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Madwoman
A gripping story of motherhood and motherloss and the brutal, mighty things women do to keep themselves and each other alive, MADWOMAN marks the arrival of a major fiction talent.
The world is not made for mothers.
Yet mothers made the world…
Clove has gone to extremes to keep her past a secret. Thanks to her lies, she’s landed the life of her dreams, complete with a safe husband and two adoring children who will never know the terror that was routine in her own childhood. If her buried anxiety threatens to breach the surface, Clove (if that is really her name) focuses on finding the right supplement, the right gratitude meditation.
But when she receives a letter from a women’s prison in California, her past comes screeching into the present, entangling her in a dangerous game with memory and the people she thought she had outrun. As we race between her precarious present-day life in Portland, Oregon and her childhood in a Waikiki high-rise with her mother and father, Clove is forced to finally unravel the defining day of her life. How did she survive that day, and what will it take to end the cycle of violence? Will the truth undo her, or could it ultimately save her?
The world is not made for mothers.
Yet mothers made the world…
Clove has gone to extremes to keep her past a secret. Thanks to her lies, she’s landed the life of her dreams, complete with a safe husband and two adoring children who will never know the terror that was routine in her own childhood. If her buried anxiety threatens to breach the surface, Clove (if that is really her name) focuses on finding the right supplement, the right gratitude meditation.
But when she receives a letter from a women’s prison in California, her past comes screeching into the present, entangling her in a dangerous game with memory and the people she thought she had outrun. As we race between her precarious present-day life in Portland, Oregon and her childhood in a Waikiki high-rise with her mother and father, Clove is forced to finally unravel the defining day of her life. How did she survive that day, and what will it take to end the cycle of violence? Will the truth undo her, or could it ultimately save her?
336 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication September 3, 2024
About the author
Chelsea Bieker
4 books543 followersChelsea Bieker is the author of three books, most recently the novel Madwoman, a Book of the Month club pick the New York Times calls “brilliant in its depiction of the long shadows cast by domestic violence.” Her first novel, Godshot, a national indie bestseller, was longlisted for The Center For Fiction’s First Novel Prize and named a Barnes & Noble Pick of the Month. Her story collection, Heartbroke won the California Book Award and was a New York Times “Best California Book of 2022.” Her writing has appeared in The Paris Review, Marie Claire UK, People, The Cut, Wall Street Journal, and others. She is the recipient of a Rona Jaffe Writers’ Award, as well as residencies from MacDowell and Tin House. Raised in Hawai’i and California, she now lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
September 1, 2024
An expertly written story about intertwining lives, motherhood, grief, rage, and what it means to heal.
✶⋆.˚ 4 𝓢𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓼 ✶⋆.˚
Let me start by saying - I skimmed over the synopsis prior to starting this book but... I'm not sure what I expected because it wasn't this. I was pleasantly surprised by this story and often found myself unable to even articulate my thoughts and feelings as I was reading...
✶ ⋆｡˚ ⁀➷ ꕤ 𝓠𝓾𝓲𝓬𝓴 𝓢𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓻𝔂 ༊*·˚
Clove has a past that's connected to domestic violence, her father physically, mentally and emotionally abused her mother for years while she was growing up. One evening, during a physical altercation, her father is pushed from their 33rd floor balcony to his death.
After her father's death, Clove takes off on her own, to start her own life. A family friend is able to provide her with an alternate name along with documents, social security card etc because her daughter is sick and on the verge of passing away.
The story is told between the present - Clove is now a mother of two, married to a good man who has never so much as raised his voice to her. Her children are extremely well cared for and loved.
She's kept them safe. Her husband doesn't have the full story though, he believes both of Clove's parents were killed in a car wreck when she was younger.
The other part of the story is told in flash backs of the past - when she was growing up with both of her parents back in Hawaii and all of the struggles they endured.
One day, Clove receives a letter in the mail from her mother who's currently serving a life sentence for murdering her husband/Clove's father... But was it self-defense? Will Clove's carefully constructed life completely fall apart now that her mother has made a reappearance?
✶ ⋆｡˚ ⁀➷ ꕤ 𝓜𝔂 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼 ༊*·˚
When I first started this book, I'll be honest... I was expecting something a little more fast paced with several twists and turns. A standard thriller you could say. But what I got instead was a slower paced story with almost the most mundane of day-to-day tasks/errands.
When I say mundane, I don't mean that the story itself was boring because I couldn't seem to put it down although all of the health-nut idiosyncrasies did get a bit redundant at some point.
₊˚.જ⁀➴ There was constantly an ominous, shadowy feeling as the story unfolded. I knew something was not quite right but couldn't put my finger on exactly what it was. Was it Clove, her mother, her current husband- I couldn't figure out where I wanted to point my finger and say 'you're the sketchy one.'
Clearly, her father is the bad guy of the story but there's so many layers here. Layers on top of layers - this is a character driven story done right. The development and construction of these characters was second to none. I was completely blown away.
₊˚.જ⁀➴ Clove, is totally relatable in every aspect of her life through this story - the range of emotions I felt reading this was all over the place. The anger, the skepticism, the humor, the neurotic behavior. It's not a typical edge of your seat mystery but I was on the edge of my seat.
When I say that Clove was unhinged - I mean, I never knew what to expect from her and for me, as the story progressed and her life seemed to unravel more and more. The sheer boldness that she started to display was unnerving, I just didn't know what she was going to do.
