Woman No. 17

by Edan Lepucki

High in the Hollywood Hills, writer Lady Daniels has decided to take a break from her husband. Left alone with her children, she’s going to need a hand taking care of her young son if she’s ever going to finish her memoir. In response to a Craigslist ad, S arrives, a magnetic young artist who will live in the secluded guest house out back, care for Lady’s toddler, Devin, and keep a watchful eye on her older, teenage son, Seth. S performs her day job beautifully, quickly drawing the entire family into her orbit, and becoming a confidante for Lady.

But in the heat of the summer, S’s connection to Lady’s older son takes a disturbing, and possibly destructive, turn. And as Lady and S move closer to one another, the glossy veneer of Lady’s privileged life begins to crack, threatening to expose old secrets that she has been keeping from her family. Meanwhile, S is protecting secrets of her own, about her real motivation for taking the job. S and Lady are both playing a careful game, and every move they make endangers the things they hold most dear.

Darkly comic, twisty and tense, this mesmerizing new novel defies expectation and proves Edan Lepucki to be one of the most talented and exciting voices of her generation.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Contemporary, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Adult Fiction, Thriller

352 pages, Paperback

First published May 9, 2017

About the author

Edan Lepucki is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels California and Woman No. 17. Her new novel, Time's Mouth, was published August 1, 2023.

Edan is also the editor of Mothers Before: Stories and Portraits of Our Mothers as We Never Saw Them. Her fiction and nonfiction have been published in Esquire, The Cut, McSweeney's, the Los Angeles Times, and the New York Times Magazine, among other publications. She was the guest editor of Best American Nonrequired Reading 2019.

She likes taking baths, reading, and filling out forms.

Reviews

[Always Pouting · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lady has decided to hire a nanny for her son, Devin, after she separates from her husband, so that she can spend more of her time writing her book. After publishing her first book about raising her nonverbal son Seth, she was writing a follow up, one that was much more of a memoir. S is a recent graduate who wants to reinvent herself. S ha always been artistic but after her college experience struggles with what that means for her and what makes art real. S takes up the nanny job with Lady and uses it as an opportunity to be someone new, reinventing herself into the idea of her mother at her age. S. goes into the job with a vague idea of an art project and gets sucked into a friendship with Lady as the two bond over their mutual feelings of uncertainty and terrible mothers.

Once again I was torn about my rating but I would say 3.5 stars. The story telling and writing was really good and I didn't want to put the book down. I also do enjoy the complexity that was brought to the table by the characters and even though both Lady and S kept having moments where I wanted to slap them at the same time I could sympathize with them. The problem for me was the plot of the book or lack of plot. I kept waiting for more to happen. I mean I just don't get off on reading about self destructive women anymore which is mostly a personal thing. I've just out grown it and now when I read about women who are smart but emotional unstable and make bad decisions I'm just like bored because they all seem to blur together for me.

Also I don't get why anyone would get mad at S's 'pretending' to be someone else, which I guess brings up the question of what does it really mean to be yourself versus pretending. People do tend to reinvent themselves and change over time so if S is behaving differently as she graduates college and transitions into a new phase of life is it really that big of a deal. The whole project of pretending to be her own mother seemed convoluted and kind of stupid. Then again what do I know about art?

The book was good and I would read more by Lepucki but the plot was kind of a disappointment and it didn't feel like anything really ended up happening in the book.

[Elyse Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Update -Am I crazy --I just entered the Goodreads Give-a-way-- I'd love to win a 'physical'
copy of this book. Has any other Netgalley reader --ever tried to win a 'physical' book --besides your already 'arc' Kindle? And....have you won? lol curious....


Where is my review????

This is nuts.... several of my reviews keep disappearing-- I read this book last year.
Left a review early.

The author read it - comments were made- so I know I'm not crazy!

I loved Edan's new book.... author of California!


THIS IS A COPY OF THE REVIEW I WROTE LAST YEAR!!!!!!
-- I'm glad I saved a copy in my notes! I highly recommend this book! It's great enjoyment!

Irresistible!!!!! ......loved it!!!!!

