9.10.18

BOOK REVIEW: Lullaby by Leila Slimani

When Myriam decides to return to work, she and her husband look for a Nanny for their two young children. They find their dream candidate: Louise, a quiet, polite and devoted woman who sings to their children, cleans the family's chic Paris apartment, stays late without complaint and hosts enviable birthday parties. But as the couple and their Nanny become increasingly dependent on each other, jealousy, resentment and suspicions start to breed, and Myriam and Paul's idyllic domesticity is shattered. 

Publisher: Faber & Faber
Pages: 207

Lullaby popped up on so many blogs that I read and I could not ignore it. It was a bit of a mixed bag for me, I did enjoy it but I'm not sure if maybe I was expecting a little bit more.
We know from the beginning that a child is dead, the book then builds up to how this horrendous event has taken place.
Myriam and Paul are both successful in their chosen careers, they have achieved this by leaving the bulk of their children's care to their wonderful nanny Louise. Louise had slotted into their family life and they have come to rely on her more and more. But do they truly know this woman  that they trust their precious children with?
Lullaby is highly relevant, it examines modern day domesticity and the pressures people place upon themselves to achieve everything. Leila Slimani looks at race, class, love, loyalty and loss. She is very observant and the book has been translated so well by Sam Taylor. I loved her choice of words and the way she describes situations that will be familiar to so many r
eaders. The book can make for quite uncomfortable reading in parts, it plays on our worst fears and delves into the judgements we make of others every single day. It was a very interesting read but I felt like I was left wanting a little more.

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