What's the name for this category? Kooky fiction? There seems to be a new genre of lightly comic, slightly offbeat new novels from women writers e.g. The Portable Veblen. I'd bracket this one alongside it. Savvy, modern, amusing, a bit inconsequential. I enjoyed it. But the earth didn't move.

This book was, in one word, underwhelming. The blurb advertises a "sinister, sexy noir" and relationships that take a "disturbing" and "destructive" turn. I saw none of that. The novel does capture some hints of noir in its cynicism and moral ambiguity, but the overall tone is not dark and moody, and there's no mystery. It is gritty in some of its descriptions of sex, bodily fluids, etc, but almost in a way that seems like it's trying too hard.

Most of the novel takes place in Hollywood Hills, an affluent California neighborhood where Lady, one of the protagonists, lives with her two sons. Seth is eighteen years old and suffers from selective mutism. Marco, Seth's father, abandoned Lady when Seth was barely two years old. Now, Lady is separated from her husband, Karl, with whom she has a toddler named Devin. In order to write her memoir of her life with Seth, Lady hires a nanny to watch Devin. The nanny Lady hires - which she does without conducting a background check or following up on references - is Esther "S" Fowler, who decides to become a nanny as part of an elaborate art project wherein she "becomes" her mother by dressing like her and adopting her alcoholism.

I feel like this book had a lot of potential, but it all ultimately fizzled out, resulting in a lot of pretentiousness and inane aphorisms. The entire novel seemed to be building up to something significant, an explosive conclusion, but the conclusion was incredibly anti-climactic and abrupt, to the point where I wondered if this were intentional. I also expected a lot more of the friendship between S and Lady, which really only materialized towards the very end of the book and then fizzled out rather quickly when Lady discovers something about S. The very final chapter skips eight months ahead. I'm normally fond of time jumps, but this one did not really provide me with closure or any sort of new information, so I think it should have either been scrapped or altered.

I also expected to see more of their relationships with the protagonists' respective mothers, since that seemed to be such a huge part of the plot. The book had some interesting implicit commentary on motherhood, but again, it never really reaches any sort of satisfying conclusion, never really digs deep the way I wanted it to. Lady is unhealthily attached to her son Seth and wants to keep him all to herself; there are some disturbing sexual undertones to this relationship particularly given how Lady talks about Seth's father, and I honestly thought that was where this was headed, but in the end it yet another detail that was just...there. There was a lot more that could have been said about motherhood and the toll it takes, the necessary sacrifice, the belief that once you are a mother you are no longer a person...the book circled around all that but it never really commits to anything.

Essentially, this novel felt like a whole lot of Chekhov's Guns strewn about. Very little happens that isn't just rich, privileged white people being dissatisfied with their lives. It's that sort of pretentious MFA literary fiction that tries to unveil some sort of universal truth but ultimately just ends up being pompous. It was difficult to relate to either character's ~ennui when both of them are so well-off and have people in their lives who care very much about them (both men, interestingly the women in this book are not shown in a positive light at all). That said, the book was a quick read, and it definitely wasn't boring despite the lack of plot, so that speaks to some writing talent (and the writing does have some pretty unique and fresh metaphors)! I'm probably being overly critical because I had such high expectations for a book that is way outside of my preferred genres.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Sad, funny, eye-opening, relevant topics of conversation surrounding some very quirky, artistic characters. Reminds me very much of one of my favorite authors, Douglas Coupland.

What a book! Really enjoyed! Highly recommend. Perfect book club pick!

This book is like watching the train wreck of someone that you can't put down in book form! Lady, newly separated from her husband with two kids from different dads, hires a nanny to help her out so she can write the book she has been commissioned to tell. Woman No. 17 switches points of view from the nanny and Lady. Lady is a complex character showcasing the challenging era of mothering an eighteen year-old who also has a disability along with figuring out what she wants in life at the age of 41. The young nanny, S, is hired to help with Lady's toddler child. S has her very own personality quirks that were interesting and provide another several layers to the story.

