My Husband

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2021

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Prologue-Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6-Epilogue

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Tools

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Discussion Questions

Background

Literary Context: The Domestic Noir

My Husband belongs to the subgenre of the domestic noir, a branch of crime and thriller fiction in which the intimate relationship is the site of violence, whether emotional or otherwise. Other books from this genre include Gone Girl (2012) by Gillian Flynn and You (2014) by Caroline Kepnes.

The domestic noir novel traces the dismantling of a seemingly loving or perfect relationship to reveal the hidden problems underneath. Since the genre unravels the notion of the ideal relationship, it creates space to discuss gender roles, society’s unfair standards for women, and the contemporary pressure to maintain appearances. Domestic noir novels can have feminist underpinnings, showing how patriarchal institutions drive women to extremes. For instance, in My Husband, Ariane feels so pressured to remain a married woman that she overlooks the many signs of her husband’s manipulation and control.

The characters in a domestic noir novel often suppress their emotions or true self in the quest for domesticity, with these repressed emotions often erupting in acts of violence. Ariane commits psychological warfare against her husband by hiding his things, while her husband plans to con her into a third pregnancy. As these examples from My Husband show, the domestic noir often subverts expectations around safe and cozy concepts such as home, domesticity, and parenthood. It also often examines the more subtle forms and effects of emotional abuse. Thus, the domestic noir explores fears and insecurities in relationships to build up a tense, suspenseful atmosphere.

Cultural Context: Social Status and Perfect Appearances

With a protagonist devoted to curating her real life like an enviable social media feed, the novel offers a satirical critique of contemporary society’s emphasis on appearances. Ariane feels this pressure so keenly that she constantly tries to better herself. She also studies other people to see how she measures up against them. Ariane’s constant social scrutiny reflects a society that is consumed by external markers of success, such as unchanging beauty, wealth, and cozy domesticity.

Since the novel in set in France, the story dissects contemporary French middle-class life in particular, examining the roles and pressures of social status and domestic perfection. Ariane is keenly aware of her working-class background in contrast to her husband’s wealthy roots. Thus, she works hard to fit into the bourgeoise atmosphere of his wealthy family. Although egalitarianism is a very prominent concept in French history, over time the gap between the working classes and the elites has widened again, with concerns being raised about the grip the upper classes have on the nation’s resources and institutions (Framont, Nicolas. “How France’s Wealthy Elites Keep Their Power.” Jacobin, 18 Apr. 2023). Ariane’s anxiety about her social status reflects this class inequality.

Ariane’s quest for perfect appearances is also coded in terms of gender roles, since she wants to appear beautiful in an effortless, understated way. This reflects the double pressure contemporary women face to look polished while also hiding the labor that goes into the polished look. Other aspects of contemporary life the novel satirizes are the surfeit of information and the consequences of a hyper-visual culture. Ariane feels overwhelmed by the information available to her online, seeking advice from sources as diverse as women’s magazines and articles on geography. Bombarded by the information and stimulus, she tries to do too many things at the same time, a predicament common in the digital age.