I Read Gulliver’s Wife by Lauren Chater as my book club book choice for June 2020.

About The Book.

London, 1702.

Mary Gulliver’s husband is lost at sea, she has rebuilt her life without him and is a midwife and herbalist. Three years after going missing, Lemuel Gulliver is brought home, fevered and communicating only in riddles, Mary’s world is turned upside down.

In a climate of poverty and violence, Mary is caught between suspicion and fear of husband’s outlandish claims, and it is up to her to find safety, for herself and her daughter, and the vulnerable women in her care.

What I thought…

I really enjoyed this book, it was well researched, written beautifully and the cover is divine.

This is the story of life as a midwife in 18th-century London, Mary’s story highlights the inequalities of the time between men and women, rich and poor and portrays the not always easy mother-daughter relationship.

Mary lives as a widow for three years, independent in every way and upon return of her husband, she is once again, under the care and control of him, both financially and emotionally… he owns her. But Lemuel Gulliver is very unwell and ranting on in what seems to be delusions…Mary uses every tool at her disposal and summons up much courage to maintain her independence, to help unlock the mystery of her husband and to guide her daughter into adulthood safely.

I disliked the character of Lemuel Gulliver and it was hard to see Mary having to stand by him no matter what. To show loyalty to him, no matter what…

I admired Mary’s courage and determination and my heart ached for her relationship with her daughter…as a mother of a daughter myself, I can empathise with Mary’s role as a mother of a young girl, growing her own independence, changing into a young woman…how much we want to get that relationship right, but how it can be so difficult at times, and mistakes can not ever be fully erased.

I am very glad I read this book and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

Lauren Chater is the author of the historical novels The Lace Weaver and Gulliver’s Wife, as well as the baking compendium Well Read Cookies – Beautiful Biscuits Inspired by Great Literature.

She writes historical fiction with a particular focus on women’s stories. She lives in Sydney with her husband and two children.