I was so intrigued with the title of book and finding out about the meaning behind it gives the book a completely different thought when I now look at the cover. This dark fictional story is a page turner and has all the great elements for a good story to devour.

4.5 Stars Edan Lepucki returns following California with her latest WOMAN NO.17 – a cleverly written twisty contemporary of motherhood, womanhood, relationships, and identity.

Infused with art in many forms, a web of deceit, dark and witty — a sinister look into a Hollywood family and complex relationships. When things are not always as they appear.

Think a "helicopter" insecure mom with a past; an impersonator, selective mutism, alcoholism, childhood traumas, a revealing photograph, narcissistic behavior, self-sabotage, social media (Twitter) obsession, time, age, a love triangle, and a bunny.

However, this is no typical “Fatal Attraction” . . . A modern contemporary saga: deeper, absorbing, and entertaining. No boiled bunny; however, a floating Peter Rabbit bunny.

An emotional powerhouse of a novel!

Being a child, daughter, and mother is painful." A burden. Told from different perspectives.

Set in Hollywood Hills, a part of the Santa Monica Mountains; a hillside neighborhood of the central region of the city of Los Angeles, California— Lady Daniels is married to Karl, a rich guy who appears to love his family and has given her the life she never had previously. Lady has not always had it so glamorous and able to live this lifestyle.

As we revisit the past, Lady was formerly married to a no-good bum, jack-ass Marcus. None of her girlfriends or anyone liked him. She gets pregnant and ready to have an abortion years earlier and Marcus wants her to keep the baby. Before their son, Seth is even a toddler, Marcus leaves with a little help and financial incentive from Lady’s mom.

Lady hated her mom. Vicious and gorgeous. They had not spoken in twenty years. A love/hate relationship. As a single mom, Lady raised her son, Seth, barely making ends meet. She is protective of him. He never speaks. Marcus never knew about his selective mutism. Then Karl comes along and they marry and are raising son Devin (age two) and Seth. He is a good father to both boys.

As the book opens, Seth is now nineteen, and Devin is a toddler. Devin is a constant chatterbox and talks non-stop, unlike his brother. Seth does not speak and talks via his iPhone, sign language, social media, and letters.

Lady and Karl have an argument regarding an incident about her son Seth. She asks Karl to leave for a trial separation; however, they have a unique relationship and still see one another. Lady does not know what she wants. She is very confused and troubled.

Lady had written an essay in Real Simple about the strains of parenting a mute child After it went viral, she landed a book contract to expand on the subject.

In her forties, she decides to hire a nanny to help take care of Devin, so she could spend her time writing. However, she goes to coffee shops among other things and never writes. She procrastinates and overthinks everything.

She hires a twenty-two-year-old girl, called “S”. S is not her real name. She connects with Lady and Devin. Immediately, Lady hires her without even doing a background check. She moves into the cottage.

Lady is needy and in desperate need of companionship. She makes crazy poor choices. She pushes Karl away, and overprotective with Seth, and does not have the patience for Devin. However, she and S soon become friends. Even though they have a twenty-year-age difference, the two have many things in common. Mainly their dysfunctional overbearing mothers. (and, Seth). The claws come out.

As the book moves on, we hear from Lady and S. We know early on, S has something up her sleeve. Lady has a past involving a photograph called Woman No. 17, taken by her sister-in-law, and nemesis, Kit. How will these three connect? (Lots of triangles in the book).

S begins working on a secretive art project and in the meantime, she becomes closer to Seth. (before/after) in reverse. They connect in more ways than none. He is working on a film plus much more. He also is a little naughty. S loves to drink as well as Lady. Lady is always hungry.

Readers learn more about Lady’s past and S’s family. Seth is mysterious with a secretive side. Lady thinks about Marco and wants him to meet (their) son. Karl is trying to get back together. Marcus is curious about his dad. Lady and S have their own secrets.

Stop. Drop. Dead. Private signs.

Twitter: @Sethconscious and @muffinbuffin41. Crazy action going on here.

Seth is a teen boy. Lady Daniel’s baby boy. He was like a wild animal, rarely seen and barely understood. He has selective mutism. Was Seth a skilled liar? Dangerous? S and Seth are both artists.

