Book Cover of Three Women by Lisa Taddeo

Y’all. This book. This Book. It is definitely outside some people’s comfort zone, but I absolutely loved it. Finished it in a day and have told so many people to read it.

I adore the writing style. It’s non-fiction that reads like prose, the result of the “immersive reporting mentioned below.

From the book summary:

“In suburban Indiana we meet Lina, a homemaker and mother of two whose marriage, after a decade, has lost its passion. Starved for affection, Lina battles daily panic attacks and, after reconnecting with an old flame through social media, embarks on an affair that quickly becomes all-consuming. In North Dakota we meet Maggie, a seventeen-year-old high school student who allegedly has a clandestine physical relationship with her handsome, married English teacher; the ensuing criminal trial will turn their quiet community upside down. Finally, in an exclusive enclave of the Northeast, we meet Sloane—a gorgeous, successful, and refined restaurant owner—who is happily married to a man who likes to watch her have sex with other men and women.

Based on years of immersive reporting and told with astonishing frankness and immediacy, Three Women is both a feat of journalism and a triumph of storytelling, brimming with nuance and empathy. “A work of deep observation, long conversations, and a kind of journalistic alchemy” (Kate Tuttle, NPR), Three Women introduces us to three unforgettable women—and one remarkable writer—whose experiences remind us that we are not alone.”

I found the stories to be intriguing and heartbreaking. It feels almost voyeuristic reading such intimate details of these women’s lives, but at the same time, I think it was very brave of them to share their stories. I think there are a fair number of readers who will relate to Maggie, Lina, and Sloane.

There are times the book is hard to read. Minor spoilers here…..

Lina, for example, is so consumed by her affair, she can’t see that her lover is not in love with her, even though she’s convinced she is in love with him. Maggie was taken advantage of more than once. And I don’t think Sloane is as happy as she wants to be in her marriage.

I’ll be honest, my friend Lisa didn’t love this book- like I said, it won’t be for everyone, but I’m glad I chose it as a recent book of the month. If you’ve been on the fence about this one, give it a chance.