While some things were a little predictable for me, others were not. The fact that even though the pacing was slow and I found myself questioning where on earth is this story even going several times, yet couldn't put the book down speaks volumes as to how powerful the characters truly are.
₊˚.જ⁀➴ I was captivated for the entirety of the story and highly recommend. Please check trigger warnings as there are heavy themes of domestic abuse, murder and guilt.
➽──────────────❥
✨ A huge thanks to Little, Brown and Company for reaching out and tempting me with this last minute advanced digital copy via NetGalley; All thoughts are my own. ✨
✶⋆.˚ 4 𝓢𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓼 ✶⋆.˚
Let me start by saying - I skimmed over the synopsis prior to starting this book but... I'm not sure what I expected because it wasn't this. I was pleasantly surprised by this story and often found myself unable to even articulate my thoughts and feelings as I was reading...
✶ ⋆｡˚ ⁀➷ ꕤ 𝓠𝓾𝓲𝓬𝓴 𝓢𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓻𝔂 ༊*·˚
Clove has a past that's connected to domestic violence, her father physically, mentally and emotionally abused her mother for years while she was growing up. One evening, during a physical altercation, her father is pushed from their 33rd floor balcony to his death.
After her father's death, Clove takes off on her own, to start her own life. A family friend is able to provide her with an alternate name along with documents, social security card etc because her daughter is sick and on the verge of passing away.
The story is told between the present - Clove is now a mother of two, married to a good man who has never so much as raised his voice to her. Her children are extremely well cared for and loved.
She's kept them safe. Her husband doesn't have the full story though, he believes both of Clove's parents were killed in a car wreck when she was younger.
The other part of the story is told in flash backs of the past - when she was growing up with both of her parents back in Hawaii and all of the struggles they endured.
One day, Clove receives a letter in the mail from her mother who's currently serving a life sentence for murdering her husband/Clove's father... But was it self-defense? Will Clove's carefully constructed life completely fall apart now that her mother has made a reappearance?
✶ ⋆｡˚ ⁀➷ ꕤ 𝓜𝔂 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼 ༊*·˚
When I first started this book, I'll be honest... I was expecting something a little more fast paced with several twists and turns. A standard thriller you could say. But what I got instead was a slower paced story with almost the most mundane of day-to-day tasks/errands.
When I say mundane, I don't mean that the story itself was boring because I couldn't seem to put it down although all of the health-nut idiosyncrasies did get a bit redundant at some point.
₊˚.જ⁀➴ There was constantly an ominous, shadowy feeling as the story unfolded. I knew something was not quite right but couldn't put my finger on exactly what it was. Was it Clove, her mother, her current husband- I couldn't figure out where I wanted to point my finger and say 'you're the sketchy one.'
Clearly, her father is the bad guy of the story but there's so many layers here. Layers on top of layers - this is a character driven story done right. The development and construction of these characters was second to none. I was completely blown away.
₊˚.જ⁀➴ Clove, is totally relatable in every aspect of her life through this story - the range of emotions I felt reading this was all over the place. The anger, the skepticism, the humor, the neurotic behavior. It's not a typical edge of your seat mystery but I was on the edge of my seat.
When I say that Clove was unhinged - I mean, I never knew what to expect from her and for me, as the story progressed and her life seemed to unravel more and more. The sheer boldness that she started to display was unnerving, I just didn't know what she was going to do.
While some things were a little predictable for me, others were not. The fact that even though the pacing was slow and I found myself questioning where on earth is this story even going several times, yet couldn't put the book down speaks volumes as to how powerful the characters truly are.
₊˚.જ⁀➴ I was captivated for the entirety of the story and highly recommend. Please check trigger warnings as there are heavy themes of domestic abuse, murder and guilt.
➽──────────────❥
✨ A huge thanks to Little, Brown and Company for reaching out and tempting me with this last minute advanced digital copy via NetGalley; All thoughts are my own. ✨
September 1, 2024
This book blew me away! It's easily one of the top ten must-reads of the year! Stop reading about the It Ends With Us cast drama and pick up this book if you want to truly experience the terrifying, ugly face of domestic violence and its aftermath—crime, psychological damage, trauma, and survival mechanisms. This book dives deep into all of that, with so many flawed, psychologically damaged, survivor characters! I haven't read something this impactful in ages—it shook me to my core, made me cry out loud, gave me goosebumps, and left me barely breathing through some chapters. So many WTF moments hit hard, and the twists are totally unpredictable! But what I really fell in love with is the empowering, eccentric conclusion, full of women’s strength and resilience.
Lately, production companies are always on the lookout for books to adapt—well, they should absolutely start with this one! With its expertly written plot and meticulously developed characters, it’s a story that brings powerful awareness to domestic violence.
This book offers a raw and gut-punching glimpse into the traumatic experiences of women, teetering between madness and freedom. It’s real, it’s heartbreaking, and the emotional journey is one that you absorb slowly, bit by bit.
The story centers around Clove, a stay-at-home mom of two—Nova, her seven-year-old prodigy daughter, and Lark, her energetic three-year-old son. Clove is committed to an organic, health-obsessed lifestyle, obsessively checking the ingredients in everything she consumes, popping vitamins, using eccentric wellness products, practicing yoga, and grounding herself in a kind of Zen madness. She’s highly creative but instead of sharpening her writing skills—her chosen career path—she imagines endless catastrophic scenarios about her children’s safety, becoming hyper-protective and creating tension in her life.
