she’s crazy” angle, that was disappointing and turned the book from being something new and fresh to a familiar “crazy woman” trope which I could do without. I’d rather just explore the impact of being in a polygamist relationship and how she was dealing with it, then perhaps have her form a bond with her competition, the story could have taken any number of interesting ways, but chose the easy way out in the end. Still, I didn’t figure out that she was insane until she went to see Regina, so in that sense the book “got me” and it was impressive
I really liked the first half and I enjoyed as it turned with the meeting of Regina and Thursday the Diner. I did NOT like the ending AT ALL and I’m left feeling disappointed. Idk it’s just disappointing to know she’s crazy this whole time. It’s disappointing to know she would hurt her father like she did. It’s so far fetched to think Regina would visit her in the hospital. Idk I’m just left feeling blah and meh
I did not care for this book when I read it. That was a couple of years ago. Having said that, I have never forgotten this book.
While reading it, I believed that this book was about a woman in a polygamist relationship. It was only at the end that i realized that this book was actually a deep dive into one woman’s deep and delusional depression after losing her baby.
I am actually going to recommend this for my current bookclub for the discussion it will open.