Will Lady Tremaine Be the Biggest Book of 2026?
Last month, when I read Rachel Hochhauser’s Lady Tremaine — a reimagining of Cinderella from the perspective of her stepmother — I was blown away. In the novel, Lady Tremaine pulled herself out of poverty as a teenager; but now, middle-aged, twice-widowed and back in debt, she needs to find her two daughters secure marriages before they end up on the streets. Also on her to-do list? Caring for an ungrateful stepdaughter, hunting rabbits for dinner, and keeping their leaky house from quite literally falling down.
Lady Tremaine flips everything on its head — the classic Cinderella fairy tale, of course, but also how we view women and mothers, through history, literature, and still today. (Case in point: on Big Salad, I shared how the book led me to a major dating realization.) Reese Witherspoon just chose the novel for her book club, and I can already envision the movie on the big screen. Here, I spoke to Rachel about her dramatic backstory, favorite sentence, and parenting realization…
First things first: What inspired you to write about Cinderella’s stepmother?
The backstory is more dramatic than you might think. In 2023, my husband couldn’t get out of bed — he had vertigo, he was throwing up all the time, he lost 35 pounds. We didn’t know what was going on. Eventually we found out that he needed emergency brain surgery. The recovery was brutal, and we were spending so much time in the hospital. One day, in the waiting room, I was scrolling through my phone and was stopped in my tracks by a cartoon image of Cinderella’s evil stepmother.
Why did that image jump out at you?
At the time, I was a caregiver. I was taking care of my husband, solo-parenting our toddler, and working full time. When I looked at Cinderella’s stepmother, I didn’t see a villain. I saw a mother who was doing what she needed to do to take care of her family.
What a stunning realization.
That seed got under my skin. I couldn’t stop thinking about it, I felt compelled and called to the story.
Were you first introduced to the story by watching the Disney movie as a kid?
Yes, and I was enthralled. Even now, when I think of the iconic animation, the set design, the scale of it, I feel very taken with it. The interesting thing is, I’m trying to re-message the story around Cinderella, but it’s also a love letter to Cinderella.
One delightful part of reading the novel was spotting classic Cinderella scenes — for example, she comes down wearing an old blue dress, and the stepsisters touch it and it rips.
It was really fun to play with the familiar plot points but defy expectations and make U-turns. Then the second half of the book explodes that world.
Lady Tremaine has two daughters, of course, plus her stepdaughter. In your novel, she ends up realizing that she needs to parent each of them differently. That was a beautiful and profound moment.
You go into parenting with lots of expectations — what it’s going to look like, how your kids are going to be. But kids come out who they are, and that’s been an essential lesson for me. Parenting is a violation of expectations again and again, on a small and large scale, and you can’t parent any two kids the same way.
The novel also feels cinematic — you can clearly picture the grassy fields, the crumbling house, the village market. What background research did you do?
The novel’s very much in conversation with the western European version of Cinderella, but it isn’t actually set in a specific time period or place. So, it was a bit of a get-out-of-jail-free card for me; I wanted it to read like historical fiction but I didn’t need to be hyper-specific about what life looked like in England in 1797. Instead, I researched a broader swath of time — I read the diaries of 18th-century women, etiquette books for women, fiction written during that time… Since Lady Tremaine has a falcon, I read old falconry manuals and took bird workshops. Helen Macdonald’s H Is For Hawk is an exquisite book.
How did you decide on the cover?
Ninety-nine percent of authors don’t get to choose their covers, but I did get to offer feedback and St. Martin’s Press was wonderful about listening. We originally had different florals, but I asked, could we ever use something from the world of the book? I sent over images by Clara Peeters, one of the few female Dutch Golden Age painters. I didn’t actually know you could do this, but St. Martin’s used the flowers from her painting for the cover! I LOVED that. They’re not just pretty florals, they’re from a woman who was ahead of her time and doing something different.
You now have two daughters — ages one and four. Were you thinking about them as you wrote?
Yes. The ending almost reads like a letter to young girls, to my daughters. My favorite sentence is the last sentence: ‘You are the scariest thing in the woods.’
Thank you so much, Rachel! Lady Tremaine is a force.
P.S. More favorite books, and Kate Baer’s motherhood poems make me laugh and cry.
Comments
105 commentsI just requested it from my library. The second search result after the book itself was “Disney Villain’s Hairstyles and Looks” which doesn’t quite pique my interest in the same way, ha.