With all the drama and the deception, there are so many funny hilarious moments. One of my favorites one-liners, among many:

“Mommy,” Devin said, finally tearing himself away from the screen. “You done with your dog hair?”

I laughed and wiped my face with my sleeve. “Hair of the dog, baby."

"And, yes, I finished it. Go back to watching your show now. Mommy’s all right.”


Triangles: Seth/Lady/S, Marco/Karl/Lady, Lady/Marco/Kit, Seth/Kit/S, (Sure I am leaving out more).

A woman saddled with secrets. Guilt. Betrayal. A mother who straddles between love and doubt. A collision course. Two complex women. Secrets and lies. Lady is not as put together as she would like others to believe. WOMAN NO. 17 would make an interesting movie. (Very LA)


The author skillfully crafts complexities of life with a twist. A compelling portrait of motherhood. WOMAN NO. 17 is like nothing you will ever read. It is unique. The author is talented and delves into the human psyche. With flawed characters, written with a deep understanding of mothers, daughters, sons.

The best description (bullseye) and an accurate summary of the book (great review):

. . . “Despite the hint of deceit and scent of illicit canoodling in the air, Lepucki doesn’t appear to be interested in writing a trashy noir cum sly bodice-ripper, though some of the sexy scenes do get a pinch, well, rough. Pretty early on, it’s clear that she’s experimenting with exploring something deeper. Mainly: what it means to be a needy, vulnerable, passionate, discarded lover, wife, daughter, and mother.” . . .

“Woman No. 17” is structured like a classic she-said, she-said. In odd-numbered chapters, we hear about events from Lady’s perspective — and the scoop ain’t pretty. " . . . San Francisco Chronicle.


Like the book based, mini- TV series, Big Little Lies, there is a façade. Twisted secrets. Friendships. Motherhood. Relationships. She was poor, lonely, and single when Lady met Karl. Did he ever really know the real Lady? Lady is coming unglued and her life is unraveling. Self-sabotage. The haunting photo.

Gripping. Provocative. Thought-provoking, and yet frustrating.

The book raises big questions about identity, ethics, art, parenthood, relationships, motherhood, social media and our modern digital age. A mix of intriguing, stimulating, unpredictable, mysterious, and utterly engaging.

I hit the literary jack box: I scored an electronic early reading copy from NetGalley, and granted an early print book from LibraryThing Early Reviewers, and purchased the audiobook, which sealed the deal!

My favorite narrator is Cassandra Campbell. I pretty much pre-order every book she narrates. Her voice is calming and soothing. She was a perfect Lady and Devin. Phoebe Strole was well-suited for the younger S! 11 hrs and 46 mins. Kept me entertained for days!

Ironically, I had just finished The Scattering (Strole) and The Book of Summer (Campbell) performing and directly afterward got to hear them both as a duo team.

Looking forward to reading more from Lepucki. Her writing is inventive, unique, sharp, fascinating, dark, mysterious and witty. I found myself dying to get back to the book. It was addictive. Strongly reminded of Ellen Meister’s The Other Life with the art connection, humor, and an honest look at the innermost thoughts of struggling women.

A special thank you to Crown, LibraryThing Early Reviewers, and NetGalley for an early reading copy.

JDCMustReadBooks

Woman No. 17 by Edan Lepucki starts out with an interesting premise. Lady hires S to be nanny to her three year old son. S is immersed in an art project, trying to live the way her own mother would have, copying her clothes and what she would have done and said. (I never did figure out how that translated into art.) The characters were interesting, but from the book's description, I expected something much more awful to happen.

No writer would bemoan significant success for his or her first novel. Critical and commercial acclaim will be welcomed. Almost everything about landing a big hit right out of the gate is largely positive.

Right up until you have to write book number two.

We’ve all heard of the “sophomore slump,” that notion that for whatever reason, your second attempt at something may well prove less successful. It’s as true a notion in the literary realm as it is on the athletic field – doing something well is hard, but doing something well AGAIN is even harder.

