Mrs. March

By: Virginia Feito

Narrated by: Elisabeth Rodgers

Length: 8 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's Summary

“I read Virginia’s novel in one sitting and was so captured by it I knew I had to make it and play Mrs. March. As a character, she is fascinating, complex, and deeply human and I can’t wait to sink my teeth into her.” (Elisabeth Moss)  

Library Journal • "Books and Authors to Know: Titles to Watch 2021"  

A 21st-century Highsmith, Virginia Feito conjures the unforgettable Mrs. March, an Upper East Side housewife whose life is shattered by her husband’s latest novel.

In this astonishing debut, the venerable but gossipy New York literary scene is twisted into a claustrophobic fun house of paranoia, horror, and wickedly dark humor. George March’s latest novel is a smash. No one is prouder than Mrs. March, his doting wife. But one morning, the shopkeeper of her favorite patisserie suggests that his protagonist is based on Mrs. March herself: “'But... - isn't she...’ Mrs. March leaned in and in almost a whisper said, ‘a whore?'” Clutching her ostrich-leather pocketbook, she flees, that one casual remark destroying her belief that she knew everything about her husband - as well as herself. Suddenly, Mrs. March is hurled into a harrowing journey that builds to near psychosis, one that begins merely within the pages of a book but may uncover both a killer and the long-buried secrets of her past.

©2021 Virginia Feito (P)2021 Recorded Books

Makes the Reader Work Too Hard

A main element of any good mystery is the location to lay the foundation for the overarching, spine-tingling atmosphere that makes the reader feel something and draws them into the story. In this story, the location seemed to be inside the head of Mrs. March. The main character did a lot of running around in circles of neurosis, reacting to illusionary thoughts that never proved real. No threat ever panned out until the climactic moment, and soon I found myself bored and irritated by the ongoing fakes.

I had to work too hard to ride along with the story. I kept waiting for something to actually happen, and then when it did in the climax, I wasn't exactly sure why it did. Writers are taught to "show and not tell." In this book, I feel the author could have provided a little more "telling" to help stitch together what she was "showing" in the scenarios. Connect them better to help lead the reader/listener along.

The narrator did a great job. The different voices and inflections gave the impression of different characters speaking. Varied cadence and intensity helped capture the mood of the moment. But a good narrator can't save a struggling story.

Overall, I think there is a great story in there. I just don't want to work so hard to figure it out.

Internal Conflicts or External Forces…

Beautifully written…superbly narrated…would make an excellent 1940s film noir. The decade in which this story takes place is very vague which was done on purpose. It is certainly closer to the 1990s as Disney Princesses have a quick mention. That reference didn’t seem to fit, it almost felt like an anachronism, or maybe that’s how Virginia Feito wanted the reader to feel. Ms. Feito, highly influenced by “Rebecca”, (Mrs March is reading the novel) brings the reader to similar dark places as the novel “Rebecca” does. At one point, it also reminded me of the Elizabeth Taylor movie “Suddenly Last Summer.”

Save your credit

Narrator was great. Started out fine- although I was distracted trying to figure out the year it was set. Honestly it was not a suspenseful did he or didn’t he- it was more of a sad look into an upperclass self absorbed woman, who is obsessed with how others will judge her. Would not recommend

Relentless....

I went into this story with high expectation, because Audibles rarely steers me wrong with recommendations.

This was long and anti-climactic – I kept expecting something to happen, and it never really did. The “climax” was barely noteworthy, and I left the whole thing feeling unsatisfied.

DUMB!!

Don't know how this is the book of the summer. It's so ridiculously stupid.

All character

Mrs.March’s crippling and delusional self-absorption would have made a good long short story, but not a novel. Annoyed .

Beautifully told

The author describes everything beautifully. But it wasn't enough for me. The story felt like it was mocking someone with a mental illness and I did not like it.

Amateurish

Awful writing! Too many similes and childish attempt at mystery. I feel cheated having spent good money on a book that should never have been published.

Maybe it will play better as a movie.

This was excruciating to get through. It honestly took for ever and ever to get anywhere it seemed like. It was hours of just this woman unraveling. It could have easily been a short story. As an actor I’m sure Elizabeth Moss will sink her teeth into the role. I just could not stand this book

Slow to get started

15 chapters of dullness, then interesting twists. Not all that well written overall. The characterization of Mrs March was rather difficult to follow and the ending was too abrupt for my liking. Not my favorite book and I probably wouldn't recommend it to others. The reader did a great job, though, with the material that was this story.