Everything unravels when she receives a letter from her mother, who is in prison and has finally tracked her down. Clove begins to lose control of her carefully curated life. Then she meets Jane after a minor car accident, and quickly becomes obsessed with befriending her. Jane sparks wild thoughts in Clove, like considering her as a nanny for her kids after only knowing her for minutes. But Clove is terrified her secret will get out. What if her mother starts talking? What if people learn that her mother killed Clove’s abusive father in self-defense and Clove fled the scene, changed her identity, and started a new life? Even her husband doesn’t know—he thinks she’s an orphan.
Could Clove’s ex, Butcher, have connected with her mother? He’s the only one she ever confided in about her past. Now Clove must do whatever it takes to stop her mother from revealing the truth. She’s worked too hard to build the life she has now, and she won’t let it slip away. But Jane, her new best friend, keeps digging into Clove’s past, pushing her out of her comfort zone, and pressuring her to help Jane become a mother.
But how can Clove help someone else become a mother when she’s barely managing her own motherhood, and her real mother is crying out for help?
I have to give huge applause to Chelsea Bieker! This book is a masterpiece that belongs in every reader’s library. I loved it so much! If I could give it ten stars, I would.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for sharing this fantastic book’s digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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Lately, production companies are always on the lookout for books to adapt—well, they should absolutely start with this one! With its expertly written plot and meticulously developed characters, it’s a story that brings powerful awareness to domestic violence.
This book offers a raw and gut-punching glimpse into the traumatic experiences of women, teetering between madness and freedom. It’s real, it’s heartbreaking, and the emotional journey is one that you absorb slowly, bit by bit.
The story centers around Clove, a stay-at-home mom of two—Nova, her seven-year-old prodigy daughter, and Lark, her energetic three-year-old son. Clove is committed to an organic, health-obsessed lifestyle, obsessively checking the ingredients in everything she consumes, popping vitamins, using eccentric wellness products, practicing yoga, and grounding herself in a kind of Zen madness. She’s highly creative but instead of sharpening her writing skills—her chosen career path—she imagines endless catastrophic scenarios about her children’s safety, becoming hyper-protective and creating tension in her life.
Everything unravels when she receives a letter from her mother, who is in prison and has finally tracked her down. Clove begins to lose control of her carefully curated life. Then she meets Jane after a minor car accident, and quickly becomes obsessed with befriending her. Jane sparks wild thoughts in Clove, like considering her as a nanny for her kids after only knowing her for minutes. But Clove is terrified her secret will get out. What if her mother starts talking? What if people learn that her mother killed Clove’s abusive father in self-defense and Clove fled the scene, changed her identity, and started a new life? Even her husband doesn’t know—he thinks she’s an orphan.
Could Clove’s ex, Butcher, have connected with her mother? He’s the only one she ever confided in about her past. Now Clove must do whatever it takes to stop her mother from revealing the truth. She’s worked too hard to build the life she has now, and she won’t let it slip away. But Jane, her new best friend, keeps digging into Clove’s past, pushing her out of her comfort zone, and pressuring her to help Jane become a mother.
But how can Clove help someone else become a mother when she’s barely managing her own motherhood, and her real mother is crying out for help?
I have to give huge applause to Chelsea Bieker! This book is a masterpiece that belongs in every reader’s library. I loved it so much! If I could give it ten stars, I would.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for sharing this fantastic book’s digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium blog
August 29, 2024
A story where the rage and fear and anxiety are palpable; a story that is remarkably suspenseful, terrifying, and stimulating all at the same time.
It’s slow moving throughout—though still enthralling and dynamic—very literary in its prose and reflective passages, which might be an issue for some readers expecting a thriller. It’s similar to a thriller in ways with its dark undertones and high stakes but this would fall more under the literary suspense genre. I only caution this because Goodreads loves to attach the “thriller” label to books that are not so and it muddies readers’ perception and acceptance of a book and, in turn, the ratings for said book.
Retrospective in its delivery for much of the novel; focusing on the rights and the wrongs, the traumas and events of the narrator’s upbringing because, after all, that’s what this story hinges on: the past finally catching up to the present.
Profound in its message and depiction of domestic violence and CPTSD, it’s an emotionally taxing read but one that will leave its mark and be difficult to forget.
Thank you Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review! Available 09/03/2024
It’s slow moving throughout—though still enthralling and dynamic—very literary in its prose and reflective passages, which might be an issue for some readers expecting a thriller. It’s similar to a thriller in ways with its dark undertones and high stakes but this would fall more under the literary suspense genre. I only caution this because Goodreads loves to attach the “thriller” label to books that are not so and it muddies readers’ perception and acceptance of a book and, in turn, the ratings for said book.
Retrospective in its delivery for much of the novel; focusing on the rights and the wrongs, the traumas and events of the narrator’s upbringing because, after all, that’s what this story hinges on: the past finally catching up to the present.
Profound in its message and depiction of domestic violence and CPTSD, it’s an emotionally taxing read but one that will leave its mark and be difficult to forget.
Thank you Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review! Available 09/03/2024
May 23, 2024
Does a perfect mother exist? Clove is determined to find out.
