52 pages 1 hour read

Holly Gramazio

The Husbands

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2024

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Before You Read

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Super Short Summary

In The Husbands, a magical realism novel by Holly Gramazio, Lauren, a thirty-something living in London, discovers her attic is magically providing her with a series of husbands who replace one another each time a current husband ascends to the attic. As she cycles through numerous spouses, she learns that the freedom to choose a partner is both a luxury and a burden, ultimately finding the experience to be a commentary on the imperfect institution of marriage. The book includes themes of emotional manipulation and non-consensual drugging.

Reviews & Readership

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Review Roundup

The Husbands by Holly Gramazio garners mixed reviews. Positively noted for its dark humor and sharp societal critique, readers appreciate its wit and engaging prose. Critics, however, find its plot occasionally meandering and some character arcs underdeveloped. Overall, the novel is deemed thought-provoking albeit with some pacing issues.

Who should read this

Who Should Read The Husbands?

A reader who enjoys dark domestic thrillers with a feminist twist, like The Husbands by Holly Gramazio, would be drawn to characters grappling with societal expectations and the eerie unraveling of suburban life, similar to The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin or Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty.

RecommendedReading Age

18+years

Book Details

Themes

Emotions/Behavior: Love

Emotions/Behavior: Regret

Identity: Gender

Genre

Mystery / Crime Fiction

Modern Classic Fiction

Magical Realism