A Tiger in Suburbia

by Anna Woiwood

Drawn to the promise of upward mobility, Vera’s husband moves the family to the suburbs. To a sprawling prefab, split-level home outside the noisy, crowded city. A place where the kids can run free through the woods and play safely on the street.

Vera must acclimate to the silent, sleepy town. To the women next door. To the quiet of night. To the old well her children find out in the forest that conjures terrible dreams which only seem to amplify her anguish.

Until one Sunday morning, she notices an older woman sitting three pews ahead of her in church. Her slender neck, the long line of her body, the gentle curve of her lips when she smiles at Vera after the service.

She wants to know this woman.

Could she be the key to rescuing Vera from the monotony of her life?

Genres: Lesbian, LGBT, Romance, Historical, Bisexual, Queer, Fiction

378 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 6, 2023

About the author

Anna Woiwood is a writer of mid-century Sapphic stories. Her debut novel, The Veracity of Lies, was a finalist for a 2023 Golden Crown Literary Award in historical fiction and A Tiger in Suburbia was a 2024 Golden Crown Literary Ann Bannon Popular Choice finalist. She lives in Kansas City with her small cat son, Walter. Find her on Instagram @anna.w.writes

Reviews

[Della B]

It is the 1950’s and moving into the suburbs with safer neighbourhoods and bigger homes and yards is the status symbol of upward mobility. Roger, Vera and the two children have just moved into their brand new home. Vera desperately misses the sounds of the city, the people she knows and all the things to see and do. She feels so desperately alone until one day at church she sees a woman that she must meet. Vera’s life if forever changed once she meets Joan.

A Tiger in Suburbia is a wonderfully crafted raw and powerful story. Woiwood shines in her creation of Vera, an intelligent and beautiful woman saddled into a life she never wanted and hemmed in by the societal mores of the day. We live each day with Vera as her world implodes fuelled by alcohol and her desperation to be with Joan.

This novel is a rare gift of literature shining bright against the pulp fiction of today. Indulge yourself.

My gratitude to the author for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Gail]

My first read of this author's work and the book cover/storyline made me think of sapphic pulp fiction so I was eager to dive in.
Where do I start? I was immersed in 1950's life - in Vera's skin - struggling to fit into suburban life, a big house and ladies groups. She loves her children, performs her marital duty as demanded but misses city life and what it provided, the small apartment and people she knew. It should be easy to conform with her new surroundings and life but there is a restlessness. Through Woiwood's descriptions of neighborhood gatherings, social drinking, parties, pressures and church groups we spy into Vera's new reality and her questioning of it. Until a chance glimpse of a striking woman in church impacts her life. Beautiful, tall and mature Joan invades Vera's thoughts more so after they meet. The pull is slow and strong, their conversations easy and needed more and more. The connection electric.
There is much, much, more to this layered tale with depth and unexpected twists but that is for you to discover.
I think of the Vera and Joan that still exist today somewhere in our world and shudder that so much yet so little has changed.
Please remember the specific setting and norms of the 1950's when reading.
This is an emotion charged 5 star read that I highly recommend.

I rec'd a copy from the author however my review is voluntary.

[Clara Addicted to sapphic books]

Vera is a true tiger, too wild but forced to be tamed by her husband. That's the reality of things, women in the fifties were properties, born to be mother and wives : nurturing their kids, take care of the house, fulfilling wives duty. If you can't thrive in that, you are doomed. Being queer was seen as a disease. So we follow her, drowning day after day in her daily life. Nicotine, alcohol, affairs are her escape. Then, she falls madly in love with an older woman which brings her at the same time solace and more suffocation, making her cage feels tighter everyday.
This book is not a light read but Woiwood is an engaging and amazing writer, she has this talent to draw you in from page one, describing the reality so vividly. For example, women drinking and smoking profusely during pregnancy is shocking with nowadays eyes but reality then. Chapters are short and effective, making you want to read more.
I had two feelings toward Woiwood after reading that book : a bit mad after her because she made me cry and I had trouble sleeping ; and a huge respect for her boldness and braveness for writing the truth about what really happened to queer women in the fifties. It is fascinating and important to know where people like us come from to really appreciate what we have, and fight the ignorance that still exist.
I don't want to spoil the ending that was a bit unsettling and so unexpected; it can be opened to interpretation, but I am not a fan of open interpretations because my mind always choose the worst! If you ask the writer her interpretation, it’s beautiful and soothing.
If you are brave enough to go on powerful and raw journey, get on the Woiwood train.