Not that you’d know it from reading Edan Lepucki, whose 2014 debut novel “California” offered readers a glimpse at a different kind of dystopia; it’s a quiet, intimate and heartbreaking portrait of the interpersonal sadness that might spring from the end of the world.

Her latest is “Woman No. 17,” a sleek, perspective-shifting tale driven by the complexities of relationship dynamics, the notion of identity and the importance/absurdity of modern art and its impact. Despite a significant shift in genre, Lepucki nevertheless maintains the oddly jarring intimacies that were the true highlights of her previous work.

Lady (yes, that’s her name) has just kicked her husband Karl out of the house, although she might not be able to tell you just why. She has two children; the toddler is Devin, her child with Karl. The teenager is Seth, her mute son from her first marriage. Lady has been tapped to write a book, a memoir built about her experience raising Seth as a single mother; this leads to a desire to hire a nanny for Devin so that she might be able to find time to put in the work.

S (yes, just S) is a recent college graduate who aspires to become a serious artist. She sees the Craigslist ad for the nanny job and embraces the opportunity. Lady quickly hires her and sets her up as a live-in, with a place in the guest cottage in the house’s Hollywood Hills backyard. S quickly becomes a welcome addition to the household; she’s wonderful with Devin and quickly grows close to both Lady and Seth.

However, neither woman is entirely as she seems. Both are keeping secrets – secrets from one another and secrets from themselves. The entanglements grow and grow, binding each woman to the other even as the behavior of both begins to spin out of control. The roiling interiors masked by placid surfaces begin to bubble up; there’s no way of knowing just when they might explode – or who they might hurt.

“Woman No. 17” is a taut tightrope walk of a novel, a delicate balance between two perspectives. Lepucki alternates between Lady and S, offering extended peeks at the inner workings of one woman before shifting gears and exploring the psyche of the other. This back-and-forth allows for a sort of narrative Venn diagram; both Lady and S are telling tales of their own, but the POV movement helps form the shape of the storyline that encompasses both.

Lepucki is at her best when exploring emotional depths, pulling the deeper, darker feelings into the light. Motherhood is at the forefront in a lot of ways; both protagonists are possessed of extremely complex and potentially destructive feelings toward their own mothers, while Lady’s own maternal instincts are themselves divided and distinctly different.

Lady and S are each searching for answers to questions they’re not even aware that they’re asking. Sadness and sensuality and success are all tangled together into a psychosexual Gordian knot, with neither woman possessing a blade that might serve to slice it apart.

All of this is accentuated beautifully by Lepucki’s sharp sense of humor, a wicked wit that permeates the book with darkly funny moments that serve as the perfect counterpoint to the pathos that is the narrative’s foundation. Shots are fired at family life, at romance, at the art world – there are plenty of unsettling laughs to be found.

On the surface, “Woman No. 17” is almost completely unlike Lepucki’s first book. Yet there’s no denying that both sprang from the pen – and the mind – of the same author. This combination of distinct voice and wide range is exceedingly rare; we can only hope we don’t have to wait too long for the next work from this immensely talented writer.

Woman No. 17 by Edan Lepucki
Publisher: Hogarth
Release Date: May 9, 2017
Length: 320 pages

Single Sentence Summary: A woman, taking a break from her husband, is in need of a nanny, but gets much more than she expected when she places a Craigslist ad, and hires a young artist with issues of her own.

Primary Characters: Lady – A 40ish woman, separated from her husband. Lady has two sons and is hiring a nanny to care for her younger son, Devin. Esther – Esther is a recent UC Berkley grad who has decided to reinvent herself (as a form of art) using her own mother for a model. She’s also decided to go by S. Seth – Lady’s 18-year old son, normal in all ways except for the fact that he has never spoken.

Synopsis: Lady seems to have it all. She’s married to a truly nice man who loves her, has money, a beautiful home in the Hollywood Hills, and two amazing sons. But, Lady isn’t happy. She’s forced a separation from her husband and is in need of a nanny to care for 2-year old Devin so she can get to writing a memoir she’s not sure she wants to share. Her Craigslist ad brings S. to her door. Funny, quirky, slightly unattractive, Lady hires S. on the spot. The arrangement seems ideal, until S. and Lady’s older son Seth, a nonverbal young man, develop a closeness that becomes more than a little disturbing.