I just got a notice that my BOTM order is delayed. I sincerely hope that SO MANY people chose your book that they had to print a bunch more!!! Congrats! I can’t wait to read it when it finally arrives!
Eagerly awaiting my copy! Was a quick and easy pick for my Book of the Month!
Definitely going to add this one to my list! On a similar note (re: re-telling stories from a different character’s POV), I read James after seeing so much praise for it, and I was soooo disappointed. I thought the idea was so cool, but the writing fell so flat. The story only became interesting to me when it veered away from the original. Maybe it’s because I read Adventures of Huckleberry Finn immediately before starting James, and the juxtaposition between the writing styles was so jarring, but I felt really let down by all the hubbub!
I’m so excited for my hold to come in at the library! I love stories about female characters being retold/reimagined (ie. Circe, The Red Tent). Would love to know if anyone knows of other books in this niche! In terms of movie adaptations – I was solidly a Lion King and Beauty & the Beast kid (now adore Moana, our son’s favourite) and I never loved the animated version of Cinderella, but as tweens my sister and I LOVED the live action Cinderella, starring Brandy! I haven’t seen it in probably 25 years, so no idea how it holds up, but we were obsessed – Bernadette Peters as the evil stepmother! Whitney Houston as the fairy godmother! Whoopi Goldberg and Victor Garber as the queen and king! From what I remember it was a 90s maximalist fever dream, and so fun to watch.
Omg, I literally sing to myself all the time – “Im-possible! For a plain yellow pumpkin to become a golden carriage – im-possible!” That movie is definitely worth a re-watch, thank you for reminding me!!
I also loved Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire when it came out – and of course Madeline Miller’s Song of Achilles. I always love a fairy tale retelling and would also love more recs!
I just read Cinder House by Freya Marske, it was weird but cool. A Cinderella story.
I see this has been added to the Cup of Jo book recs page. Nice nice. As a side project, I added all those books to a “reading challenge” on StoryGraph. I’ve been tracking how may I read which has been fun. Here’s the challenge, open to anytime to join it. https://app.thestorygraph.com/reading_challenges/c7489b4c-259e-4051-94a6-4feb09c29053?redirect=true
Hey Amy, what do you mean by the Cup of Jo book recs page? Could you link it here if possible?
Psst: https://cupofjo.com/editors-picks For future reference, you can find it in the drop-down menu in our “About” section. 😉
What a wonderful idea! I’m going to join.
Amy! AMY! This is such a gift!!! Thank you for all the time you took to put this together- my heart is delighted!
Love this concept, but bummed that she gave away the last line of the book without a ‘spoiler alert’. The last line is SO precious in a book!
I was thinking the same thing!
This!! The last line of a book is sacred!
I was recently out with authors and complained that at author talks and festivals it is so annoying when we are supposed to discuss the book but no drop any spoilers – I said “Can’t we change the rules and only let in people who have read the book”. Much better discussion if we could.
Reese’s Book Club has a stipulation that her company gets first options to make a movie out of it so the book doing well within her club is a good sign it will move forward as a feature!
Seems like a good place to recommend a book of poetry I LOVED: Fierce Fairytales by Nikita Gill, reimaginings of classic fairytales. https://www.powells.com/book/fierce-fairytales-poems-stories-to-stir-your-soul-9780316420747 Here’s a snippet of a fav: Why Tinkerbell Quit Anger Management I had to give up on their remedies. They kept trying to make me less angry, but I refuse to surrender my rage Because whole kingdoms have already spent millennia trying to keep women subdued, only to be discarded in old age. My fury gets things done, it has saved lives, it has made the world listen where I could not speak, my anger has screamed. Think Helen of Troy when they took her freedom. Think the Rani of Jhansi leading rebellions. Think Joan of Arc leading armies on what she dreamed. So now I love my tinderbox heart so easy to light up, all it takes is half a spark. A woman’s anger can change the world, I know my can and this is not a gift I will give away. I am small and I am angry, it is how I channel my energy and I LIKE me that way.
LOVED this poem. The last line, I think, is for my spirited little daughter. Thank you for sharing.
Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister is one of my favourite films. As a self-proclaimed plain teenage girl, its ruminations on beauty and attractions where so important to me. Nowadays it ss one of my chicken soup films that just make me feel cozy when I’m feeling down.So that book seems quite up my alley!
