The blood returns ceaselessly; she knows its odour, this blood that Myriam cannot hide from her and that, each month, announces the death of a child.
Lullaby
by Leïla Slimani
Genre: Psychological Thriller
About: Myriam and Paul think they've found domestic bliss when they hire Louise. She's the perfect nanny. She adores the children, she cooks, she cleans, she's always available. But under the surface, something's not quite right with Louise.
The Good
The opening is stunning. I read this in one day because after the first chapter, I just had to know why. Why, why, why? It's a deeply unsettling novel that is excellent at drawing out the small moments that slowly form to build a bigger picture of a women's mental deterioration. I also thought some of the descriptions (even that this is a translation so I'm sure the original is even better) were really great. It felt very visual and atmospheric from beginning to end. All the different viewpoints came together really well and it captivated me completely.
The Bad
I do think it's a good thing to show the mental strain that raising children can have on women in particular (women being usually the main caregivers), however I also think the picture can be a bit distorted and turned into a lazy stereotype. Being a new parent myself, I can relate to some of the depictions of how lack of sleep and a sense of worthlessness at no longer working can have on your mental health. At the same time though, the idea that having children must make you feel trapped or bored with your day is exaggerated I think. Maybe if you didn't want children you might feel that way, but all the women in the book seem to long for freedom, presenting raising a child as a task that can have no room for balance. It's either your life is over, or you have to hire someone to care for your child in order for you to still live.
The Somewhat Iffy
I would have liked to have understood better Louise's financial struggles. It seems to present her in debt solely because of her husband. Knowing the figure might have helped as she already lost her house for the debt and she seemed to be very frugal, working full time and living in a very cheap apartment, so I couldn't understand how she wasn't able to work off some of that debt.
Overall
This is a page-turner. A thriller that's mystery comes from needing to understand the characters. You know at the beginning what's happened. It's horrifying. The next 200 pages are to find out why it had to happen.
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