A *FEW* details in this review but NO SPOILERS ....I've only covered a smudge of the great fun this novel is.

Edan Lepucki knocked the ball way out of the park with another hit novel.
"Woman No. 17" is crackling with creativity and energy that's wickedly
clever.....a tragicomedy with sharp observations about love, lies, lust, family, art, class, fidelity, regret, money, alcoholism, friendship, betrayal,.... and subtle ways that relationships are formed and altered.

This story takes place in California. Primarily in Southern California... but there were some highlight moments in Northern California- in Berkeley. I was feeling some nostalgia for Berkeley...( my home town) -- laughing silly at a "concocted flimsy plan"...
an art project involving Teva's and other "Franken-sneaker-sandals on the market.
Oh... I was shaking my head laughing when character Esther Shapiro felt it was her duty to speak out about the worse sandal offenders. The fashion ethos in Berkeley is all about comfort! Oh ... How funny Esther makes 'comfortable' sound.
Being a fan of schmata clothes myself... I was crackin up!

Before the story moves to Los Angles- in the Hollywood Hills...there's another scene in Berkeley where Esther is in her 4th year at Cal, moves into a house with other artists...( to be with her boyfriend "Everett Forever James"), in a "Intentional Community Living" house.
Esther asks Everett what is "Intentional"? -- He tells her they cook, listen to music,
discuss books, politics, art, sex, and they get drunk. Esther still isn't sure what's "intentional", but drops the subject. There is a scene in the middle of the night -- that I'm still laughing at. Edan: You wrote some funny scenes!!!!

Boyfriend *Forever*....says BYE-BYE to Esther. She wasn't "artist" enough for her.
The drama gets more and more juicy once Esther Shapiro arrives in L.A - her home town.
She has always hated her name Esther ( I can relate- it's my Hebrew name) - and begins to go by 'S' ....not 'Es'.... but 'S'. I happen to personally love her nickname so much.... I'm about to call my Rabbi and see if I can change my Hebrew name to 'S'. Much more tolerable!

'S' also takes her mother's last name. She drops the Shipiro. She is now S Fowler.
She also begins a new art project. She starts with a makeover in reverse. 'S' purposely
makes her hair look bad, wears sloppy clothes, and begins drinking, all with the purpose to experience being a younger version of her mother- Katherine Mary Fowler.
The more liquor she fills her belly with - the more she becomes "HappyKathy". It's a very twisty - questionable project which we watch unfold that keeps us on the edge and entertained.
'S' becomes the live-in nanny for Lady. A friendship develops. 'S' encourages Lady to write - work on her book with the same best interest for her as she has in keeping her child Devin happy and safe.

"Lady" is in her 40's. She lives in the Hollywood Hills with her toddler son Devin, and her 18 year old son Seth. Both sons are fathered by two different men.
Seth is "non-verbal". He doesn't speak at all --but doesn't seem autistic, and yet he's not a genius either. His silence - charm- behavior- choices he makes mixed with his silence throughout this story is always interesting and a little mysterious.

Lady is separated from Karl. Karl wants her back. He loves Lady. He's older, is generous, always been a great father, empathic, patient, financially secure and responsible, nice looking, and kind.
We wonder 'what's the problem'?
Marco is the father of Seth. Marco is no longer in the picture - but there is much more complexities to find out why and what happened.

Kit Daniels is the twin sister of Karl - a gifted photographer. Kit's relationship with everyone in this novel is a tad complicated.
Both mother's -Lady's and S's, are a sore spot in their daughters lives.
There is no smooth coasting in this book - so don't expect it.

There is not a female character that has not been hurt - and or caused hurt.
Lots of drinking going on... vodka beer wine etc.

I thought this book was terrific. A few times I thought of 'Sliding Doors'. Another time
'Sex, Lies, and Video Tapes'. -- yet this book is not that!!
I enjoyed the FRESHNESS - I never knew what was coming -It was all about THE CHARACTERS!!! >>> and some very wonderful unique descriptions.
And....if you are wondering WHY it's called "Woman No. 17".... READ IT!!!

