Trad Wife by Saratoga Schaefer
Synopsis
A ‘traditional wife’ influencer allows a demonic creature to impregnate her in this unnerving horror novel, perfect for fans of Nightbitch and Mary, from the author of Serial Killer Support Group.
Every #tradwife needs a baby. She’ll get one at any cost.
When Camille Deming isn’t cooking, cleaning, or homesteading in her picture-perfect country farmhouse, she’s posting about her tradwife lifestyle for her online followers. She takes inspiration from other tradwives on social media, aspiring to be like them, but Camille’s missing a key component: a baby. And contrary to what she posts online, things with her husband Graham have been strained. Pressured by her eager followers, Camille fears that without a baby, her relationship will suffer and her social media will never grow out of its infancy.
When Camille discovers a mysterious, decrepit well in the wheatfield behind her house, she makes a wish for a baby. Afterwards, she has unsettling experiences that she convinces herself are angelic in nature, and when she’s visited one night by a strange creature, her wish comes true.
Camille’s pregnancy announcement gets more engagement than anything she’s ever posted—so what if Graham’s reaction is lukewarm? Camille’s life is finally falling into place. Never mind that her pregnancy is developing freakishly rapidly and she’s suddenly craving raw meat. Being a traditional wife is worth it.
Rosemary’s Baby for the digital age, this disturbing horror novel is one you’ll want to devour in just one bite.
Ratings
Overall Rating
5/5
Spooky Rating
3/5
Gore Rating
3/5
Content Considerations
Graphic
Cannibalism, Gore, Blood
Moderate
Infidelity, Gaslighting, Sexual content
Minor
Alcoholism, Infertility, Death of parent
*Courtesy of StoryGraph
Full Review
Quick Take
Told through social media satire, witchy vibes, cannibalism, and deep character development, Trad Wife by Saratoga Schaefer deserves to take over the #tradwife hashtag.
Tell Me More
While it seemed like Trad Wife by Saratoga Schaefer would fit in with “mommy horror,” a la Rosemary’s Baby, the author flipped the subgenre on its head.
“A baby would give me purpose again. Not to mention necessary and important content for the burgeoning influencer I’ve become.”
The book begins with a woman obsessed with the trad wife social media community. She attempts to make her life picture perfect solely for her social media presence and wants to be/be friends with one of the biggest trad wife influencers.
(NOTE: For those who don’t know, “trad wives” or “traditional wives” are women who embrace classic gender roles, actively embrace having children, taking care of their husbands, and homemaking – which has become a huge online community of influencers.)
“Mara and her troop of influencers have been very clear about the dangers of medication. And while the wariness of medication and vaccines in my online community is at odds with what I know to be true, I try to stay in line.”
But what ensues is the evolution of a woman gone rogue.
“I can’t imagine what the influencers I follow would say if they could see me trying to force-feed my newborn raw meat.
I would be canceled so fast.”
The character development of the main character was some of the best I have seen.
Trad Wife begins with a woman who has spent her adulthood forming this perfect, photographable life. Her husband is a man who chose her for her “trophy wife” appearance. He provides less than simple care in return for the household she keeps or the meals she cooks him (primarily from all natural ingredients she grows or buys from local farms).
She wants nothing more than to please him, and to have a baby that might help their declining relationship, while respecting his Catholic views.
Then, she ends the novel as a feral creature with little resemblance to the person she began the book as. I admit that I audibly applauded the ending of this novel, and it is not something I want to spoil for you!
“He wants me to beg and scream and cry and plead for him to stay. He’s leaving not because of the other woman or the stress of being a new father but because I have changed, and that scares him. He liked the carboard-cutout version of me that he could carry around and set up where he wanted. It must be so shocking for him – as if a store mannequin suddenly came to life and called you a dick.
The surprising addition of minor monster smut, cannibalistic/vampire themes, critique of Catholicism, and the “traditional wife” concept, added flames to this already well-rounded horror novel.
Not to mention how the book shed light on how social media has hijacked so many people’s sense of meaning and affirmation of who they are.
“Maybe I don’t want to raise a traditional wife. Maybe I want to raise a feral woman.”
This book is already one of my favorites of the year. It is timely, gruesome, funny, dark, and ultimately affirming.
thehorrormaven.com 