A book and a manga
The last review was earlier this month, and i hoped to maintain a set schedule, something like a review each week or so. But unfortunately, I’m a mood reader, and sometimes when i read, i simply have no thoughts about it, regardless of the notes i take.
For today's review, i choose The Stepford Wives (book) and Hideout (manga) for the common theme they share.
The Stepford Wives
During the time when the feminist movement was gaining momentum, Stepford, a small town in the US, seems to show an inexplicable regression. Independent, free-spirited women are turning into cleaning maniacs and dedicated, pretty well dressed soulless housewives.
What the hell is going on in this community? Something in the air? The water? Is it a disease? Is it contagious? This is what we set to discover throughout our journey in "The Stepford Wives" of Ira Levin. Published in 1972, the book tapped into the societal concerns of the womans' liberation movement, traditional gender expectations and the pressures to conform to societal norms.
Levin skillfully weaves a tale of suspense as Walter, Joanna Eberhart our protagonist, and their kids move into Stepford. Joanna meets the eerie picture perfect of the women in town. Sensing something fishy is going on, it all becomes a desperate quest for answers, before she succumbs to the same fate.
I loved everything about this book, the writing is faced paced, Levin's writing keeps you on the edge of your seats till the very end, making you wonder what's stepford dark secret. Joanna plays an amazing main character, and Bobbie (my fav) is a hilarious sidekick. The book is packed with a bunch of feminist references too, which i will be looking into whenever i have time.
Once you notice the soulless wives, you can't help but notice how the men of Stepford don't want liberated women. They want wives whose sole reason to be is housekeeping, and satisfying her husbands sexual desires. They want women who look as pretty as a doll and are unable to think for themselves.
But, Walter, Joanna's husband is not like that, after all he seems quite happy with their life. But, i couldn't help wondering, is he on what is happening in Stepford? Is that why they moved there?
It all becomes clear when Joanna insists on moving away from Stepford and Walter in a classic manipulative emotional abuser move, pretends to consider her point of view, calls her irrational and a little hysterical, then tries to guilt trip her by explaining how hard it will be for the kids to move again, then finally suggests that she sees a psychiatrist to see if she's being delusional. Walter as you would have guessed it, is just like the other men of Stepford.
The ending was too open for what i usually read but a welcome one either way. The Stepford Wives deserve its status, being a timeless classic in the world of psychological thrillers. Recommendable.
Hideout
Hideout is a horror manga by Masasumi Kakizaki, published in a single volume compromised of nine chapters in 2010. When i read the plot on Wikipedia, i didn't think much of it, but the art style is such a wonderful work that i stayed just for it.
Hideout is a straightforward horror story with a basic plot. About this husband, Seiichi Kirishima and his wife Miki Kirishima relationship. And as the manga progresses, the clearer it becomes that the relationship was doomed to never work out from the beginning.
Anyway, turns out that the husband has plans to fix their marriage. What is it you ask? Well it's a holiday trip on this beautiful island. That is until they are driving in the middle of the night, in the middle of the forest, while it's raining cats and dogs, and oh, no. The car stopped and they decide to walk outside.
So yeah, the husband plans to fix their marriage, was -is- to kill his wife. Because there would be no marriage to fix, if your wife was dead somewhere in the middle of nowhere.
However, Seiichi's plan goes a wary for two reasons. Number one, the wife manages to escape his attempt at killing her. And number two, there is someone else in the woods or shall i say the cave which Miki escaped to. A savage looking old man who kidnaps women and eats men (i guess?).
Unfortunately, i didn’t find the old man scary. Sure, the first time he pops up with his big eyes in the darkness might have jumpscared me a little, but that was it. I think the husband was way more scarier than him. Seiichi is a man who lost his work, his son, and has his wife’s family threatening to sue him for all his worth (which is close to nothing) if he even dares to think about divorce. Safe to say, the man is pushed to his breaking point, and so, he resorted to murder.
I enjoyed reading this manga, and found its bleak ending that i won't go into much detail about a rather a welcome one. I won't recommend it for its story, but rather for its amazing art style.
I’m currently reading:
- Please Look After My Mother by Kyung-Sook Shin.
- Rosemary’s Baby by Ira Levin.
A note of apperciation:
I’d like to say to everyone who reads my reviews a sincere thank you. Thank you for being here, for reading these silly thoughts of mine and frankly all over the place reviews.
That’s all for now, take care of yourself, and have a good day where ever in the world you are!