Thank You Crown Publishing, NetGalley, and Edan Lepucki ( FABULOUS....sooo good!!...and Edan, I promise not to stalk you more than 3 times this year --ha...little personal joke)

Publish date is not until next May 2017 .....( forgive me for this very early review-- I was too excited to read Edan's book to wait) ... so THANK YOU for this early opportunity.

[Deanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

My reviews can also be seen at: https://deesradreadsandreviews.wordpr...

3.5 stars

When I first came across this book it was the cover that caught my eye. I really liked it. And after reading the description, I was very intrigued.

Lady Daniels lives in the Hollywood Hill. Recently separated, she's looking for a nanny to take care of her three-year old son, Devin. Lady is writing her memoir. Having a nanny will give her uninterrupted time to write. A woman who calls herself "S" comes for an interview. Lady likes "S" and hires her on the spot without even checking her references. What could go wrong? Along with taking care of Devin, S will also keep an eye on Lady's eighteen-year old son, Seth. Seth is nonverbal. He is not deaf or autistic, he just never spoken.

We learn a lot about Lady's early years with Seth and Seth's father, as well as her tumultuous relationship with her own mother. She alludes to mistakes she made when Seth was young. It seems like she tries to make up for it now by being over-involved. Seth has always wanted to know about his father. Lady thinks she's protecting him by not telling him about the past.

But secrets always seem to have a way of coming out....

Esther Shapiro now wants to be known as "S" Fowler. Her reasons for becoming a nanny are bizarre to say the least. After some recent personal issues, she decides a change is in order. So along with a new name and a new job, she's trying on a new personality, well actually an old one.....

New bonds are formed and old ones are tested. While Lady opens up with some of her secrets, others she holds close to her chest.

She's not the only one with secrets.

The book alternates between Lady and Esther's (S's) point of view. Events in the present, mixed with flashbacks. It took me a little while to get into the story. It started to get interesting, but it also started to get a bit...strange. Some of the plot was confusing and I found it hard to relate to a few characters. I liked Seth and of course little Devin. The fact that Seth didn't communicate verbally made how he did communicate that much more interesting. But when things started going in so many different directions, I found I was getting distracted. All that said, I didn't want to stop reading. I was very interested in how this would all turn out.

This was a bit of an odd read for me. Overall I think this was a story that many will love, but it just wasn't what I was expecting.

Thank you NetGalley, Edan Lepucki, and Crown Publishing - Hogarth for providing an advanced readers copy of this book for me to read in exchange for my honest review.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Just what I suspected—I decided to round down instead of up, so it’s now 3 stars. What changed my mind? Well, every time I think of this book I think of the things that annoyed me rather than the stuff that made me happy. I’ll start with the joy. This way I’ll feel guilty that I downgraded it to 3 stars (I guess I’m a masochist).

Joy Jar

-Yes to art! Usually I like artist characters, but it’s tricky. Sometimes writers go overboard describing art projects, which I complained about with The Animators and The Woman Upstairs, both excellent books. Here, the writer kept art in our vision but didn’t overdo it. One of the two main characters is an artist and her creative multi-media projects piqued my interest. There’s also an amateur filmmaker, a writer, and a successful photographer.

-A cool mute teenage boy. Who isn’t intrigued by a mute teenager without a diagnosis? His mom is quick to point out that he is neither autistic nor a genius, which is her pat explanation to all the curious (nosy) people who ask.

-Good metaphors, good language, good insights. This really is a smart book. Here are some juicy samples (though note that the content could change because I’m reviewing an advance copy):

“The marine layer in L.A. is pantyhose compared to the heavy white shawl that hangs over the Berkeley Hills.”

“The acrid smell asserts itself once more. It seems like it’s coming from the back of the house, but perhaps it’s the stench of my mother’s soul. She is a spiritual landfill in heels.”

“I’d always hated the name Esther and shortening it to a single letter felt like sloughing off so much dead skin. A psychic facial.”

“. . . his long white ponytail greasy as an old shoelace…”

“Meanwhile, I’m lint in a troll’s armpit if I don’t spend forty-five minutes on my hair and makeup.”

-The plot moved right along. No dead zones.

-Plenty of edge. You all know how I crave edgy.