She has two children and an adoring husband, and they live a lovely, ordinary life. Perfection, she believes, can be achieved ��� if she keeps everything exactly as it is.
This proves impossible when a letter arrives from a state prison, with news from her own mother that is going to change her life, forever.
Every secret Clove has kept about herself and how her mother ended up in prison, starts to untangle, to come to the surface and breathe. Whether she likes it or not.
Told with heart-pounding tension, this is a rare (perfect) thriller, which keeps you unable to guess what’ll happen next. A deliciously twisted novel, impossible to put down or forget.
Thank you to the publisher for an early copy in exchange for a review!
She has two children and an adoring husband, and they live a lovely, ordinary life. Perfection, she believes, can be achieved ��� if she keeps everything exactly as it is.
This proves impossible when a letter arrives from a state prison, with news from her own mother that is going to change her life, forever.
Every secret Clove has kept about herself and how her mother ended up in prison, starts to untangle, to come to the surface and breathe. Whether she likes it or not.
Told with heart-pounding tension, this is a rare (perfect) thriller, which keeps you unable to guess what’ll happen next. A deliciously twisted novel, impossible to put down or forget.
Thank you to the publisher for an early copy in exchange for a review!
August 15, 2024
This was a unique read that had my anxiety flaring and my interest piqued. Clove was such a dynamic character - a devoted mother, a strong feminist, self-aware, and yet totally consumed by the hauntings of her past.
Flashing back between past and present, we learn of Clove's history and how some of her anxieties have come to be. An abusive father, a mother in jail for killing said father, and a past that doesn't exist to her current family, Clove is deep and mysterious and wildly flawed.
Seeking answers outside of herself for stability and safety, Clove prefers the safe choices - with her husband, her abstinence from alcohol, and her insulated world. She protects her children the best way she knows how which is to pretend her past never existed and do everything exactly opposite the way her mother did. But when her mother contacts her from jail and risks exposing her in order to give herself a fighting chance at freedom, it seems as though Clove will be forced to confront her demons and come clean to her devoted husband. Instead, she further retreats and finds solace in a random woman she rear-ends and then befriends at the local supermarket.
What transpires is a dark look at motherhood and the ramifications of our choices on those we love. Deep and complex, this novel is thought-provoking and at times challenging to read.
Admittedly, it was fairly slow moving and I didn't become fully invested or involved until Jane became a more prominent character and the plot livened up a bit. This was about halfway through. The second person narrative is also a bit jarring and definitely isn’t my favorite. However, the ending was incredibly strong and there were some total surprises so I'm glad I stuck with it and I definitely recommend!
Thank you to Little Brown for the advanced copy. Madwoman is a powerful debut and I'm excited to see what Bieker comes up with next!
Madwoman is available September 3, 2024.
Flashing back between past and present, we learn of Clove's history and how some of her anxieties have come to be. An abusive father, a mother in jail for killing said father, and a past that doesn't exist to her current family, Clove is deep and mysterious and wildly flawed.
Seeking answers outside of herself for stability and safety, Clove prefers the safe choices - with her husband, her abstinence from alcohol, and her insulated world. She protects her children the best way she knows how which is to pretend her past never existed and do everything exactly opposite the way her mother did. But when her mother contacts her from jail and risks exposing her in order to give herself a fighting chance at freedom, it seems as though Clove will be forced to confront her demons and come clean to her devoted husband. Instead, she further retreats and finds solace in a random woman she rear-ends and then befriends at the local supermarket.
What transpires is a dark look at motherhood and the ramifications of our choices on those we love. Deep and complex, this novel is thought-provoking and at times challenging to read.
Admittedly, it was fairly slow moving and I didn't become fully invested or involved until Jane became a more prominent character and the plot livened up a bit. This was about halfway through. The second person narrative is also a bit jarring and definitely isn’t my favorite. However, the ending was incredibly strong and there were some total surprises so I'm glad I stuck with it and I definitely recommend!
Thank you to Little Brown for the advanced copy. Madwoman is a powerful debut and I'm excited to see what Bieker comes up with next!
Madwoman is available September 3, 2024.
September 2, 2024
Intriguing story with good themes but I called every twist before it happened. RTC
July 19, 2024
Another well-written and captivating novel by Chelsea Bieker.
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August 28, 2024Why I Love It
By Brianna Goodman
First, an apology: To the woman whose grocery cart I accidentally rammed into with mine, I’m sorry. But really, it’s not my fault. I was too busy reading Chelsea Bieker’s Madwoman, a novel so visceral, so harrowing and propulsive, that I couldn’t possibly put it down long enough to buy my groceries.
This story begins with a mother who is trying not to come undone. Clove has worked hard to build a perfect life for herself. She has a kind and loving husband, two children, and a stable roof over her head. But when she receives a letter from her imprisoned mother from whom she thought she’d never hear again, the devastating childhood memories she thought she’d long buried force themselves back to the surface. Clove is not who she says she is, and what unfolds is a deeply harrowing story of a woman haunted by the violent past she fought tooth and nail to escape.
This is one of the most skillfully drawn portraits of the fallout from long-buried traumas, of cycles of abuse, and of mothers and daughters that I have read in a while. With the pacing and propulsion of a thriller and the humanity of an insightfully drawn character study, Madwoman had me with my heart in my throat. I won’t spoil it, but suffice it to say you won’t end this story the same as when you began. This is a special book, and I hope it resonates with you as deeply as it did me.