I came to the comments section to see if anyone was going to mention the book ‘Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister’ which I read ages ago, and then re-read once the hoopla over Wicked started. Same author for both of those fairy tale re-imaginings. BUT NOW I LEARN ABOUT THE FILM?!?! I must find this immediate. And probably I should read Lady Tremaine too.
One of my glimmers is pre-ordering a book, completely forgetting about it and a couple of months later unexpectedly finding it on my kindle on launch day. It is always a lovely surprise and Lady Tremaine is waiting for me to finish Liz Moore’s Heft :) Can’t wait.
Same! except for when I preorder it with different bookshops and so I end up with a few copies…
Nothing better. I have an aunt that would say “how are you a friend to yourself?” And so anytime I pick up a preorder I think “Thank you past me for caring about current me so much!”
Dear Joanna I would like very much to read something from you about this stupid war in Middle East und perhaps all over the world soon. How the New Yorkers feel about it?
Thank you for mentioning this, Maria! I hope something is in the works. Also, this seems like as good a time as any to remind everyone – No Kings protest coming up on March 28! Keep up the pressure.
Can not wait for this!!
I cannot wait! I just ordered it. AMAZING. Congratulations to the author.
Just finished this book and WHOA. I started it after work today and now it’s almost midnight. I literally could not put it down. Thank you so much for the recommendation, this story was exactly what I needed. And the telling was magnificent.
I ordered it from the library a week or two ago, but now may cave and go for it as an audiobook– patience never was my strong suit! Also– kind typo alert: In the question about the cover, I believe you meant decide, not decided.
Speaking of books, did you know that there are 306 Black-owned bookstores in the States? Journalist Phil Lewis reports, “The National Association of Black Bookstores (NAB2), a new organization that aims to empower Black-owned bookstores and booksellers, released its inaugural State of the Black Bookstore report”, you can read it here: https://www.nab2.org/state-of-black-bookstore-report You can download the report and look at the directory to find one near you. Please help support these bookstores!
Just got the call from my library that the copy I requested is in. I’m so excited to read this and the cover is just beautiful! Thanks for the insight into the backstory. I’ve seen a meme in the last few years with a picture (from the Disney version) of Lady Tremaine sitting in her bed petting Lucifer with the caption, “I thought I’d grow up to be a Disney princess; instead I turned into the this lady.” As an introvert who likes sitting around with my cats, I suddenly felt a kinship. Congratulations to you, Rachel. I hope this book blows up! (and I hope your husband is all better).
Looking forward to reading! And also, could we get a beauty uniform? And would love to hear her perspective as a caregiver to a partner and how she managed to navigate that.
yes seconding both these content ideas!
They also tried to sensitize Sophie’s stepmom in the latest Bridgerton. It also had simile to Cindrella’s tale.
I feel like this is the wrong takeaway but…THAT HAIR. Girl, what did you do? That is my dream hair and I need products.
I have anorexic hair, so I get it – totally get it! Her hair is stunning.
lol SAME reaction here! Gorgeous hair.
This is what I came to say, as well! I’m very excited about the book but her hair is also my DREAM hair (and might be attainable for me, considering what I know about my hair?). Products please! Rachel has got to expect this, being featured on CoJ ;)
Seriously! I feel like this is some of the best hair inspo I’ve seen recently… I would be curious what she asks her stylist to do when getting it cut!
SAME. I need the hair intel!
Is there a way to follow the comment thread for the deets?
Saw the author at a stop of her book tour, can confirm hair was INCREDIBLE. As was her outfit!! Echoing all requests for a hair/beauty/outfits post!!
So excited to read this! Got my library notification that it’s waiting for me today and love that this interview was posted with more context. Can’t wait :)
This is such a cool idea, and I will look forward to reading it. The last line reminded me of this quote (unattributed): The devil whispered to her, You can’t weather the storm. She whispered back to the devil: I am the storm.
Wow, love this, Abesha.
Don’t mind me, just trying not to sob and wake my kid up who I’m sitting with at bedtime.
After some quick sleuthing, here is the source: Adharanand Finn, The Rise of the Ultra Runners: A Journey to the Edge of Human Endurance Ok, now I’m interested in THIS book! My list is long…
Sorry, I kinda like the original version where the stepsisters cut off halves of their feet to fit in the shoes! Gruesome and psychologically disturbing haha
hahahaha! Once i was baby sitting my little cousin, and was feeling particularly fed up of the disneyfication of everything, i decided to encourage him to pick the original version from the library. He was too little to read himself (lucky) but I heard from my aunty the next day after she had had a chance to read the books at bed time! She had to re-invent the story and then explain how the words went with the pictures.