Review: In reading Woman No. 17, I almost felt like Edan Lepucki had two very different stories she wanted to tell. The first was the story of Lady Daniels and her older son, Seth. Lady had Seth at 22 and soon was raising him completely on her own. To make life even more complex, Seth did not speak. This led to endless appointments, therapies, schools in Lady’s determination to do everything possible to make Seth’s world right. It also led to an incredibly special bond between Lady and Seth; a bond that began to change as he grows older.

“I let him have the universe, but now he was floating farther and farther out of my orbit.”

The second story was the story of Esther, or S., a young woman who grew up with divorced parents:

“I’d always been a loner; chalk it up to having a cool dad and a fuck-up mom: I was either hanging out with him or taking care of her.”

With a major in psychology and a minor in art, S. floundered after graduating from college and decided she needed to try something different: to know her mother by becoming her. Imitating her personality. Dressing like her. Drinking, just like Mom. Doing this at the same time she’d taken on a new nanny job presented problems for S., but the bigger problems arose as she grew close to both Seth and Lady. S. realized she was on a destructive path, but didn’t seem to be able to stop.

Of the two stories, I wanted to know much more about Lady’s journey in life. Her challenges with Seth and her determination in doing everything possible to make his life whole were inspiring. Being Woman No. 17, after posing for a famous photographer, was a part of her story I’d like to have known more about. The tension between Lady’s past and her present seemed real and worth exploring. S.’s story of transforming herself into her mother felt contrived even if it was for art. She was definitely the harder character for me to understand and her choices often made little sense. The real problem, however, was in the intersection of the two stories. That felt very forced. On the one hand Lady was this sort of fierce tiger mom who would protect her sons at all cost, but when it came to S., she continued to look the other way. Lady’s need of S. in the role of a friend never rang true to me. The side stories around Lady and Seth often felt incomplete. I’d have liked to see Lady and Seth in a story focused solely on them. Grade: C+

Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher (via NetGalley) in exchange for my honest review.

I hate writing negative reviews, but here goes... I am generally happy to read novels featuring unlikeable characters. [book:Eileen|23453099] is a case in point. But, yikes, Woman No. 17 really didn't work for me. Told from the alternating perspectives of Lady and Esther, this felt like a relentless indictment of petty, self-centred, dislikable women. Lady is in her early 40s, and is relentlessly capricious and self centred in her dealings with everyone, including her two sons and their fathers. Ester is in her 20s, comes to live with Lady as a nanny, and is also selfish and keeps escalating her bad behaviour. To top it off, they both have despicable mothers, and Lady's sister in law is not much better. Meanwhile Lady's sons are quite lovely, and her ex husbands aren't too bad. The dynamics between this cast of characters are pretty twisted -- to the point where I felt manipulated. As I say, I'm actually fond of many books featuring unlikeable characters, but something about this one rubbed me the wrong way. Two stars rather than one because the writing is pretty good. Others have liked this one far more than me. Read their reviews before you make up your mind. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.

