Well, shit.

Almost done and I still have no idea what is going on!!!!!😱......what's real?!?!?

caleb was never a sympathetic character. he is meant to represent a specific faction of patriarchy; the rich, well-to-do man with no real passion, no plan for life other than what is set out for him, owed a wife and children due to his status. no, he was not very smart, but that’s by design. he doesn’t need to be smart, whereas natalie needs to constantly prove herself as better than everyone. caleb was “born better”, into a senator’s family.

the big thing here is i think people ascribe fault to natalie for taking him further down a path of indoctrination. “he wanted to be a teacher! natalie made him feel it was too womanly to take care of his children!” with who his father is, what his life is, i severely doubt he never would have encountered the ideals he did.

i don’t think sympathy should be the first thing coming to anybody’s mind when thinking of him. he abused and allowed the abuse of his children, abused his wife in front of them, forced mary to do all the housework, and again, only allowed the boys to experience any reprieve from the life natalie created for them. he was not just a bystander, he fully cosigned the abuse and participated himself, just because he could.

Whew

That..

That was good. But also, what? HUH?

I very much dislike Natalie. Which, is like, the entire point. But she’s written so well. Like, I really fucking hate her and I really appreciate that Caro didn’t try to redeem Natalie in the last five minutes. Her consistency and self-victimization was so fucking infuriating, but like, in the best way.

Yesteryear is a book I picked up because like many ‘Angry Women’, I wanted a vicarious peek into the world of Trad Wives without driving their engagement numbers up or messing up my algorithm. And yes, maybe a part of me wanted to be a little mean and see one of those regressive, holding-us-all-back types get a little bit of a comeuppance. A little schadenfreude, if you will. So, you’re reading. Does Nattie suffer? Yes. Is it the teeniest bit cathartic? Yes.