It’s still cool though – stories always have two sides at least, each as true as the other
I’m with you. I’ve been on a binge of Freaky Fairytales. Donkey Skin with Catherine Deneuve. Tale of Tales is unhinged. I’m going to watch the Ugly Stepsister this weekend. Like, I want to watch a fairy tale and be like, “Magic is scary but the horrors are nothing compared to what lurks in the human heart.” I do have a theory that everyone’s favorite adaptation of Cinderella is based on the stepmother. Mine is Ever After because Angelica Huston stands on business.
I’m listening to the audiobook of this right now and it is fascinating and so well written. I can tell I am going to be a complete waste of space today until I am done. I can’t wait to see how the author plays out the story.
I love when a book grabs on to us so hard we can’t stop until we’re finished.
Brianna, Lady Tremaine had me in its’ grip! I can 100% say I loved it. The audio was great.
I’ve heard so much chatter about this book already and it just came out! Looking forward to reading. The wrists … my god..
Terry Pratchett has written the same sentiment about female protagonists being the most frightening thing in the woods—I always love it. Also really appreciate the point about the sanitization of fairy tales!
As a parent to a toddler who is just rewatching these movies for the first time since childhood, I will admit that Cinderella was one that felt like it aged so badly. The insistence that the female family members were so villainous and that the rich and high brow prince ultimately saves Cinderella from them simply because of surface level attraction are such terrible plot points. I can’t stand the juxtaposition of jealous women and a heroin in Cinderella who really doesn’t do anything but exist prettily so the man saves the day in the end. Intrigued by this book’s ability to flesh out the characters.
Not to have an online debate about Disney’s Cinderella, lol, but totally disagree! Cinderella doesn’t just “exist prettily” – she’s a victim of an abusive household (she’s a teen orphan who is literally forced into servitude by her step mother after her father dies, not to mention locked in rooms, etc), and despite that, she stays resilient and spends her time helping others. She is constantly saving and caring for animals (going out of her way to care for vulnerable creatures, with no expectation of anything in return). She remains humble in the face of adversity. On the surface, you could say the love at first sight bit is all about looks, but you could also say that it’s about Cinderella’s character shining through. When she goes to the ball, she’s not even seeking a prince to marry (she doesn’t even realize that the dude she’s dancing with all night is the prince), she’s just wanting literally one night of carefree fun. Everyone else there is trying to impress the prince. But now this (yes, conventionally pretty) girl shows up and doesn’t treat him differently like everyone else has his whole life–maybe it’s the first person he’s been able to be his genuine self with. And you could say he saves the day in the end… you could also say that Cinderella took a lot of risks to try and achieve a little bit of agency in her life and pull herself out of a really terrible situation (without trying to hurt others in the process).
haha sorry wasn’t done….re: “the juxtaposition of jealous women and a heroin in Cinderella who really doesn’t do anything but exist prettily” – Cinderella has no agency to take charge of her life, if she “doesn’t do anything” it’s because she can’t, she’s trapped, so she makes the best of her life by day dreaming about a better life, making friends with those around her, not giving up even when she’s thwarted again and again. Overall, kindness wins. Karma, baby!
*Standing O to Anna*
Couldn’t agree more with you Anna!
Not to have an online debate, but as the daughter and the mother of feminists, I stand with Omaya! Also, how much of this is based on the Disney version that more people know, v. the original version that is more gruesome? Also thinking about the relevance of the similarity of “heroin” and “heroine”. Both are derived from ‘hero”, as heroin was apparently originally marketed as a heroic cough suppressant. And here we are.
Critiques of fairy tales is my passion. The original is gruesome, yes, but Anna’s interpretation stands up to it. In the original Charles Perrault, when Cinderella’s father goes on a trip and asks his daughter, wife, and stepdaughters what to bring back, while the others ask for the latest styles of clothing from the city, Cinderella asks for the branch of tree to propagate and plant over her mother’s grave; she is humble and honors her mother. After her father dies, Cinderella’s only escape from the abuse of the step-family is to go sit under the tree. She also is kind and nurturing to the animals of the house and yard. When the three-night festival comes, she asks for a dress to go, which the tree grows from its branches for her each night. Though she dances with the prince and knows who he is, she flees from him not once, not twice, but three times, until he spreads pitch on the stairs and captures her shoe. She’s not trying to be saved by a man, she is using what agency she has (knowledge that her presence won’t be missed by her abusers) to have a respite from useless tasks designed to degrade her, like separating lentils from ashes. As someone from a former high-control fundamentalist group, I love Cinderella and people who say things like, “WELL WHY DIDN’T SHE JUST LEAVE?!?!” really bugs me. Yeah, it might be the obvious solution, but it’s not the easiest, most practical, or always the safest. A lot of internal change has to happen first, and Cinderella captures that perfectly with her resilience and outside the box thinking, plus a little luck/magic.