[Alicia Reviews]

Anna Woiwood
A Tiger in Suburbia
New Release
Arc

Vera was struggling to adapt to the suburban lifestyle. She had always preferred the hustle and bustle of the city, but her husband Roger had always dreamed of raising their children in a peaceful suburban area, with a yard to play in and friends nearby. While Roger found solace in this dream, Vera felt trapped and unhappy in their new environment.

However, everything changed when Vera met a captivating woman named Joan at the church. It was as if a spark had been ignited within her, bringing a glimmer of joy to her otherwise dull days. In the depths of her sadness, Joan became Vera's beacon of hope.

The author's storytelling skills were truly mesmerizing, leaving a lasting impact even after the final page. This hauntingly beautiful tale captured the essence of Vera's slow demise in a place she never wanted to be. Yet, the introduction of Joan introduced a sense of anticipation and mystery, leaving readers wondering what would unfold next in this extraordinary journey.

[Lady Olenna]

Great as always.

Revolutionary Road meets Shutter Island and Stepford Wives.

I think the author is a sadist. She likes tormenting readers with raw, unapologetic characters with real flaws 95% of the time. I bet the author revels in the readers’ misery brought on by her masterful storytelling of despairing women living in the 50’s.

I love:

I love how Vera’s anguished life made me feel (now I’m done with reading). The tediousness of her everyday life affected my sanity. All her indulgence in vice was her only escape and I don’t/can’t blame her one bit. Even the love for her kids couldn’t save her from her despair.

I do read into things and the writer may not even mean it but I love how everyone in the neighbourhood performs for everyone, to keep their sanity too. The weekly parties, the charade of Stepford wives, all that just to save face for what’s truly brewing behind closed doors. An example of the crack in the veneer was Kitty’s incident.

I hate:

Roger. That’s it. Just Roger… and everything he stands for. Vera’s father is Roger but older with a more pliant wife. Vera could have turned into her mother. If she was lobotomised.

[Kelli]

Wait whaaaat???!! Wow! I am reeling over this book! A Tiger in Suburbia is a powerful, shocking, riveting story of a woman who is living an imposter’s life. As a stay at home mom, the MC Vera, is unfulfilled and down right miserable searching for any kind of gratification to living a life that is expected of her in the 1950’s. She copes through alcohol, cigarettes, and affairs. Desperate and empty, she meets a woman and falls madly in love with her. I can only imagine what it would be like to love someone and not be “allowed” to be with them. I was heartbroken throughout the story. Anna depicts this harsh reality so vividly I was in tears. That ending though…! Five stars!!!

[SJ]

Anna Woiwood does not get half the recognition she deserves! She writes intense, gripping, heartbreaking, beautiful stories about queer women in the mid 1900s that are raw and real.

A Tiger in Suburbia is set in the 1950s and follows the story of Vera - an unhappy housewife and struggling mother - after her husband moves their family out of the city, and away from freedom. Vera finds herself surrounded by the monotony of suburban life - forced obligations, catty/gossipy housewives, unfaithful men, and the pressure to be everything she is not. A doting mother. An obedient wife. A happy homemaker. A quiet, reserved woman. Docile. Submissive. Perfect.