By Brianna Goodman
First, an apology: To the woman whose grocery cart I accidentally rammed into with mine, I’m sorry. But really, it’s not my fault. I was too busy reading Chelsea Bieker’s Madwoman, a novel so visceral, so harrowing and propulsive, that I couldn’t possibly put it down long enough to buy my groceries.
This story begins with a mother who is trying not to come undone. Clove has worked hard to build a perfect life for herself. She has a kind and loving husband, two children, and a stable roof over her head. But when she receives a letter from her imprisoned mother from whom she thought she’d never hear again, the devastating childhood memories she thought she’d long buried force themselves back to the surface. Clove is not who she says she is, and what unfolds is a deeply harrowing story of a woman haunted by the violent past she fought tooth and nail to escape.
This is one of the most skillfully drawn portraits of the fallout from long-buried traumas, of cycles of abuse, and of mothers and daughters that I have read in a while. With the pacing and propulsion of a thriller and the humanity of an insightfully drawn character study, Madwoman had me with my heart in my throat. I won’t spoil it, but suffice it to say you won’t end this story the same as when you began. This is a special book, and I hope it resonates with you as deeply as it did me.
July 21, 2024
3.5 stars
I’m struggling to write up a review for this one. From the get go, it was emotional. Packed full of trauma and heartbreak, I immediately felt for Clove and her past experiences. Bieker writes in such a way that really makes the reader understand what the characters are going through. I wanted nothing more than to reach through the pages and help her.
My struggle came with the writing and the pacing. I enjoyed the writing style for most of the novel, I just felt it to be a little repetitive towards the middle and the end. So much of the focus was on the past, that the plot twist at the end felt almost rushed. In saying that, I did find myself unable to put the book down at around the 70% mark, I had to finish it and find out whether or not Clove and Celine would be okay.
A powerful story about abuse and the strength of women, Madwoman tells a story that is all too familiar for so many women, and a story that still desperately needs to be told.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #Madwoman #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
I’m struggling to write up a review for this one. From the get go, it was emotional. Packed full of trauma and heartbreak, I immediately felt for Clove and her past experiences. Bieker writes in such a way that really makes the reader understand what the characters are going through. I wanted nothing more than to reach through the pages and help her.
My struggle came with the writing and the pacing. I enjoyed the writing style for most of the novel, I just felt it to be a little repetitive towards the middle and the end. So much of the focus was on the past, that the plot twist at the end felt almost rushed. In saying that, I did find myself unable to put the book down at around the 70% mark, I had to finish it and find out whether or not Clove and Celine would be okay.
A powerful story about abuse and the strength of women, Madwoman tells a story that is all too familiar for so many women, and a story that still desperately needs to be told.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #Madwoman #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
March 6, 2024
The magical ✨ Chelsea Bieker is one of my all-time fav writers. I was so lucky to be able to receive an ARC of her upcoming new novel Madwoman. and let me tell you- it is an exquisite , propulsive literary thriller I could not put down. It is about motherhood, trauma and violence and legacy. It bursts with funny commentary on the modern wellness industry. It is about parenting anxiety and the impossibility of mothering in a world that , in so many ways, continues to test us. I always love reading Chelsea’s books and this year we, dear readers, are receiving another bountiful gift.💝
July 15, 2024
I was enthralled with this book from the moment I started reading. While not everything about it was relatable the parts about motherhood definitely were. The writer was so raw and real, holding nothing back. The book was sarcastic and serious, heartbreaking and funny. I went through all the emotions while reading this. It was absolutely perfect.
March 20, 2024
If you have mommy issues, this one is for you.
Animal by Lisa Taddeo meets Normal women by Ainslie Hogarth in this novel about motherhood, grief, rage, revenge, family, violence and recovery.
Our main character leads what seems a perfect life-VERY organic mom of two, loving wife, living in a big house in a good neighbourhood. But she is holding a secret on the inside, one that is trying to catch up to her after all the years.
Bieker writes such well fleshed out, realistic characters, describes motherhood and friendships, mother-daugher relationships like no one else can.
The facial expressions I pulled in the coffee shop reading this will make it very hard for me to go back in.
Animal by Lisa Taddeo meets Normal women by Ainslie Hogarth in this novel about motherhood, grief, rage, revenge, family, violence and recovery.
Our main character leads what seems a perfect life-VERY organic mom of two, loving wife, living in a big house in a good neighbourhood. But she is holding a secret on the inside, one that is trying to catch up to her after all the years.
Bieker writes such well fleshed out, realistic characters, describes motherhood and friendships, mother-daugher relationships like no one else can.
The facial expressions I pulled in the coffee shop reading this will make it very hard for me to go back in.
June 28, 2024
Loved this book so much! Celine (also known as Clove) is married with two children, Nova and Lark. She's told her husband her parents are dead but in reality, her mother is in prison for killing her abusive father by pushing him off a 33-story building in Hawaii. So when she receives a letter from her, she's flummoxed as she discovers an attorney is trying to get her out of prison on a "domestic abuse" defense. There are so many secrets and lies that we are never quite sure of the truth as Bieker writes in a "now" and "then" format. But this is one of those books that will stay with me for a long time as the themes are so relevant to today...and any day!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
August 24, 2024
Madwoman by @chelseabieker slow burn thriller that is uniquely written in the second person. The twists begin early and end late. The title is a double entendre— mad woman is angry woman and mad woman is insane woman.