Lady needs a nanny for her toddler so she can finally work on writing the memoir about her teenage son's selective mutism. Esther is a student who needs a job that will allow to her to pursue the biggest art project she's ever undertaken. When these women find each other, everything in their lives begins to change.
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. It was a very well-written book and it intrigued me greatly. There were some aspects I especially loved:
1) The characters are incredibly complex. Where exactly do Lady's issues come from? What are the reasons for Esther's art project? Why can't Seth talk? Where do Karl, Kit, and Devin figure into everything - are they simply pawns in Lady's world? I liked that I couldn't bring myself to fully love or hate any of the characters. Just when I was beginning to really love one of them, they would do something that broke my heart. And just when I thought I could actually hate a character, they'd do something to redeem themselves. While the characters were flawed, they didn't feel too tragic - they felt real. And that was a nice thing to read.
2) The plot itself intrigued me. While it's really slow (so much of it is Lady and Esther recounting the past and musing over what to do next), it didn't feel drawn out and I really appreciated that the author would introduce a new question or complication before I'd start to get bored.
But it wasn't all good:
1) Most of the plot is driven by these women's relationships with the men around them and with their mothers. While that was interesting, I felt like it was a little short sighted. There was one other woman in the book - Kit - who wasn't another character's mother and I desperately wished there were more women in the book. That, of course, would have harmed the plot quite a bit (Lady states many times that she hasn't had a friend since Seth was born), but it would have made me happy.
2) The ending was so intense and yet, so anticlimactic. I felt like so much was going on, yet not all that much actually happened and when the book was done, I found myself asking, "Is that it?" I was also a bit annoyed that so much is left up to the reader's interpretation. In some books, I really like that, but with this book, I wanted a little more direction and information from the author.
I strongly recommend this book to lovers of drama and also to artists.

So often books about motherhood and friendships are trite, and this book goes so far beyond that and feels extremely real.

"You think you know how a story begins, or how its going to turn out, especially when it's your own. You don't."

How did she end up here? Lady Daniels has been pretty independent for her entire adult life. Years ago, her lover left her to raise their son Seth. Beyond the fact that she had no money and a mother who would rather judge her than help, Lady had the added challenge of raising a child who could not speak. All the doctors and specialists reached the same conclusion about Seth. There is no medical explanation for him being mute. Understandably this leaves Lady guilt ridden and having more questions than answers.

Years later, Lady is facing a different kind of crisis. Her husband Karl has moved out and left Lady to raise their young son Devin while still worrying about teenager Seth. She has also been commissioned to write a book about her journey as a mother facing her son's disability. Time constraints of motherhood aside, Lady is having a hard time writing this book. It is forcing her to recall a painful period of time and uproot memories that were long laid to rest. Even worse, Seth is beginning to question his past. Who is his dad? Why did he leave? Is a reunion in the cards?

Enter the elusive "S". Born Esther Shapiro, the twenty-something art student has taken on a new identity. She's running from a failed art project and disastrous relationship and looking for a fresh start. Not only has she found her next great work of art, but she's also found a way to remove herself from her previous life. For her latest masterpiece, S has assumed the role of her tragic alcoholic mother. She dresses like mom, drinks herself into blackouts, and ignores the people and relationships around her. The best part of all of this, S has convinced Lady that she is the perfect person to be a live in nanny for little Devin. What could possibly go wrong?!

Edan Lepucki follows her hit novel California, with the masterful character study Woman No. 17. Chapters shift between the point of view of Lady and S, highlighting their time together as each woman navigates the challenges of their lives. The two contrast each other in a commentary on the way people change as they age. Lepucki manages to create well developed and engaging characters, even when the women act in less than sympathetic ways. The novel ends up being a thoughtful exploration of motherhood, art, disability, and the way we navigate the difficulties of everyday life. Woman No. 17 is a brilliant blend of reflective observation and captivating drama that makes it an excellent read.

Take several flawed and damaged people, throw them into a household, add alcohol and art, and you get this book. S (Esther) is a recent college graduate who takes a job as a nanny and actively works on a performance art piece of becoming her mother. Lady is an aspiring writer with 2 sons, a long departed lover, and an estranged husband. These two women provide the narrative and it is their interactions with each other and the other people in their world that provides the story. In the most simplistic terms, this story was multiple train wrecks waiting to happen. The characters didn’t seem to behave as though they had control of their actions. But somehow the book managed to feel positive and hopeful. This has to be attributed to Ms. Lepucki’s keen writing style.

The unique story line is made up of complex, and somewhat psychologically abusive relationships. Bold characters who communicate through various art such as painting, photography, film, and through social media. Their lives are full of lies and deceptions.

Oddy, though it was not for me, I recommend it. I didn't like the alcohol abuse, backstabbing relationships, animal neglect, etc. but each was an integral part of the story. For me, the ending was weak. I am not sure how I was hoping it would turn out, but it didn't really elicit any emotion from me. It may warrant a reread. Days later, I feel that I may have missed something, that there was more to it than I realized. Hmmm....