Drowning in the unrelenting sea of her new existence, Vera takes to alcohol and chain smoking for a way to escape. But it’s not enough. Especially when she catches sight of a breathtaking older woman in church. The more she learns about this woman, the more she needs to know her - and the whispers and rumors about this stranger only intrigue her more. Eventually the two women enter into a torrid affair, hidden in shadows and secrets (and church libraries 😏). You can feel the desire, sorrow, heat, fear, longing, and pain dripping from every word on the page.

It was not easy to be different in those days. To struggle with mental health. To be with someone of the same sex. To be queer. To simply be your own person. And Anna does not hesitate to dive into the depth of these struggles. Your heart will break a thousand times over, but I promise Anna will put those pieces back together.

There are some paranormal and mysterious elements to this story, too. A well in the woods. Vivid dreams. Secrets from the past. And a surprise ending you won’t see coming.

Vera is a tiger - wild, untamable, fierce. She is real and flawed and unapologetic. And I absolutely fucking love her. This story was powerful, emotional, heart wrenching, and utterly amazing.

Please check the trigger/content warnings in the comments before you dive in.

I received an advance copy of this book from the author and I share this review voluntarily.


Original Post:
My head is spinning. My shattered heart has been glued back together and is still mending. I have no other words yet. Just shock and awe and amazement. Anna has done it again! Full review coming after I have time to process.

[Queerer Than Fiction]

Suburban life is a perfect environment to raise the perfect family, in a perfect town, with perfect neighbors...or is it? The nuclear family may seem ideal, but it is merely a facade for the people in the town. More so, it is a suffocating cage for Vera. The neighborhood, the weekly parties, the duties of housewife, the children Vera loves but also resents, and the demanding husband all leave Vera wanting to escape her miserable life. There's nothing in Suburbia that makes life have meaning...except for the alluring woman Vera is drawn to at church on Sunday. Vera is desperate to meet her and know the mysterious woman.

The lie of suburban bliss melts away to the sexism, abuse, homophobia, and racism of the idealized 1950s family. Addiction and infidelity run rampant behind their polished charades while they judge others who do not look or act as they do.

Will two women be able to keep their forbidden love a secret in a homophobic town full of gossiping housewives?

Once again Anna has written a gritty and heart wrenching tale of historical queer life. Vera is a relatable character to the times or for anyone forced to live a life they do not want. She is a fierce and strong woman who is expected to obey a man she does not love, taking care of their children who trapped her in this awful relationship.

This was a captivating read and a book I had trouble putting down at any point. I loved the storytelling and character development. Also, there's a scene in the church library that was my absolute favorite for reasons. 💁🏼

[Tess McClenahan]

I haven’t ripped through a book like this in a while. The ending I had to go back and re-read to properly formulate my interpretation of what happened, but I think it’s unique to leave readers with their own working thought process as to elucidate a conclusion. I felt a lot of emotions with this sapphic story, and even at times when it was difficult to read, I still yearned to continue. Looking forward to reading a few of her other books!

[Laura]

Another brilliant book from Anna Woiwood. She crafted the Vera so well and had me fully immersed in her. She did equally well with creating the atmosphere of the 1950's for a woman who is stuck in a life she cannot stand and wants to escape from.
It's a slow burn relationship for Vera and Joan that had me devouring the book very quickly to read what would happen next.
I have so many questions about the ending and assume it is meant to be that way.
Fantastic story telling that left me grateful as hell to be in the time period I am now in, living where I am.

[Joanna Oddy]

Another absolute gem by Anna Woiwood! I could feel every single damn emotion the main character Vera went through - the good and the bad. Stories set in the 1950’s are never an easy read especially for women but I find this period fascinating and Anna Woiwood gives her readers the most honest and beautiful glimpses into that time.

The spooky setting of the woods and the well with the mysterious lady gave the book just enough darkness and intrigue for me to qualify it as a Halloween read in my house.

I’m really looking forward to seeing what else Anna writes, her books should be on everybody’s reading lists!