-Plenty of gossip. Yes, this is a plus for me, I hate to admit it. For some people, the gossipy nature might make them categorize the book as chick lit, which it doesn’t deserve.

-I couldn't look away. Even though the characters were mostly jerks, I could not wait to see what they'd do next.

Ha! Just as I suspected! I’m hovering between stars right now, looking upward. My Complaint Board will remind me of why I went downward instead.

Complaint Board

-Didn’t buy the dialogue. The talking was witty, often acerbic or sarcastic. This would be cool if it was also realistic, but I just didn’t buy all of the conversations, especially at the beginning of the book when the two main characters meet. I often thought, “No one would say that out loud!” The conversations seemed too blunt and personal. Maybe the writer wanted to make sure the dialogue wasn’t boring. It wasn’t boring, but I didn’t buy it.

-Animal neglect leads to bad. It wasn’t earth-shattering or prolonged horror, but it did make me feel bad for a while. The book didn’t need this tidbit. Also, the character’s reaction to the resulting badness was bizarre and unrealistic. The character seemed nonplussed that the animal had drowned, which seemed bigtime unrealistic to me. She also left the bunny there dead in the pool and went about her business. I don’t think so!!

-I thought I didn’t care about characters being unlikable. Hear me, I really don’t mind unlikable characters, but here, they made me want to leave the room so I didn’t have to watch any more of their selfish, mean behavior. Seriously, I don't have to like the heroes to like a book, but it sort of felt like I was supposed to think they were cool and acceptable, but I didn’t. I compare this to The Dinner, which had a totally unlikable narrator who made me want to stay put in the room, and who entertained me endlessly. (Obviously, I have a better time with unlikable psychos than with unlikable neurotics.)

-The reason the nanny chose to be a nanny was ludicrous. Nope, too far out for me.

-I’m not a prude, but . . . . Well, maybe I am a prude. I found myself being pissed at a relationship that just didn’t seem right. Plus, there was an absence of morality throughout, and that bugged me. There was an unsettling lack of guilt about hurting others. There was much self-destructive behavior and an overabundance of drunkenness—that got old for sure.

-The secrets were blasé. Actually the secrets weren’t blasé but their presentation was.

-The ending fizzled out. Seth’s film was so boring. I know it was supposed to be understated, but it was too understated for me.

-No noir. The blurb said this book was noir, which attracted me to it. My mistake—I thought noir meant that it was a mystery. Wrong. And if not a mystery, maybe just dark nights and dark moods? Most of this story takes place by the pool—which is all sun and brightness. Sigh. I should not read blurbs. (I had to look up “noir fiction” and the definition was complicated.)

So that’s it for the Joy Jar and the Complaint Board, which are both full to the brim. See? It’s hard to rate! Even though I’ve landed on 3 stars, give this book a try—it has a lot of merit.

The book is narrated by two women (a mom and a nanny), in alternating chapters. This format worked for me; it was well done. What we have here are a helicopter mom, a mute teen, and a young drunken nanny with an identity crisis. Stir in deception, carelessness, self-destructive behavior, art, tweets, mommy issues, and a lack of boundaries and you have quite a stew. Don’t be looking for maternal instincts or good people, but do look at all the trouble online communication can cause.

I enjoyed this book a lot, despite my bulging Complaint Board. It’s a fast, smart read that was hard to put down.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy.

[Esil · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate writing negative reviews, but here goes... I am generally happy to read novels featuring unlikeable characters. Eileen is a case in point. But, yikes, Woman No. 17 really didn't work for me. Told from the alternating perspectives of Lady and Esther, this felt like an endless portrait of petty, self-centred, dislikable women. Lady is in her early 40s, and is relentlessly capricious and self centred in her dealings with everyone, including her two sons and their fathers. Ester is in her 20s, comes to live with Lady as a nanny, and is also selfish and keeps escalating her bad behaviour. To top it off, they both have despicable mothers, and Lady's sister in law is not much better. Meanwhile Lady's sons are quite lovely, and her ex husbands aren't too bad. The dynamics between this cast of characters are pretty twisted -- to the point where I felt manipulated. As I say, I'm actually fond of many books featuring unlikeable characters, but something about this one rubbed me the wrong way. Two stars rather than one because the writing is pretty good. Others have liked this one far more than me. Read their reviews before you make up your mind. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars.