I love this conversation :). To clarify, my interpretation was specifically about the Disney version of Cinderella (I’ve watched it a lot, both as a kid and now with my preschooler), though I can see how the argument gets applied to other versions of the story too, and appreciate your response Betsy! In reply to Julia K: I don’t think my take (or the movie/story) is anti-feminist. I fully agree that some of the tropes in the film are rooted in the misogyny of the time (especially the emphasis on beauty, virtue, and marriage), and all of the girls and women in the story are products of the patriarchal society they’re living in. That being said…. I’ve been thinking about a point Design Mom made recently in Threads: matriarchy isn’t just patriarchy with women in charge, it’s an entirely different value system. A lot of modern “girl power” stories still operate inside patriarchal definitions of power. The heroine proves she’s strong by fighting, conquering, competing, or being exceptional in ways that are traditionally coded as masculine. By that metric, newer Disney heroines can look more feminist because they’re battling or saving kingdoms. But that doesn’t necessarily mean the story has actually escaped patriarchal ideas about what power looks like, it may just be rewarding women for successfully performing them. Cinderella* *centers traits that patriarchal culture often dismisses because they’re associated with women: kindness, emotional resilience, cooperation, and the ability to build relationships and community. These qualities are usually framed as weakness, but they’re actually survival strategies in systems where someone has very little structural power. Cinderella is basically an isolated young woman living under coercive control in her own home. She has almost no real power in that situation. Within those constraints, she refuses to become cruel, bitter, or dehumanized by the way she’s treated. So to me, the feminist reading is that the story treats traditionally feminine traits as meaningful forms of strength. Her power isn’t domination. It’s persistence, empathy, imagination, and hope.
This book sounds fantastic. I’m enthralled with any story that refuses to look at a character from a dualistic good/evil stance and insists on understanding the full person. Wicked helped mainstream this concept. I also highly recommend Little Red Riding Hood Uncloaked: Sex, Morality, And The Evolution Of A Fairy Tale by Catherine Orenstein. This is more of a scholarly read but offers fascinating lenses to unpack an otherwise familiar story.
Claire Peeters cover – how moving plus gorgeous! Can’t wait to read!! Oof, so glad your hb is okay. Annd met my hb two blocks from that last photo one million years ago. Our apartment doors faced each other, and we’d stroll up to 23rd for dates. Need to return to check out the old neighborhood someday!
This is an interesting extension of the sanitization of fairy tales, starting with Grimm Bros. The New Yorker has a story about the current tendency to be understanding of the monsters/bad guys in fairy tales and older stories: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/11/03/how-monsters-went-from-menacing-to-misunderstood Just some food for thought for those interested in history of folk stories.
Thank you very much for sharing this article link, Maydo! It was a fascinating and insightful analysis of how we’ve changed our perception of monsters.
The Grimms didn’t invent those stories. They gathered, repurposed and rewrote stories that had been part of oral tradition and preserved by women and men in community across cultures and across centuries.
Yes, @anadevine, as I stated, the Bro Grimm were the first step in sanitizing these tales. Writing down other people’s stories with an eye to popularize them. I did not say they wrote them themselves.
Ana, I think Maydo notes that– in her first sentence, I read this as the Grimm Brothers were an early iteration of the sanitization of fairy tales. I don’t think Maydo is suggesting that they made them up :)
This is intriguing as I can’t imagine how she reframes it so that it makes sense that the stepmother treats Cinderalla so cruelly, while spoiling her own two daughters. I’m not a mother, just an auntie, but I would never in a million years be able to abandon that third daughter. I guess I will have to read it.
She really doesn’t abandon her in the book — although I won’t give spoilers!
I’m curious too. In the Disney version, tremaine isn’t just cruel and misunderstood, she’s abusive. Part of me is really excited to read this, and part of me is like oh no, we’re humanizing the abusers now. Obviously we’re talking about Cinderella and a novel, so it’s not that serious, but given our current events (ie: epstein files), I just feel a little more sensitive about giving abusers a pass.