[Emma Lynn]

**I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review**

Anna's talent truly shines in this novel and building off of her last one the storytelling, boundary-pushing, and character development continue to improve. I loved her first novel and loved this one just as much.

Vera's story depicts the life of a 50's housewife and the restraints that puts on women in multiple aspects of her life. She is a homemaker but doesn't like where she lives. She is married but is not particularly fond of her husband. She is smart but doesn't have the opportunity to work and show that side of her. She shows the plight of women when they are forced into boxes and when they find any sort of escape that deviates from what is seen as "normal" or "socially acceptable" they are forcefully put back into that said box by any means.

Insert Joan who is the mysterious woman who starts to captivate Vera's body and soul. The slow burn between them was probably my favorite. The way their cigarette smoke mixed, the brushing of hands, and wandering eyes made it clear that they deeply desired one another yet could not act on it the way they wanted to. All of this while keeping you at the edge of your seat while reading as the threat of everything being ripped away looms over Vera and Joan.

The book does take a darker turn and explores the themes of how the "hysteric" or "morally corrupt" woman was treated in this time period, mimicking the pulp lesbian novels of the 50s which ironically enough Vera and Joan make fun of in the novel.

If you are a fan of books like My Policeman by Bethan Roberts and The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath I can promise you that you will love this book as well. Anna perfectly balances story telling and social critique of both the 50s and modern day society with its treatment of women and queer people.

[Celina]

This was just weird. And there was just too many non-consensual hetero sex, it was all nasty. And don't get me started on the unsafe sex, smoking and alcohol while pregnant. Then the whole toxic relationship between Vera and Joan.. like what the fuck was that ending?? Did Vera die while trying to escape?? And Vera forcing her daughter to smoke was just wild.

All I want to say is, WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK??

[Nicole]

Leave ur husband !!!!!! Not knowing the truth about the ending is destroying me. That’s all

Still thinking abt this book 6 days later so im adding a star thank u

[Sandy]

This is a disturbing story of women in the 1950’s when life in suburbia seemed lovely and pleasant but hidden underneath were unhappy women and brittle marriages. Unhappy women lead to excessive drinking and smoking and promiscuous behavior to try and deaden the world around them. Vera in in a loveless marriage and meets Joan, a ray of life in her lifeless world. But their relationship is fraught with secrecy, and turmoil. There are twists and turns in this story that come out in the last part of the book which I didn’t see coming but it lifted the depressing arc of the story as it played out. Written well but I found the chapters a bit too short which made the story a bit choppy.

[Jen]

I really liked this one… and I’m going to be thinking about that ending for some time.

Definitely will be reading the author’s other books.

[Hailey Zundel]

Very good but SO freaking depressing like damn

[Zoe]

i went through 30 different emotions while reading the final chapter and ended on relief and ‘wtf’.

such an amazing, entertaining novel.

[Taylah Clarke]

I agree with the other 3 star reviews. The final chapter is really lacklustre and quickly turned my 4.5 into a 3. I loved the flawed Vera and I felt so much sympathy for her and the children. Obviously the 50s was such a bleak backdrop for women and mothers so it feels appropriate for a story about compulsive heterosexuality. I loved the asylum twist, especially as I was so excited for Joan and Vera in that moment. And even though I don’t love the “it was all a dream”, I am glad that Joan and Vera ended up together and happy.

[pronounced sapphist]

Was really looking forward to reading this, as I’ve come to love Woiwood’s style. Vera and Joan were written beautifully; they have so much depth and so much passion for one another. The premise was definitely interesting and very well written, but the ending fell short for me.

[The Wild Weary Cow Reads Sapphic]

Full on book hangover from this book!. I seriously enjoyed it ... Rollercoaster of emotions and cried so much....but got to the end and I'm wondering 🤔..... If you know you know

[Savanna Richardson]

I loved it until the ending. What kind of ending is that??! I would’ve rated it 5 stars if it had a different outcome.