WOMAN NO. 17 is a story filled with unusual and complex relationships and two characters in particular that are recklessly irresponsible thus unlikeable (for me) but.....I still could not stop reading.

Edan Lepucki brings something different to this novel, communication through expression and expression through various forms of art, and while Lady and "S" are the main protagonists, it is Seth's character and story that kept me reading to find out more.

Combined with a super high weird factor, you will find....sex....secrets....lies....and an abundance of alcohol consumption that unfortunately leads to an unnecessary mishap of animal abuse.

Overall, thought the writing was good and the storyline unique. Look forward to reading California.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Woman No. 17 by Edan Lepucki is a 2017 Hogarth publication.

Offbeat mixture of art and the complexities of motherhood.

Set in the Hollywood Hills, Lady Daniels is working on a book about her son, Seth, a selective mute, who is now in his late teens.

Lady also has a toddler with her second husband, from whom she is now separated. She needs a nanny so she can concentrate on her writing, so with hardly a second thought, she hires Esther, whom she refers to as ‘S’.

Along the way, we learn about Seth’s father, Lady’s mother, her ex, Marco, her current husband, Karl, and his sister, Kit. We also learn that Esther is acting out a unique art form that involves immolating her mother.

But, the story’s main focus is on the women, ‘S’ and Lady, and their relationship with each other, with Seth, and with their own mothers.

First of all, this book was a little strange, and not at all what I was expecting. But, I couldn’t help but pick up on the underlying ode to motherhood, the way we view our own mothers, the kind of mother’s we become and the consequences of our choices. But, it is also about friendship, and the odd connection Lady and 'S' have with one another.

For Lady, the fact that Seth does not speak, has her over compensating in a way that freezes out her youngest son. Guilt, an unhealthy fixation on her ex, mingled with regret, and an obsessive need to micro-manage and protect, Seth makes her vulnerable to ‘S’, a young woman she becomes very close to.

By comparison, ‘S’ is trying to capture the essence of her own mother, by using her as a prop, so to speak for her artistic experiment. She, too, is drawn into a friendship with Lady, but is also very aware of Seth.

It’s really a story with many complexities, and I suppose can be interpreted in various ways. It is labeled as a psychological thriller, but you know, I'm not so sure that fits. It does certainly have it's moments of suspense and carries a dark atmosphere, but it's not like any PT, I've ever read.

Sometimes, when I read a book like this one, I worry about missing something symbolic or that the allegory is sailing right over my head. I don’t know if there is some big message the author wished for readers to grasp, or if I am totally missing the point.

For example, the artistry mixed into the story which was so unusual. Perhaps the ‘Woman No. 17’ photo was symbolic, in that it froze Lady into a set period of time, a representation of her she has come to resent, regret, and wishes to move away from?? .... or not??

There is a surprising twist in the end, and I wasn’t sure how to feel about that. But, I did see character growth, and the very last bit of the book was a little cheeky, which was fitting conclusion.

This book was a challenge for me, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It gave me something to puzzle over, and gave my brain a little workout, plus I appreciated the imagination and originality of it, as well as the dark humor sprinkled in here and there, which made it a nice change of pace, even if I wasn’t entirely sure what to make of it, at times. So, overall, this one gets a 3.5 rating.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, Crown Publishing from sending me a free ARC of "Woman No. 17", in exchange for an honest review.

