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title:
Wife In the North

author: Judith O’Reilly

genre: memoir/nonfiction


pages: 336

published: 2008

first line: As we drove out of the city's fabulous sprawl last night, I wondered whether I could kill my husband and plead insanity.

rated: 4 out of 5




Judith O’Reilly and her husband move from the city of London out to live in the country in the North. They have two young boys and Judith is pregnant. Its more her husband's idea to move so far away and Judith is trying hard to adapt to country life. Her husband continues to work in the city, while Judith stays home with the kids. She had a career going before she had the children, and now staying home with them is wearing on her.

I loved my London life. I never went to clubs, never danced till dawn; I gave birth, drank coffee, spent hours in parks, and far too long at work, but this book shop here I love, this one for clothes, and this bridge lifts my heart whenever I cross the river. I had some fancy jobs and met some fancy people but I never did anything extraordinary.

Soon enough Judith gives birth to a daughter. Judith begins to blame her husband and dearly misses the city life. With her husband gone for weeks at a time, she is left home alone with the children more and more. He even misses the baby's first birthday party. As she tries to adjust to her new life, we get a glimpse of the struggles she faces as well as the happiness she encounters.


She goes through what so many mothers goes through. Her son is being bullied in school, her husband continues to let her car run out of gas and she is trying to make friends with the other mothers at school. Some accept her, others shun her. She even begins a blog, where she can vent and post her thoughts.




I found this book moving and funny. I like Judith's style of writing. The book is written like a diary. With entry titles like 'Just one of those days', 'Sex and chocolate cake' and 'Womb with a view' how could you not want to read it?



She made me laugh out loud during certain parts, and get teary eyed during others.
I think most women can relate to Judith.

Widowhood is woman's shadow and her fate. I think on mine; how it will be to sit as a silent widow in the same chair, the same room, as you have done night after night but without him. You must look up expecting to see him, you must think you hear him moving upstairs, but it is just you and your library book.

I also like that this is set in London, I would love to visit there someday, and reading about it makes me want to even more.




If you're looking for a sweet, funny and moving read, pick up a copy of Wife In the North.