Just what I suspected—I decided to round down instead of up, so it’s now 3 stars. What changed my mind? Well, every time I think of this book I think of the things that annoyed me rather than the stuff that made me happy. I’ll start with the joy. This way I’ll feel guilty that I downgraded it to 3 stars (I guess I’m a masochist).

Joy Jar

-Yes to art! Usually I like artist characters, but it’s tricky. Sometimes writers go overboard describing art projects, which I complained about with The Animators and The Woman Upstairs, both excellent books. Here, the writer kept art in our vision but didn’t overdo it. One of the two main characters is an artist and her creative multi-media projects piqued my interest. There’s also an amateur filmmaker, a writer, and a successful photographer.

A cool mute teenage boy. Who isn’t intrigued by a mute teenager without a diagnosis? His mom is quick to point out that he is neither autistic nor a genius, which is her pat explanation to all the curious (nosy) people who ask.

-Good metaphors, good language, good insights. This really is a smart book. Here are some juicy samples (though note that the content could change because I’m reviewing an advance copy):

“The marine layer in L.A. is pantyhose compared to the heavy white shawl that hangs over the Berkeley Hills.”

“The acrid smell asserts itself once more. It seems like it’s coming from the back of the house, but perhaps it’s the stench of my mother’s soul. She is a spiritual landfill in heels.”

“I’d always hated the name Esther and shortening it to a single letter felt like sloughing off so much dead skin. A psychic facial.”

“. . . his long white ponytail greasy as an old shoelace…”

“Meanwhile, I’m lint in a troll’s armpit if I don’t spend forty-five minutes on my hair and makeup.”

-The plot moved right along. No dead zones.

-Plenty of edge. You all know how I crave edgy.

-Plenty of gossip. Yes, this is a plus for me, I hate to admit it. For some people, the gossipy nature might make them categorize the book as chick lit, which it doesn’t deserve.

-I couldn't look away. Even though the characters were mostly jerks, I could not wait to see what they'd do next.

Ha! Just as I suspected! I’m hovering between stars right now, looking upward. My Complaint Board will remind me of why I went downward instead.

Complaint Board

-Didn’t buy the dialogue. The talking was witty, often acerbic or sarcastic. This would be cool if it was also realistic, but I just didn’t buy all of the conversations, especially at the beginning of the book when the two main characters meet. I often thought, “No one would say that out loud!” The conversations seemed too blunt and personal. Maybe the writer wanted to make sure the dialogue wasn’t boring. It wasn’t boring, but I didn’t buy it.

-Animal neglect leads to bad. It wasn’t earth-shattering or prolonged horror, but it did make me feel bad for a while. The book didn’t need this tidbit. Also, the character’s reaction to the resulting badness was bizarre and unrealistic.

-I thought I didn’t care about characters being unlikable. Hear me, I really don’t mind unlikable characters, but here, they made me want to leave the room so I didn’t have to watch any more of their selfish, mean behavior. Seriously, I don't have to like the heroes to like a book, but it sort of felt like I was supposed to think they were cool and acceptable, but I didn’t. I compare this to The Dinner, which had a totally unlikable narrator who made me want to stay put in the room, and who entertained me endlessly. (Obviously, I have a better time with unlikable psychos than with unlikable neurotics.)

-The reason the nanny chose to be a nanny was ludicrous. Nope, too far out for me.

-I’m not a prude, but . . . . Well, maybe I am a prude. I found myself being pissed at a relationship that just didn’t seem right. Plus, there was an absence of morality throughout, and that bugged me. There was an unsettling lack of guilt about hurting others. There was much self-destructive behavior and an overabundance of drunkenness—that got old for sure.

-The secrets were blasé. Actually the secrets weren’t blasé but their presentation was.

-Didn’t buy a coincidence.

-The ending fizzled out.

-No noir. The blurb said this book was noir, which attracted me to it. My mistake—I thought noir meant that it was a mystery. Wrong. And if not a mystery, maybe just dark nights and dark moods? Most of this story takes place by the pool—which is all sun and brightness. Sigh. I should not read blurbs. (I had to look of “noir fiction” and the definition was complicated.)