Clove is living a blissful life, mom to two young children and a husband who adores her. While Clove has stuck to her story that her parents were dead in a car accident, instead her mother is in prison for murdering her violent abusive husband. No one knows the truth but Clove’s ex, that she escaped and has since she was a teen had been living under an assumed identity.
I really appreciated the 2nd person narrative, this was unique as it is written to her mother. It was slow during the middle but it was overall a good mystery, written without a lot of dialogue. Written more like literary fiction.
Thank you to @netgalley and @littlebrown for the ARC.
Clove is living a blissful life, mom to two young children and a husband who adores her. While Clove has stuck to her story that her parents were dead in a car accident, instead her mother is in prison for murdering her violent abusive husband. No one knows the truth but Clove’s ex, that she escaped and has since she was a teen had been living under an assumed identity.
I really appreciated the 2nd person narrative, this was unique as it is written to her mother. It was slow during the middle but it was overall a good mystery, written without a lot of dialogue. Written more like literary fiction.
Thank you to @netgalley and @littlebrown for the ARC.
May 25, 2024
"Madwoman," written by Chelsea Bieker, takes readers on a captivating literary journey. The protagonist, Clove, is intricately crafted and deeply engaging. Balancing the challenges of raising her two young children alongside her husband, Clove's life takes a topsy-turvy turn when she receives a threatening letter, promising to unveil her long-held secrets. As the weight of her childhood secrets grows, an enigmatic nanny, Jane, enters the picture, offering potential assistance. However, the lines blur as to whether Jane is truly a savior or harbors ulterior motives. With gripping plot twists that persist until the very end, this narrative leaves readers on the edge of their seats. It is important to note that this story delves into the sensitive topic of domestic violence. Despite this challenging subject matter, I believe "Madwoman" merits a resounding four-star rating due to its compelling storytelling and nuanced characters.
January 29, 2024
3.5/5 rounded up
thank you netgalley for this arc!
this was overall a good thriller/mystery book. covered all the bases, but i found it a little too predictable? i guessed the twist early on, and while i liked seeing it play out i was really ready for it to be over.
a great story about addiction, violence, family, secrets and love.
thank you netgalley for this arc!
this was overall a good thriller/mystery book. covered all the bases, but i found it a little too predictable? i guessed the twist early on, and while i liked seeing it play out i was really ready for it to be over.
a great story about addiction, violence, family, secrets and love.
August 15, 2024
Oof. Chelsea Bieker, girl, who hurt you? This is my first novel by Bieker and I'll certainly be seeking out more. She is adept with her prose stylings and depiction of the inner world of a highly traumatized, high-strung woman who would do anything to appear as the perfect mother. I admire the way the genre slowly bleeds from a ruminatory feminist-lit to a suspenseful melodrama. The twists in the plot were a good blend of thrilling but believable. I agree with other reviewers saying the ending felt a bit rushed. I wanted to see more of the fallout from the Internet's reaction to Clove's secret, from her ex and her husband meeting, from finally seeing her mother again. All in all, though, I think this novel is brilliantly written, and it's an important depiction of the psychology surrounding intimate partner violence. I am grateful to Libro.fm and Hachette Audio for the ALC, with great narration by Saskia Maarleveld. Expected publication September 3.
June 27, 2024
A searing and powerful depiction of motherhood across generations, and the ties that bind and harm and make us who we are. Bieker writes with such verve and confidence, and with so much empathy and consideration, taking into account the trauma of the past, the challenges of the present and the uncertainty of the future. This is not simply a ruthless indictment of the violence faced by so many women at the mercy of brutal men, but a compassionate tale of redemption, family and overcoming immense odds. A future bestseller I'm sure.
August 25, 2024
Addicting and fast-paced thriller that dives deep into trauma, motherhood, and DV. Really enjoyed this book, felt like there was a lot of great substance to this which I feel like not a lot of thriller books contain. Reminded me a lot of reading Gillian Flynn for the first time. Highly, highly recommend
September 2, 2024
4.5 stars. I’m a bit shell shocked by this book. Much of it felt like the author was inside my head during my motherhood journey. It’s also an intimate take on domestic abuse and the struggle women with abusive partners suffer both inside the home and outside when they report the abuse.
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August 13, 2024Not munchausen by proxy…not that…
July 4, 2024
Hard to put down and very tense the whole time. Dark and twisty.
August 22, 2024
Madwoman by Chelsea Bieker. Thanks to @littlebrownandcompany for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Clove has done everything she can to restart her life and keep her past to herself. She has the perfect life as a mother and wife but it all starts to unravel when she gets a letter from a women’s prison.
I loved this one! It has the perfect female perspective of motherhood with a serious backstory that comes out more and more as the pages turn. There are some major surprises towards the end as well. Major triggers for domestic abuse.
“Every woman’s got to save herself. That’s what no one tells you. But it’s the whole truth.”
Madwoman comes out 9/3.
Clove has done everything she can to restart her life and keep her past to herself. She has the perfect life as a mother and wife but it all starts to unravel when she gets a letter from a women’s prison.
