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The Husbands delights in asking: how do we navigate life, love, and choice in a world of never-ending options? ("A bottomless champagne flute of a novel." —The Washington Post)
When Lauren returns home to her flat in London late one night, she is greeted at the door by her husband, Michael. There's only one problem—she's not married. She's never seen this man before in her life. But according to her friends, her much-improved decor, and the photos on her phone, they've been together for years.
As Lauren tries to puzzle out how she could be married to someone she can't remember meeting, Michael goes to the attic to change a lightbulb and abruptly disappears. In his place, a new man emerges, and a new, slightly altered life re-forms around her. Realizing that her attic is creating an infinite supply of husbands, Lauren confronts the question: If swapping lives is as easy as changing a lightbulb, how do you know you've taken the right path? When do you stop trying to do better and start actually living?
BookBrowsers ask Holly Gramazio
Is there anything you'd like to bring up about The Husbands that we didn't touch on, or anything else you'd like to tell us about the book? Are there questions you wish people would ask (or ask more often) about your work?
-kim.kovacs
About the The Husbands by Holly Gramazio Discussion category
A post was merged into an existing topic: /t/overall-what-did-you-think-of-the-husbands-no-spoilers-please/1412/37 Overall, what did you think of The Husbands? (no spoilers, please!)
-nick
Overall, what did you think of The Husbands? (no spoilers, please!)
I thought the premise of this book was ridiculous and couldn't imagine our library conducting a book club discussion about it. But they did! It was a DNF for me. A bunch of fluff. I expect more from a book if I'm going to invest time in it. I must admit I'm getting crabby and picky about reading ...
-Carole_S
Do you ever contemplate how your life would have turned out differently had you married a different person, taken a different job, or moved to the city you were thinking about?
First: I do this often because my 81 year old husband isn't like I thought he would be 51 years ago! However, I then remember that I wouldn't have had the fulfilling life I've had over these 50 plus years; wouldn't have had the wonderful daughter I have or the two great granddaughters! And I agre...
-Joyce_Montague
What did you see as some of the advantages of Lauren’s situation? What about drawbacks?
I agree with the listed advantages and disadvantage others listed. I would add in two disadvantages. She had one husband who was aggressive or potentially violent. Yikes, I was nervous she would not be able to return him the attic before she got hurt. Another disadvantage was not knowing how the ...
-Dee_Driscole
What audience would you recommend The Husbands to? Is there another book or author you’d recommend that you feel has a similar theme or style?
I thought it was such an original premise that I recommended it to several people. Those that found it most relatable where women in their mid 20's- 30's, they felt all the pressure of dating and needing to settle down in a relationship. Going to be honest here, I would not want to be that age ag...
-Dee_Driscole
With each new husband, Lauren discovers that the weddings she had with these men vary wildly from man to man. Did that surprise you? Does it ring true for you that the celebrations would change so drastically with each partner?
I would sure hope that her future husband had some input! After all, it was his wedding too! I'm not clear if the past weddings would have been on the same date? Sometimes, the timing can affect what kind of wedding is planned.
-Kathleen_W
When Amos leaves their apartment, Lauren enjoys having the freedom to do whatever she wants without having to consider anyone else's schedule or feelings. Is this sense of freedom ever possible within a couple or can it be found only when one is single?
Ive been married for 32 years and I love having a rare weekend or even a few hours alone sometimes! Just not having to think of anyone but yourself for a short time is so refreshing and it doesn't mean you don't enjoy being with your partner, just that some time alone is good for the soul.
-Becky_S
In your opinion, was Lauren’s or Bohai’s predicament easier to tolerate? Would you rather be the person who keeps the house, or the person who travels to different locations?
I haven't gotten this far, but it sounds like an interesting development, so I will keep reading
-Kathleen_W
Lauren says she "has always hated being wrong, the idea of doing something that turns out to be an irredeemable mistake," and this is what prevents her from settling down with one of the husbands. What did you think of her attitude here?
I agree with the readers who said that Lauren didn't spend enough time developing any relationships. How could she know if she was making a mistake so quickly or with such limited information.
-Kathleen_W
Lauren sends a lot of husbands back into the attic for pretty trivial reasons. Which did you find the most arbitrary? Do you have any irrational red flags like that?
Totally! The loud chewer would have definitely been a send back for me !
-Becky_S
How did you feel when Lauren met Bohai? Was there a sense of relief that she had someone who understood her predicament?
It felt like such a relief and I really hoped that he would hang around longer. I think they should've taken advantage of the fact that they were both in on it, told their family and friends they were getting divorced but staying friends, and then just went on to date normal everyday people and g...
-Marijana_Bankovic
Lauren is disappointed there's no spark or romantic interest the second time she meets Carter. What was hoping to find with him? Was it really that good with him the first time, or was the time made rosier by the disappointing husbands who followed him?