So that’s it for the Joy Jar and the Complaint Board, which are both full to the brim. See? It’s hard to rate! Even though I’ve landed on 3 stars, give this book a try—it has a lot of merit.

The book is narrated by two women (a mom and a nanny), in alternating chapters. This format worked for me; it was well done. What we have here are a helicopter mom, a mute teen, and a young drunken nanny with an identity crisis. Stir in deception, carelessness, self-destructive behavior, art, tweets, mommy issues, and a lack of boundaries and you have quite a stew. Don’t be looking for maternal instincts or good people, but do look at all the trouble online communication can cause.

I enjoyed this book a lot, despite my bulging Complaint Board. It’s a fast, smart read that was hard to put down.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy.

Favorite Quotes:

I knew she didn’t go by her full name, but “S” felt so pretentious, as if she’d rebranded herself at sleep-away camp.

Karl said it was like dancing at a wedding. ‘If you really want to, go ahead… but you’ll regret those moves the next morning.’

It made me think of his days as a newborn, when he was covered like a leaf in tiny fine hairs, and I’d wondered if I’d given birth to a marmoset.

My mom once told me she’d never been loyal to a specific hard liquor. She said vodka made her buzz and gin made her float and tequila made her tingle. Bourbon made her cry. The way I felt now was so good I was ready to marry Jose Cuervo, though I’d probably question that commitment come dawn.


My Review:

Woman No. 17 was an addictive, unpredictable, and intriguing read that was rich with vibrant, complex, and eccentric characters who were vividly described in amusing detail. I had a difficult time putting my kindle down to attend to those pesky tasks and loathsome interruptions to reading such as sleep, meals, and husband. I was instantly attracted to Ms. Lepucki’s clever writing style the unconventional personas and eccentricities of each and every character. I was fascinated by their stories and hard-bitten to solve the mystery of Seth’s mutism. My only grievance with the story was with the ending, or rather, the lack of one.

In this strongly character-driven story, the reader quickly discovers there are lots of lost and broken relationships, secrets that create chaos and loss, and parents that hardly know their children. There's no doubt that Eden Lepucki can write as she delves into this family's ups and downs. Lady is estranged from her mother and two husbands and maybe even her non-verbal son, Seth. When S (Esther) arrives as nanny to Devin all kinds of new and tangled relationships are created. This is definitely a book for those who love character-driven stories.

I was intrigued by the title and so I began what I thought would be virtual page turner and so I kept reading waiting for something to happen. Maybe this is not the book for me, but I found the characters self centered and never understood the motivation of "S" to mimic her mother's dysfunction. I thought the characters were not believable and the plot seemed to hang and not go anywhere. I'm sorry but I am trying to be honest, which is difficult to do when you know an author has put so much of themselves into a book. Thanks for the opportunity to read this book!

I was given an eARC of this book from Netgalley and Crown Publishing.  My thanks!
Summary:
            Lady Daniels has separated from her husband and is trying to juggle writing a memoir of sorts with caring for her toddler son Devin, and attempting to keep her eighteen year old son Seth close.  She needs help.
       In comes S. a young artist that Lady and her children are drawn to.  Hired as a nanny for Devin, S. has her own agenda for being there.  Working on a new, out-there art project, she is trying to recreate mothers- including her own.  When the two worlds collide, sparks fly.  This is an intense story of art, motherhood, and female friendships among other things.
My thoughts:
         I felt for Lady, not sure what she wants or what she is doing.  I loved her character even as I hated her for choices she made.  I felt the same way for S.  Both are damaged, trying to find their spots, trying to make a connection.  I loved Karl (with a "K" as Lady says) and his crazy love of Lady and his family including his stepson Seth.  The story was interesting, and fast paced, if a bit jumpy in areas.  I still loved it completely.  Five Stars!
     On the adult content scale, I give it an eight.  There is talk of alcoholism, language, sexual content and drinking.  This is definitely not one my niece will get her hands on.