I loved this one! It has the perfect female perspective of motherhood with a serious backstory that comes out more and more as the pages turn. There are some major surprises towards the end as well. Major triggers for domestic abuse.
“Every woman’s got to save herself. That’s what no one tells you. But it’s the whole truth.”
Madwoman comes out 9/3.
January 9, 2024
Madwoman is the kind of novel that doesn’t come along very often. I knew it straight away from that piercing first line, “The world is not made for mothers. Yet mothers made the world.” I didn’t want it be over from the second I began.
Madwoman is unflinching in its depiction of motherhood and motherloss. This story, as Bieker’s novels do, will change you and change the way you think about motherhood, generational trauma, violence, and the very nature of them all. Her writing is razor sharp, so funny, beautiful, and always full of a compassion so big it’ll bring you to tears.
Madwoman is unflinching in its depiction of motherhood and motherloss. This story, as Bieker’s novels do, will change you and change the way you think about motherhood, generational trauma, violence, and the very nature of them all. Her writing is razor sharp, so funny, beautiful, and always full of a compassion so big it’ll bring you to tears.
February 22, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for the ARC.
I wanted to love this book, and there were parts I really enjoyed, but it was just “okay” for me.
The main character became less likeable and relatable as the book went on, and made me struggle to connect with the story. I understand that she was going through a crisis, but the choices she made angered me.
There was a twist regarding another character that I predicted, so the excitement fell flat. I think had I not expected it, I may have rated the book higher.
Overall, everything wrapped up too nicely and I just didn’t love it. I did like the author’s writing style, but just don’t think this was the book for me!
I wanted to love this book, and there were parts I really enjoyed, but it was just “okay” for me.
The main character became less likeable and relatable as the book went on, and made me struggle to connect with the story. I understand that she was going through a crisis, but the choices she made angered me.
There was a twist regarding another character that I predicted, so the excitement fell flat. I think had I not expected it, I may have rated the book higher.
Overall, everything wrapped up too nicely and I just didn’t love it. I did like the author’s writing style, but just don’t think this was the book for me!
July 16, 2024
“The world is not made for mothers. Yet mothers made the world.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wow. This is no doubt one of my favorite books I’ve read this year. Chelsea Bieker had me jonesing for any moment I could possibly spare to keep reading this story.
I couldn’t put it better than Ashley Audrain’s blurb (swipe for synopsis) stating this is “the rare kind of book that lives in your bones”. I completely agree and won’t forget this anytime soon. I’d describe this book as a literary suspense. It’s beautifully written and has a plot that is utterly propulsive.
While I generally don’t gravitate toward stories surrounding motherhood and the daily grind of raising tiny humans (blegh), I do very much get hooked by stories of childhood trauma and how individuals cope as they get older, how memory changes, and how it shapes a person.
Our female main character, Clove, is desperate to shield her adult life from her past. She is determined to live a very aesthetic, organic life of perfection fit for the gram. She has two gorgeous children, a husband who doesn’t lay his hands on her, and everything she could ever dream of having as a little girl. When her past comes crashing back, everything she’s built hangs in the balance.
There’s so much emotion packed into this gut punch of a book. I felt all the feels! I laughed, I teared up, I sat at the edge of my seat… Chelsea played my heart like a fiddle with this one. Phew 🥹 well done!
Thank you so very much to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for this advanced readers copy.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wow. This is no doubt one of my favorite books I’ve read this year. Chelsea Bieker had me jonesing for any moment I could possibly spare to keep reading this story.
I couldn’t put it better than Ashley Audrain’s blurb (swipe for synopsis) stating this is “the rare kind of book that lives in your bones”. I completely agree and won’t forget this anytime soon. I’d describe this book as a literary suspense. It’s beautifully written and has a plot that is utterly propulsive.
While I generally don’t gravitate toward stories surrounding motherhood and the daily grind of raising tiny humans (blegh), I do very much get hooked by stories of childhood trauma and how individuals cope as they get older, how memory changes, and how it shapes a person.
Our female main character, Clove, is desperate to shield her adult life from her past. She is determined to live a very aesthetic, organic life of perfection fit for the gram. She has two gorgeous children, a husband who doesn’t lay his hands on her, and everything she could ever dream of having as a little girl. When her past comes crashing back, everything she’s built hangs in the balance.
There’s so much emotion packed into this gut punch of a book. I felt all the feels! I laughed, I teared up, I sat at the edge of my seat… Chelsea played my heart like a fiddle with this one. Phew 🥹 well done!
Thank you so very much to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for this advanced readers copy.
August 20, 2024
This was chaotic but I loved it.
Clove has started her life anew after a traumatic childhood and just when she’s wiped the slate clean and life is settling in nicely: a good husband, wonderful children and a lifestyle that would make any wellness guru jealous, when one day a letter from a women’s prison shows-up setting into motion a series of events that has Clove spiralling, determined to keep things buried deep and nothing will get in the way of her perfectly cultivated life.
Soon we learn the darkness that Clove has outrun, an abusive father and battered mother, years of ER visits and near death experiences, a childhood full of fear and torment and eventually murder. Her mother wants Cloves help to reopen her case for self defence, but Clove hasn’t told anyone where she comes from and the lies would destroy her life.
