Author Holly Gramazio spent 15 years as a game designer. She tells People magazine she experimented with an idea for “a video game about jumping sideways between different versions of the world, and visiting different relationships.” And when she wasn’t able to make it work as a game, she wondered about writing it as a novel.
The result is “The Husbands,” a funny, fascinating romp that just might be this year’s first perfect summer read.
The novel begins when our main character, Lauren, returns home to her London flat one evening and is greeted by her husband, Michael. Problem is, she’s not married and never has been. As she tries to puzzle out the problem, Michael goes into the attic to change a lightbulb and suddenly disappears. In his place, a new man emerges — a different husband, who for Lauren creates a different version of reality. In other words, her magical attic supplies an infinite supply of husbands.
Bonkers? Absolutely. But if you just stick with the bizarre premise for a chapter or two, you’ll be richly rewarded with an entertaining and thought-provoking novel that poses important questions about relationships and life.
As Lauren swaps husbands and lives, she discovers some non-negotiables — untrimmed nose hair, for example, and shoes with individual toes. But she also learns that the search for something better can be exhausting. The novel seems a tad too long at times, but the plot and characters propelled me along. Gramazio writes with humor and insight, and she builds to what I thought was a perfect ending.
Overall, a fantastic job for a debut novelist. A memorable story that would be perfect for book clubs.