Sigh. Can’t wait to read this. As a stepmom, it’s a really tough roll. Stepdads are bonus parents, stepmoms (generally) are villains. Stepmonster by Wednesday Martin is a good read for anyone wanting a nonfiction take on this.
Totally agree. There is rarely any “winning” in step-motherhood. It’s a very hard road and I am excited to read this. It sounds so good.
I know everyone’s story is different, but my step mother joined our family when I was 14, and I had three younger brothers. We absolutely tortured her and my dad sucked at holding us accountable. Today, she is my dearest friend. She had my little sister later in life, and it’s been a joy to be mom friends! I always end messages and conversations with “love you evil step mother”
Another stepmom here. It can feel so lonely sometimes! Would love to see a feature about stepmomming on Cup of Jo.
I do not like that stepmothers have to battle this image. I did not have a stepmother but imagine it would be a gift to have another caring adult invested in a child’s well-being.
“Would love to see a feature about stepmomming on Cup of Jo.” ^ Seconding this! I would love to see more content about building a stepfamily more generally. It can feel really lonely, but it’s so common at the same time.
Also a stepmom here. Interestingly, I am now divorced from their Dad, but my two now-grown stepsons lived with us exclusively for their teen years because their mother was in another country. I am so grateful for our relationship, and we’ve stayed close despite my separation from their dad – which is now fine and amicable. I am also very close to my oldest stepson’s partner. Technically now I am her ‘ex-step-mother-in-law’ which sounds like a super villain if I were to be cast in her movie. But we laugh about it because we choose how to be family and all care deeply about each other!
Stepmoms are villains… and bio-moms are always dead. mom-figures in general can’t win (in fairy tails/in the patriarchy).
Cannot wait to read this. Stepmoms need better branding. <3
100%
Is there another word for stepmom in English? In Dutch (or at least the Flemish version of it), the term “plusmama” has become popular recently. It has a much more positive connotation than ‘stiefmoeder’.
I’ve definitely heard of the term “bonus mom”, but I still don’t think it’s used terribly often.
Have already placed a hold on this at my local library and cannot wait to get my hands on it. Still thinking about the slender wrists line and now adding the woods one to my journal. Very excited!
I’m so excited to read this–I just ordered my Book of the Month box, and gasped when I saw both Kin and Lady Tremaine offered…I ordered both, of course, plus Lost Lambs, since I’ve heard so much about it.
What great picks!! Can’t wait to read Kin.
Omg I was so excited when I saw both in Book of the Month! Ordered them, too! Really loving that club and can’t stop wearing my hats that scream, I am a well-read person and I have no shame about that! https://www.mybotm.com/pfl3xe4qryc
Oooh, thanks for the tip!
My quick take on Lost Lambs: one of the emptiest, coldest novels I’ve read for a long time. Would be very curious to hear from someone who felt differently about it.
Lost Lambs is great. I ordered Kin for my BOTM and added Lady T to my box for April
Megan S. I think Lost Lambs satire is very funny. I have found that other satirical novels that I enjoy get lost on some of my fellow book-sharing friends. Maybe, simply, not your taste :)
I’m so looking forward to reading this novel. Beautiful cover. “Parenting is a violation of expectations“ AMEN to that insightful remark.
AGREED! I loved that line about parenting.
I ordered this book for my library (I’m a public librarian) and I am so glad I did! I loved the movie Cinderella as a child, and I love a book that gives another character’s perspective so I can’t wait to read it. When I read about her description of the book, I can’t help but think of Mrs. Bennet from Pride and Prejudice. Marrying off FIVE daughters because they will lose their house after Mr. Bennet’s death- totally get why she was the way she was!
Omg brilliant point!
Kathleen, Yes! My ten year old LOVED watching the old (best) PP tv show (her idea?!) and one night we had a talk about the mom. How she’s portrayed v how high the stakes were… Realizing now it does give a different perspective on Mr Bennet’s chill/whatever attitude towards most of it.
Thank you for being a librarian!!
I spy Portland’s NW 23rd Avenue
Me too, Micheline! (Former NW 21st and Flanders resident, oh do I miss that neck of the woods!) Book on hold at the library, thanks for the rec!
You just made my day–as a huge fan of (and wannabe resident of) Portland, when I saw that pic, it made me think of that part of the city but then doubted myself hahaha. Good catch!