Torn between right and wrong, truth and traumas, the past and the future and all the gritty in between, Cloves life implodes, this book is the journey through now and the past that brought them all here to this very precipice.
Bieker writes in the style of someone like Audrain or Kilroy where motherhood isn’t always a neat package but full of multitudes. She explores the repercussions of domestic abuse, and the voices we find so hard to listen to. The writing is full of suspense and tension, a certain chaos brews beneath the surface that was dark, sporadic and full of desperation. I particularly loved how anxiety inducing parts of this were but then I’d turn the pages and we’d hit a plateau, it reads to me how it must feel to be inside someone’s mind who’s been through something like Clove a mess of emotions.
Madwoman is the kind of book that sheds light on women’s stories that we crave to be told while also holding the readers attention with plot and dynamic characters. Please check trigger warnings on this one there are several graphic references in regards to domestic violence.
Clove has started her life anew after a traumatic childhood and just when she’s wiped the slate clean and life is settling in nicely: a good husband, wonderful children and a lifestyle that would make any wellness guru jealous, when one day a letter from a women’s prison shows-up setting into motion a series of events that has Clove spiralling, determined to keep things buried deep and nothing will get in the way of her perfectly cultivated life.
Soon we learn the darkness that Clove has outrun, an abusive father and battered mother, years of ER visits and near death experiences, a childhood full of fear and torment and eventually murder. Her mother wants Cloves help to reopen her case for self defence, but Clove hasn’t told anyone where she comes from and the lies would destroy her life.
Torn between right and wrong, truth and traumas, the past and the future and all the gritty in between, Cloves life implodes, this book is the journey through now and the past that brought them all here to this very precipice.
Bieker writes in the style of someone like Audrain or Kilroy where motherhood isn’t always a neat package but full of multitudes. She explores the repercussions of domestic abuse, and the voices we find so hard to listen to. The writing is full of suspense and tension, a certain chaos brews beneath the surface that was dark, sporadic and full of desperation. I particularly loved how anxiety inducing parts of this were but then I’d turn the pages and we’d hit a plateau, it reads to me how it must feel to be inside someone’s mind who’s been through something like Clove a mess of emotions.
Madwoman is the kind of book that sheds light on women’s stories that we crave to be told while also holding the readers attention with plot and dynamic characters. Please check trigger warnings on this one there are several graphic references in regards to domestic violence.
August 28, 2024
Is it possible to break cycles and hide your past from your family? Is it possible to make peace with it when it catches up with you?
The world is not made for mothers. Yet mothers made the world. The world is not made for children. Yet children are the future. Or so I’ve seen on posters at pediatric offices.
Madwoman follows a mother attempting to bury her trauma under layers of expensive supplements and wellness when she gets a letter from her mom—who is in prison. Suddenly, the past is in her mailbox and threatening to unravel everything she’s tried to build since one harrowing night many years ago.
Sharp, thrilling, tense, and also laugh out loud funny, I loved this portrayal of a stay at home mom who finds herself at the end of her rope. I loved the exploration of motherhood and the way the world actively works against moms, as well as the near impossibility of feeling like you’re Breaking Cycles correctly. Chelsea Bieker is a very talented writer and this is my favorite that I’ve read from her for sure!
The world is not made for mothers. Yet mothers made the world. The world is not made for children. Yet children are the future. Or so I’ve seen on posters at pediatric offices.
Madwoman follows a mother attempting to bury her trauma under layers of expensive supplements and wellness when she gets a letter from her mom—who is in prison. Suddenly, the past is in her mailbox and threatening to unravel everything she’s tried to build since one harrowing night many years ago.
Sharp, thrilling, tense, and also laugh out loud funny, I loved this portrayal of a stay at home mom who finds herself at the end of her rope. I loved the exploration of motherhood and the way the world actively works against moms, as well as the near impossibility of feeling like you’re Breaking Cycles correctly. Chelsea Bieker is a very talented writer and this is my favorite that I’ve read from her for sure!
March 29, 2024
Madwoman began as a character-driven novel. Clove had so many things going wrong for her that I didn't expect much to happen other than perhaps a flee from home and the care of her two small children. I couldn't be more wrong. When Clove receives a letter from her mother, the story moves to a suspenseful mystery and thriller novel.
CB is a fantastic writer, and though I enjoyed Clove's description of all the wellness products she indulged in, I also loved the plot twists and turns. This novel deserves a wide readership!
Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book. Little, Brown, and Company will publish the novel on September 3, 2024.
CB is a fantastic writer, and though I enjoyed Clove's description of all the wellness products she indulged in, I also loved the plot twists and turns. This novel deserves a wide readership!
Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book. Little, Brown, and Company will publish the novel on September 3, 2024.
August 31, 2024
“The world is not made for mothers. Yet mothers made the world.”
Such a powerful, emotional and dark story.
Clove is a loving mother and wife. You may think she has it all with her organic living and loving family but underneath it all she has dark secrets. And with one letter and meeting a friend, they start to come out.
This story touches on domestic violence, grief, motherhood, trauma and addiction.
Thank you Netgalley for the copy.
Such a powerful, emotional and dark story.
Clove is a loving mother and wife. You may think she has it all with her organic living and loving family but underneath it all she has dark secrets. And with one letter and meeting a friend, they start to come out.
This story touches on domestic violence, grief, motherhood, trauma and addiction.
Thank you Netgalley for the copy.
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