[TCM]

I was excited for this latest installment from Anna. I was so impressed and really loved The Veracity of Lies, so I jumped right into this story as soon as the book released…and again, was not disappointed.

While based in the same time period. I absolutely the different element of storytelling Anna created with this book. This magic realism encompassed in this book is one of those lost art elements you don’t find in literature these days. And personally for me that is such an intriguing aspect of story telling. It leaves you, as the reader, with so many questions and thought provoking scenarios. It tempts and draws you to read it again and again to catch all the little nuances.

Vera, the caged tiger, is such a fantastic conundrum of a character. Being a mother, being a wife, in a conservative religious environment with desires of her own and trying to navigate those among holding to the societal standards set and expected is something I still think many women can relate to. Like watching a caged tiger pace, the development of Vera throughout is so similar to watching the wild cat pace in an environment not built for it’s nature. It goes to show how resolute women can be. How much they can shoulder while still trying to maintain a homeostasis not only for themselves, but for others around them.

I love the ethnicity diversity that Joan brings to the table. It’s subtle but it is there. Yet again, Anna does not shy away from the ugliness of our societal history and sets a tone for how can appreciate the advancements we have made since that time period. Again, I am not saying we have come completely away from societal issues…but again that is not the point of the review of this book.

Again, there is no mincing of words or mindless vocabulary that does not need to enhance the story as the creative symbolism does that enough as is. I appreciate again the eloquence and accuracy of the vocabulary and vernacular. The grammar and punctuation was not overly obnoxious as I have seen in other books I have recently read.

I hope Anna continues to write and expand the creativity spectrum for storytelling and using it to showcase the beautiful messy imperfect accomplishments of women and the acumen for love on so many levels.

[Ang]

Maybe more like 3.75 🌟

This is The Bell Jar, for lesbians

This is actually a pretty grim read. Stories like this always get me. I think a lot about what my life would be like if I lived in that time period. The author does a really good job detailing Vera’s spiral throughout the book and her misery. It really feels like the walls are closing in on you.

At times in the beginning of the book, I thought, this is a little cliche isn’t it? But then I had to remind myself that this is really the way it was back then and the story is realistic. How suffocating!!!

I liked the writing and the story and the title BUT I’m a little torn about this book. When I first read the ending, I was furious. All that for an “it was just a dream” ending. However, more I sat on it, the more I like it, and also, the more torn I am. My instinct is telling me that it was all real and Vera really died in that well and the ending is her version of heaven or afterlife. The only thing holding me back from believing that is that Joan has a phone in it and Vera in the fifties would have no idea what a smartphone was. And she also talked about the pandemic. But maybe this version of afterlife is “all knowing” and just brings her to the future because she was so miserable in the fifties? Also, she found the postcard in the kitchen and Joan was acting odd. And Vera said she had an odd feeling about the well, is that because she really died in a well?

I like the book a lot better viewing the ending as an ‘afterlife’ option. The other version makes the book just stupid and cheap and just erases everything the story built, in my opinion. But I guess either option is a happy ending, isn’t it?

[SSA]

Holy shit but this was getting bleak. I honestly was stressed the whole time I was reading this book. I didn’t know how this could be resolved in a way that actually made anyone happy with their choices. The tension kept rising and I couldn’t put the book down until I finished it.

“Vera would not have to cook, would not have to clean up after another meal.” The monotony of Vera’s life sounds like absolute hell. Shit, her life is making me depressed.

“She went to the kitchen to light a cigarette and pour herself a glass of wine.” I was really worried Vera was going to get ill because of her constant smoking and drinking. I honestly thought she was going to be dead by the end of the story.

“She looked at her watch and realized time had slipped away.” She was losing time and coughing and I thought she had a physical illness and I was bracing myself.

The entitlement Roger feels to her body fucking disgusts and enrages me. I wanted him to die.