After meeting Bohai, I suspected that Carter was also aware of the attic and that his departure may not have been quite so accidental. I was disappointed for Lauren that their meeting in Denver went so horribly bad, I was hoping at least for a real chance encounter so she can determine if they're...
-Marijana_Bankovic
Do you have a favorite among Lauren's husbands? And is it the same answer if you're choosing a partner for Lauren as it would be if you were choosing for yourself?
I think Michael and Jason were the best ones. They both seem to genuienly care about her and about their relationship. Like I said, I'm not done with the book yet, so I'm curious to see how this ends!
-Marijana_Bankovic
Lauren finds that she's quite a different person in some of the versions of her life. What changes surprised you the most? Do you think Lauren more easily changed by her situation than you would be?
I think the swingers lifestyle was the most troubling one and I'm honestly glad she didn't stick with it. I think I would've been more open to giving each husband a fair chance rather than just cycling through them, sometimes before they even climbed all the way out of the attic!
-Marijana_Bankovic
Lauren really dislikes Amos, yet he keeps popping up in the husband queue. Why do you suppose this is? What did you think of their final scene together?
I haven't finished the book yet so I'll refrain from answering this question fully, but I suspect that they are somehow meant for each other - if not as partners, perhaps as friends, or in order to bring others into their lives, like how Amos's leaving brought Lauren and his "ex" together as frie...
-Marijana_Bankovic
Lauren can reset her life more or less at will. What did you think of the way she uses this ability? If you had a day with no consequences, knowing that you could reset your life at the end of it, what would you do?
I think I would do the same thing, but I would make more use of my unlimited resources and options than Lauren was doing - I would go out more, eat out more, go to events, spas, travel, tell people what I thought and how I felt…
-Marijana_Bankovic
How did you feel about the book's ending—both the fiery end to the apartment and its attic, as well as the man, Sam, Lauren ends up with?
I was also so disappointed because I thought all along that it would be a dream or a fantasy while sleeping off a hangover. I was disappointed by the ending and thought it was a little too easy. There were not enough details to think one way or the other about Sam but my sense was that he was a g...
-Elizabeth_L
Lauren's husbands change but her friend Elena, neighbors Maryam and Toby, and sister Nat remain relatively stable from relationship to relationship, with a few exceptions. What do you think that says about the nature of Lauren's nonromantic friendships?
They endure because she isn't trying to make them fit into her life–she accepts them as they are, warts and all. I was disturbed by the one life in which she and Toby had a casual swap — but it explains the ability of these people to deal with her constant spousal renewal–they didn't remember any...
-Katherine_P
Why do you think Lauren quit “auditioning” spouses when she did? Do you think she made the right decision? When it comes to making choices, how do you know when you're making the right decision? What's your process for trusting the decisions you make?
She stopped because she realized as my grandmother used to say: " you pick and pick and pick and choose a lemon ! " Not that she should have gone with the first guy she met but comes a time when you realize there is no such thing as perfection and when you finally meet someone that you love and h...
-Katherine_P
With Michael, Lauren thinks "this is the life she would design if she was drunk and trying to think through the best possible version of who she could be." What about him causes her to feel this way? What "best life" would you design for yourself?
Probably the one I am living right now. After some discernment, I realized partnered life was not for me. But, as I age, I am re-thinking the wisdom of this decision.
-Nancy_B
Lauren operates off preconceived notions about what it means to be married, to be a woman who has "let herself go" ever so slightly. What other assumptions about being a wife does she have? Which of these have you absorbed throughout your life?
I think the preconceived notion of the house is the woman's domain and everything outside is the mans, rings true in most instances. The woman cooks, cleans and makes most of the plans (ie birthdays, parties, friends to dinner, etc) and the man maintains the vehicles, mows the grass, cleans the g...
-Sandi
"Charming...there's plenty of intelligence and candor in the author's creative spin on the conundrum of commitment." —Publishers Weekly
"The plot allows the author to explore current attitudes and approaches to dating and mating from a fresh perspective... A fun take on a big question." —Kirkus Reviews
"Delightfully addictive ... a bottomless champagne flute of a novel." —The Washington Post
"The Husbands is a wily and wonderful exploration of modern decision-making, kaleidoscopic and bright and very, very funny." —Claire Lombardo, New York Times bestselling author of The Most Fun We Ever Had
"Richly characterized, philosophical, and funny. I enjoyed all the husbands, even (especially?) the terrible ones. A time-bending gem about the way we live now." —Gabrielle Zevin, New York Times bestselling author of Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow
This information about The Husbands was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Holly Gramazio is a writer, game designer and curator from Adelaide, currently based in London. She founded the experimental games festival Now Play This, and wrote the script for the award-winning indie videogame Dicey Dungeons. She's particularly interested in rules, play, cities, gardens, games that get people acting creatively, and art that gets people interacting with their surroundings in new ways. The Husbands is her first novel.
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