The Housemaid Review: A terrific, tense, twisty thriller
I wasn't able to check out Freida McFadden's The Housemaid right around when it first started blowing up. Still, it was a novel I was incredibly excited for because of the glowing recommendations from some of my favorite critics (and because the movie looked awesome!). When I finally did crack it open, I was very glad I did. That's what I, Brighton Nelson, will be discussing today! Thanks so much for joining me here on the site, and I hope you enjoy your stay!
I usually start with the negatives in my reviews, but I've got almost no notes. This book had very few problems for me, aside from the fact that it uses a character archetype that's a little overdone in terms of its twist. The twist also isn't way too unique, but it was done really well. Some didn't love this aspect, but I thought the shift to multiple POVs was handled brilliantly; the other characters are just intentionally written to be more grounded at first to set the trap.
Nina is my favorite part of this book. The text is unbelievably good at portraying her as someone deeply nuanced—both parts truly scary in the first half of the book, and relatably broken in the second. The sudden shift of character dynamics and the reader's ever-changing understanding of the timeline is probably my favorite part of the novel, as it constantly keeps you guessing what is actually going on beneath the surface. While I eventually cracked the code right before the formal reveal, it was still an incredibly satisfying twist that understood the weight of its own significance, never rushing through the climax or stretching the tension too thin.
While The Housemaid relies heavily on character moments, quiet suspense, and internal monologues over frantic plot movements for the first 60% or so of the text, it's made stronger through that deliberate pacing. In a sense, it's a slow-burn story, but it certainly doesn't feel like a slow-burn on a page-to-page basis. Finding out more about these people through their individual POVs—and the diabolically dark twists that those character reveals lead to—makes the book so much stronger. If the characters weren't deeply interesting from the inside out, this whole structure would've crumbled, but thankfully, that's not the case.
Another thing I truly appreciated about The Housemaid is that it is a girl-power story done right; it doesn't preach to the reader in an attempt to bring all men down, as many influencers and media on the internet do these days. Instead, it only brings down the specific man who completely deserves it. I'm sick of the whole misandrist, men-hating movement in the world, where everybody says "all men are horrible" or "men can't take care of children," and the hundreds of other endless derogatory, overtly generalized statements that plague social media. I hate bad men as much as everyone else does, but I also love a good book that conveys female strength in a way that still lifts up honorable men like Enzo.
While Enzo's character doesn't occupy a massive percentage of the page count, he gets some great moments to shine in the background. The book also doesn't portray the women as flawless, perfect caricatures in a super cringey way like a lot of "girl-power" (or macho-man) stories tend to do. Instead, it makes the characters feel strong in an organic, deeply human way that makes them very easy to root for. The novel's realistic, well-handled portrayal of all parties involved is one of its absolute best aspects.
The Brighton's Bookshelf Verdict
Brighton's Bookshelf Score: 9.5/10
Letter Score: S
The Housemaid is a poignant, must-read thriller that delves deeply into the psyches of every character involved. Every second of the book, my eyes were intensely darting across the page, anticipating what would happen next—a telltale sign that this book deserved its flowers. It may be a popcorn thriller, but it's some really good popcorn. I can't even think of a single major negative in regard to the book: trust me, that's saying something.
Interested in checking out some of my other reviews? Check them out below!
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