"Woman No. 17" by Edan Lepucki is a rollercoaster ride of the female psyche. This novel explores so many different complexities of what modern women have to face in the 21st Century like: motherhood, childhood trauma, alcoholism, depression, anxiety, self-loathing, and self-destructive relationships. I liked that I didn't know how this novel was going to end. It kept me on my toes throughout. It wasn't a perfect novel, the writing was a bit eccentric, but Lady's story about her eldest son, Seth, not being able to communicate, verbally, (selective mutism) I found incredibly fascinating. Without that subplot, I don't think I would've enjoyed it as much as I did. The chapters alternate between Lady (real name: Pearl) and S (real name: Esther) who becomes a live-in nanny (to Lady's youngest son, Devin) as Lady tries to concentrate on writing a memoir about her life raising her nonverbal son who is now an adult. I must admit, Lady and Esther are extremely odd and emotionally wounded in similar and different ways. Both women are borderline alcoholics and suffer from "mommy issues". But that's where their similarities end, S is an aspiring artist, and Lady is a bored and aloof housewife (she's recently separated from her husband, Karl as the novel opens). I don't want to give too much away about S, but she's definitely got a screw loose, especially when it comes to her motivation/inspiration as to why she applied for the nanny position. Very strange indeed. "Woman No. 17" was such a guilty pleasure to read. I couldn't put it down. It was riveting in a way I wasn't expecting. Slightly creepy and unnerving. You may find Lady and S to be obnoxious, self-involved characters (they make bad a questionable choices), but they are definitely little spitfires to say the least. I liked getting to know Lady and S, warts and all. Women aren't perfect, we are complicated little creatures. Thank god for that! This book will be released May 9, 2017. Enjoy!

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me cringing, yet I was intrigued and felt compelled to read to the end. The setting is Los Angeles and a great many themes are explored throughout this novel. The two main characters, are at such transitional points in their life, making rash irresponsible decisions. These two women grew up with “bad mothers,” however end up becoming their mothers, either inadvertently or purposely in the pursuit of art. They are brought together in this novel as Lady has separated from her husband and is looking for a nanny. “S,” as Esther is calling herself in her play-act of being her mother, responds to nanny position and is hired on the spot, without even a reference check.

It is about mothering, the different ways a woman may parent different children. It is about bonds between mother and child and boundaries. It is about identity, as a mother, as a daughter, as an individual.

It is about relationships between women and how quickly they can change. The characters in this novel and their relationships with each other are incredibly well developed. The reader experiences the shifts in the relationship as life changes or new facts come to light.

It is about bad choices in relationships with men that seem exciting, yet leave the women with emptiness. It is about the possibility of good relationships with good men, that seem boring and easy to throw away. These women, Lady and Esther, through whose alternating voices the novel is rendered, seem destined to self-sabatoge. Esther, in becoming her mother, takes the color out of her hair, dresses in frumpy clothing, drinks herself into oblivion, and makes poor rash choices on many fronts. Lady plays with fire on several fronts. Most shockingly, she revisits the father of her oldest son (whose identity she is hiding from her son) not just once but repeatedly.

It is about art and the subtle shifts that can change the entire tone of the piece. The title of the book refers to a photograph taken by Lady’s sister-in-law, Kit Daniels. It was part of a series of photographs taken of ‘regular’ women caught off guard, half-dressed, with clutter in the backgrounds. Lady’s original photo had been altered for the publication, and the slight alteration made a tremendous difference in the way she presented. Certain other details were hidden as well.

In the end, this novel is about learning to accept yourself and the life given you, your strengths and weaknesses, not trying to copy or imitate others’, but to work with what life has handed to you.

Even though, I was annoyed with the characters and their alacrity for self-sabatoge, from which they all seemed saved at the end, I do think the novel was incredibly well executed. It is not a feel good beach read. It is much deeper and more complicated. The writing is excellent. The author develops many themes and there is significant complexity to the novel. It is intriguing and unique. It would make a great book club book!

Thank you to net galley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

For discussion questions, please see: http://www.book-chatter.com/?p=1441

[Edan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly brilliant! Sui generis!

[Jessica J. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am not the right reader for this book. I don't want to be anywhere near these characters.

[♑︎♑︎♑︎ ♑︎♑︎♑︎ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disturbed by the self-obsessive nature of the narrators, and their (for me) excessive attention to small details of their lives, almost as if I were being forced inside the mind of someone with severe obsessive compulsive disorder. I was uneasy with the story telling because I never knew what terrible thing might just be on the verge of happening. This is of course exactly what makes this novel "noir" rather than something else--just this trapped and uncomfortable feeling of dread--and I have a feeling it will be popular with readers who aren't me.

