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The Blasphemy Box
“You know that nightmare you've always had? The one where you wake up one day to find yourself fat, frumpy, fifty and alone? I’m living it.”Maddy Nelson has an idyllic existence: a handsome husband, great kids, a comfortable, affluent lifestyle. One morning soon after she turns fifty, however, she wakes up in her San Francisco home to find her husband Steven announcing that he’s leaving her for a woman half her age. And a third of her size.
Ouch!
Feeling totally unmoored and grieving for her married life and husband, Maddy finds herself thrust into an unfamiliar and uncomfortable world of middle-aged singledom. There, she must come to terms with her situation and embark on her new life: divorce proceedings, single parenting, internet dating, and trying to earn a living. It’s enough to drive her over the brink. To help her cope, she shares her struggles in a smart, wry blog named The Blasphemy Box, after her ex-husband’s obnoxious habit of having her drop a quarter into a wooden box every time she said something off color. Her madcap middle-aged adventures find her devoted readers who identify with her challenges.
In time, Maddy recreates herself and finds happiness in the arms of a good man, and a fulfilling new career as a novelist.
My opinion:
I am neither the same age as Maddy, nor have I ever gone through a divorce, but have watched some play out over time. The Blasphemy Box pulled me in from the beginning though, and I felt like I was experiencing all the gut wrenching realizations as well as the triumphs right along with the main character. I didn't realize when I started reading that I would love this book as much as I did. As a SAHM, getting older and soon to have 3 kids of my own, I share many of her fears and insecurities. We all age, we all get comfortable with our spouses, but what if things changed?
I loved the humor that Maddy Nelson faced each challenge with. Her evolution from dumped wife to blogger was the perfect therapy she needed and really showed off some great quirky insight from author Mandy Behbehani about the cycle of being divorced. It was very akin to the traditional grieving process, just uglier, messier and ultimately funnier.
Another great Summer read to add to the books. This one is a great roller coaster of emotions, but in the end left me feeling like an empowered female. I only hope I could face a situation like this with as much class and humor as Maddy. A great 'chick-lit' addition to any reading list.
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About Author Mandy Behbehani
Mandy Behbehani grew up in England and now lives in California. She holds a journalism degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia and is a professional journalist whose work has appeared in a variety of publications from the Los Angeles Times and the San Francisco Chronicle to W magazine, Town & Country magazine and Travel & Leisure magazine.Follow Mandy Behbehani: Blog | Facebook | Twitter
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