The Marriage Rule – Helen Monks Takhar

 I had the pleasure of reading Helen Monks Tahar’s debut novel, Precious You, (although I believe it has now been retitled as That Woman) a few years ago and experiencing that strange paradox that sometimes occurs with a book where the narrative has you feeling edgy and unsettled, it’s uncomfortable reading yet so utterly compelling that you can’t put it down.

 

So, when the good folks at HQ Stories sent me a copy of The Marriage Rule, I felt like I knew what I might be in for. However, when I began the prologue, I encountered a kind of ‘genre gymnastics ‘where I thought I might have hit a chick lit/rom com story! That’s okay, I thought, a writer diversifying. Nothing wrong with that. But, by the time I reached the end of this opening section I knew I was headed for another thriller – domestic maybe, psychological possibly?

 

Elle appears to have the perfect husband and doting father to her baby in Dom. Competent at her job until the new boss, Anton, thinks otherwise. But all is not well, as we might surmise, or we would not have a book!

 

It’s an unsettling narrative, yo-yoing between the past and the present, spanning three weeks, and creating an atmosphere that is both claustrophobic and tense. It’s a slow drip feed to begin with but the astute reader will discern what is going on between Dom and his wife. 

 

I couldn’t really warm to the characters which is not intended as a criticism as I don’t believe I am supposed to. None of their behaviours were beyond reproach, all flawed people in their own ways, responding to situations as they thought best.  There were times when I wanted to shake Elle and get her to wake up and get the hell out of Dodge! 

 

There are twists a plenty to keep you on your toes and guessing all the way to the end with a pacing that I might call syncopated for want of a better word, which adds to the unrest you experience.

 

It’s dark, brutal even, with some challenging themes that offer much food for thought. The ending was not wholly conclusive. For some readers that can be unsatisfying, for others it allows their imaginations to continue where the story left off. 

 

I thought there were elements of implausibility but ultimately this was mitigated by the points that the author is trying to convey, important points for all women. 

 

My thanks to HQ Stories for my gifted copy.