[☮Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Writer Lady Daniels and artist S Fowler (pseudonym for Esther Shapiro) share the spotlight of this story set in the Hollywood Hills. Lady gives the first POV, and I was struck at how bluntly honest and forthright she was with us readers. She kept me engaged even though her life was extremely messed up, but I eventually realized that she is not as honest as she pretends to be, unfortunately for her family.

S, on the other hand, is upfront about her trickery and deceipt, at least with us readers. She, weirdly, has taken on the persona of her estranged mother, who, when S's age, was an irresponsible nanny and a drunk. S also matches hair color and makeup choices to Mom circa 1985. Weird that S would want to imitate such a phase in her mother's life, and that she actually knew so many details. S is doing this for an "art project." I didn't get it. When Lady hires S as nanny to her three-year old, Lady has no idea that S is playing a part (Who would do that, after all?) and no idea how her 18 year old son will react to the new live-in. S goes on to another art project, one that Lady is unwittingly swept into, and I started to get the why, but felt it still very strange indeed.

These women are more alike than initially apparent. Mother issues on both their parts; their mothers even had mother issues. Mother issues are a big factor. That I got! Complicated relationships and self-absorbed characters make this one that you have to occasionally stop and wonder about, sometimes asking, Who are these people? Do I care about what will happen to them? The children, yes. The adults, not so much. I read an ARC provided my LibraryThings.com.

[Jenny (Reading Envy) · Rating 2 out of 5]

The publisher summary describes this as "sinister, sexy noir about art, motherhood, and the intensity of female friendships, set in the posh hills above Los Angeles." I should have known this was not the book for me, but it is pretty ridiculous isn't it? Noir & motherhood, should these two concepts be combined? I would say no. This book didn't work for me. I kept waiting for there to be a payoff with all the ideas introduced but they fizzle out, or maybe a point to all the artistic spin, but I was pretty disappointed in the end. The two female characters are relatively unlikable, which didn't help, and I find the word "friendship" in the description as fairly misleading. One is an employer, the other the employee. I did not pick this book when it came up for Book of the Month, and that was a good instinct. It was fairly well performed on audio, but I guess at the end of the day, I just don't know what the author was thinking. It takes so much time to write a book, why try to force these elements together?

There was a joke about a jacaranda though, and that word is the new word following me around in 2017.

[Patrick Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, right up front, I'm married to the author of this book. You should assume that I am hopelessly, ridiculously biased. There. Glad we got that out of the way.

For those of you who are still reading, I don't think there's a way I can top my review of California. I gave that book 5-stars, and I felt (and still feel!) that it deserved it. It will sound weird because the author is my wife and all, but there are many things in that book I still think about today.

But Woman No. 17 is a better book. That's just, like, a fact.

It doesn't have the same easy-to-pitch premise that California does. But WN17 is about a whole mess of different things. Here's what I'd say is its core:

* Motherhood (and daughterhood). The plot revolves around Lady, a mother of two boys--one a toddler, one a teenager--living in the Hollywood hills and newly separated from her husband. Into this mix comes S., a recent college grad artist who becomes nanny to Lady's toddler. Complications ensue.
* The self we cultivate and show to the world, particularly as it relates to a) art and b) social media
* Female friendship
* Los Angeles. But for real Los Angeles, not "La La Land" (the movie or the concept) or some bullshit like that. This is a big deal for those of us who love Los Angeles. So many books get it so, so wrong.

And it has so much good stuff happening in it. It's fun, but with so many interesting threads at which to pull. The reader reviews of this book (by people who don't know the author, mind you!) have often mentioned its readability, how it's hard to put down. In my experience, this is true. It is a very well-plotted book. I have read it maybe three times, and each time, I found myself pulled along, not wanting to stop reading. I bet you'll feel the same.

Basically, I'm jealous that you get to read this for the first time.

