I'm a librarian and despite what many people might think this does not involve much reading.
This summer however me and some coworkers are presenting three new books each for an audience of predominantly older women. Since I have to go through the work of finding, getting, reading and forming an opinion on these books I might as well post it here as well. With the added bonus that I can be brutally honest here.
The plot
After ten years in prison Millie is finally free. Unfortunately she's unemployed and living in her car. And with her criminal record getting a job is hard. But she at long last does manage to get work as a housekeeper for the wealthy Winchester family. Even better it provides both a salary and room, so says yes despite it being slightly unnerving.It doesn't get less worrying when on the first day the Gardner Enzo warns her about danger but he doesn't speak English so she isn't sure what exactly he means.
Inside the pristine house from the interview has, in just a week, turned into a pigsty and when she gets to her cramped attic room she realize that the door only locks from the outside.
And that sets the tone for her employment. Nina Winchester is inconsistent, acting like they are the best of friends on moment and the threaten to fire her the next. Berating her for not completing jobs she hasn't been asked to do. Calls in a panic and asks to pick up kid from school even if other parent takes kid to karate lessons acts as if never asked. And being jealous if Millie so much as talks with her husband Andrew.
For Millie it's a nightmare as she slowly realize that Nina is not just "a bit temperamental" like her husband says but that something is seriously wrong. But she can't leave because leaving means being homeless and worse her probation is dependent on her having a job and home. So even when she comes down to Nina throwing dishes on the floor, lying about her daughters allergies or when Millie suspects she is violent. She still has to stay.
My thoughts
I want to preface this by saying that it's not a bad book (at least not in the first 100 pages which is all I read). Millie is sympathetic and her being stuck in a bad situation where she is powerless with an inconsistent, gas-lighting boss. The slowly dread and uncertainty is well written.
Mostly I just don't like it, I don't particularly like this kind of thrillers. I don't like People being stuck in bad situations and not doing anything they can to get out of it. Don't get me wrong I understand Millie's choices there literally isn't any better option for her. That's most of the reason I'm not throwing the book away in annoyance. But with every chapter I know something bad is going to happen I just don't know what or how bad and that feeling of uncertainty and helplessness isn't something I'm looking for (I have plenty of that already).
That being said there are some less subjective critiques as well. I don't like the way it villainizes mental illness if I was to attempt to diagnose her I'd say less evil more narcissist and depressed. Even so Millie looking trough her medicine kind of crosses a line.
Also one of the "weird" things Nina does is being jealous of her husband. She don't want them to talk or even be in the same room. This is considered weird because Andrew is so obviously in love with her.
But at the same time Millie constantly thinks about how hot he is and clearly wouldn't mind becoming the new Mrs Winchester. Similar thought is expressed by side characters so it's not like Nina doesn't have any reason for it.
As for Millie a part from knowing that she spent several years in prison we don't really know anything about her. Not what she was in prison for or where she is from and though its possible that this is revealed later in the book in the parts I read there's nothing. This feels like a missed opportunity. The slow reveal of her past, what she did and why could have been an interesting second plot point.
I said that Millie is stuck and forced to work there but that doesn't mean that she can't do anything. While the threat of homelessness is real the problem of her parole could be lessened. In a meeting with her parole officer she lies and say that it's fine. This serves no purpose the rules of the parole states that she has to have a place to live and a job. Side thought: is this accurate to real life because thinking about it it seams unreasonable. Anyway she has to have a job, no one said she has to like it and explaining the situation might give her some leniency if she has to leave.
All in all for someone who likes thrillers this would probably be a good fit but its not for me.
If you have read it what did you think? Leave a comment. If you haven't read it you can check it out here Housemaid.
