Book Review: Three Women by Lisa Taddeo

If you’re looking for a book to fall into, choose this one. I knew I would love this book from reviews I had heard but it took me a while to pick it up off my shelf and get stuck in. The minute I did, I power read through til its end. Such clever writing, pulling from the real experiences and lives of women, Taddeo excels in reading between lines and drawing out the little thoughts that flit about our brains all day.

The saddest part about this book is that it has to end. Honestly, I fell into Taddeo’s rhythm so easily that after I had been introduced to each of her subjects I was impatiently pushing through to find out the next update for each one. The interesting thing is there are still these little moments from the book, snippets of scenes, events that happened in the moment or that the subject reflected on, that still swing back into my mind even a few weeks after reading.

I think Taddeo’s biggest skill is the way she articulates her subject’s inner most fears and thoughts in a way that is just entirely relatable. It’s not that it is understated in any way, it’s just … human. There are so many times that big moments happen and you receive them with a stoicism that you don’t appreciate until reflecting back down the track. Or you don’t, and the chipped away confidence and self worth builds up until you are forced to observe it and engage with it.

The book covers a huge range of topics, from infidelity, rape and emotional control, complex relationship dynamics and issues of self worth and insecurity… but to break it down like that doesn’t give it the flow it deserves. Everything is woven over itself and the way Taddeo introduces you to each subject’s thought progression just works so well. You aren’t shocked at any points but you are constantly growing with the subjects and looking for the next piece of their puzzle.

The effort and creativity taken to create this book makes me feel really inspired. Taddeo got into the inner most thoughts and drew back the curtains in every room available to her for each subject. It was an exercise in self discovery and personal reflection, but Taddeo has flipped her insides outward to share all of that exploration with her readers and take them along too.