“Apparently, Joan’s father fell in love with one of the Native women and he took her as a bride.” I thought they were being homophobic or misogynistic but they were actually racist. That entire town was the worst.

“This is what my mother should’ve done when she first caught me.” Vera stacked the pack and opened it. “You’re going to smoke every single last one of these.” Aversion therapy to stop your kid from smoking is crazy.

“Surrounded by your friends in a city that could look the other way?” It would be batshit crazy to runaway and decide to stay in the same state as the people you ran from still live in.

[Jessica Rush]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️
🚬✝️🕳️🥃👩🏻‍🤝‍👩🏽

Anna Woiwood has a way to hook you into a story from the first page. I loved her debut novel, The Veracity of Lies, and I absolutely adored her second, A Tiger in Suburbia.

A Tiger in Suburbia follows Vera, a 1950s housewife who lives a life she feels like she can't escape. She copes with her struggles through smoking, drinking, and the odd affair. She feels trapped, as a mother of two, and the wife of someone she doesn't love. That is until she meets a woman in the local church. Vera can't get this woman out of her head from that moment. She is wholeheartedly so in love with Joan, that she goes through a spiral because she can't openly love her, and they have to hide their love for each other.

There is also a bit of paranormal dreams on the side, which makes for an interest subplot!

Anna writes such a powerful and raw story about the struggles of being a queer woman in the 50s, and it made my heart break into millions of pieces. I was gripped from page one, loved every second of it, and then I was at the end and I was so shocked. This book is fantastic!
Please be aware that there are several triggers, including conversion therapy, and unwanted spousal sexual activities.

Thank you to Anna for a copy of the ebook. This review is left voluntarily.

[Jamie (TheRebelliousReader)]

4 stars. Minus the ending, and some repetitiveness in the writing this was really good. It pulled me in and had me hooked from page one. It’s gorgeously written, atmospheric, and intense.

I really liked the main character Vera. She’s someone I definitely empathized with because she was trapped in a loveless marriage. She sees one of the teachers at her children’s school and is instantly intrigued with her. I loved Vera and Joan’s romance. It was all encompassing and full of passion and I thought they had wonderful chemistry. I thought the plot was interesting and then things really get crazy in the last half when Vera is forced into a mental asylum by her awful husband but then the ending just gave up and it was such a let down. Such an intense buildup for a lackluster ending. Overall, this was a great read and I will definitely be going back and reading this author’s debut.

[Meredith]

Where do i begin? This was such an eye-opening and gut-wrenching read about the life of women in the fifties. We follow Vera into her very depressing and caged life. To the meeting with Joan and the clandestine meetings they have. It was all too emotional. Being trapped but not being able to do anything was very frustrating to read about, and it all felt helpless which the women must have felt back then. I can't fathom the amount of suffering women and queer women had experienced in the past, and this had made me grieve for what they couldn't have or lost.
There were many disgusting scenes and it all just made me cry. The asylum scenes were also painful to read. This book showed me the realities of a queer woman in a small town and it made me want to kill all the men there.
The ending was open-ended, which i don't quite know how to feel about.
4.5 stars

[Aaron]

Wow, that was a hard one to read (toward the end). But excellent. I’m not completely sure how to reconcile those two thoughts? I wish so much better for Vera, and with that ending… she kinda got it? Maybe? But not the way I would have liked? I can’t say that this sounds like a rational review, lol. Let me try again.

I’m super glad I read this. I’m not sure I want to read it again. It was gripping, at times awful for Vera, at times joyous, but with the scale perhaps leaning a bit more toward awful. Yet, it was so well done? I don’t know. It is what it is. 🤷‍♂️

[Madeline Vaughn]

Ok this book was fantastic! Anna’s writing is very dreamy and easily consumable.

The way she developed these characters and the emotions you go through with these characters, is just beautiful.

The main character Vera is relatable on some levels especially the adjustment of living in the suburbs.

I look forward to more of Anna’s work!