A few other miscellaneous notes:

* There is a sense that this book is a mystery. It isn't. It has a mysterious, sexy edge to it, and there's a sense of danger constantly looming, but it's not really a mystery in that traditional sense. I'd call it a literary novel with a noir tinge.
* There are some very good made-up tweets in this book. If that's how you roll.
* One of my 10 most favorite songs -- "I Want to Be Your Dog" by The Stooges -- features prominently in the book. This is maybe my one small contribution to this amazing novel.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, the good news: Edan Lepucki breathes life into fresh and original characters, including Lady Daniels, a careless and self-sabotaging mother…her ironic teenage son, Seth who suffers from selective mutism, and has never uttered a word and his little brother Devyn,…and the new self-indulgent sitter and performance artist, Esther Shapiro, who has reinvented herself as “S”, who has taken on a project of embodying her impulsive and alcoholic mother.

In ways that gradually become apparent, Lady and S are mirror images of each other. Both are coping with the aftereffects of coming of age under the guidance of bad mothers, both are self-involved and often self-destructive, both have picked horrific men in the past, and now, both are obsessed with Seth.

They have something else in common as well: a distorted view of reality and the need to manipulate their realities. The title, Woman No. 17, comes from the title of a natural-looking photograph of Lady, taken by her nemesis, Kit – a legendary photographer and Lady’s sister-in-law. As an artist, S is also fascinated by the photograph. But does the photo – the one in Kit’s photo collection – truly reflect her now, or at that point of time? Who are we, really, when we are determined to hide our true essence? Can we simply morph into someone else at will? And do our feeble attempts at verbal communication reveal or hide who we really are or is it better to be like Seth – non-verbal and authentic?

This would be a 5-star book except when the patina of reality is held up to the lenses, the premises begin to fade away. I had to stop and ask myself questions at each juncture: would Lady, really entrust her young toddler to someone who was so erratic and obviously had a problem with alcohol…all without references? If S is determined to morph into her mother through her performance art, how can she take on the role as sitter, which takes her out of that role on all too many occasions? I found myself becoming annoyed and frustrated with the characters’ choices and ultimately, not buying into their realities. The book is promising and very readable, but ultimately, not quite a bulls-eye. 3.75 stars.

[switterbug (Betsey) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lady has two children fathered by two different men. The oldest, nineteen-year-old Seth, is mute. He’s not deaf, he doesn’t have autism, and he definitely isn’t delayed. “And he isn’t a genius, either.” Devin, the toddler, is a chatterbox who doesn’t stop talking unless he’s asleep. Lady is on a trial separation from her husband, Karl, a very wealthy man. And she is trying to write a memoir about bringing up Seth: “…the central theme…is acceptance, but if that were the case, I shouldn’t be the one writing it.” Alas, she suffers from a colossal writer’s block, due to paralyzing contradictions between what she is expected to convey about raising Seth, and the reality of her suppressed disappointments.

To help herself get on track, Lady hires S—short for Esther—“I’m the artist formerly known as Esther Shapiro”--as a live-in nanny. Both S and Lady are ruthless women when it comes to defending their lives, so to speak. S is functioning as a performance artist, attempting to mimic and live inside the skin of her mother. The challenges are many. For instance, S was fierce about wearing makeup, a daily 45-min ordeal. But, playing her mother, she’s got a naked, unadorned face. And there are waged battles and inner conflicts way beyond the superficial makeup concerns.

Lady is an intractable helicopter mom with her 19-year-old mute son, a college student trying to have a life of his own. She occasionally overlooks the toddler, Devin, because of her obsessive protectiveness of Seth. And Lady also harbors cataclysmic secrets. After S moves into the main house’s cottage, the deceptions pile up on both sides of the property. Twitter is the transparently insulating battleground for grievances, confessions, and manipulations between mother and son. S connects organically with Devin and Seth, and Lady gets suspicious to the point of paranoia. Pressure is about to reach critical mass.

Does this sound like a soap opera? In anyone else’s hands, perhaps. But Edan Lepucki is the mastermind behind this often jarring, piercing, sometimes raunchy, and consistently compelling story of a family deep in crises and restricted by dysfunction. Within the dark, sardonic humor and awkward scenes, Karl’s character adds a touch of optimism and light levity. He is still in Lady’s life peripherally—they often meet at “Paul Feldman’s” for their weekly dinners. Paul Feldman is their in-joke for P.F. Chang, every since they found out the chain was owned by a Jewish gent, not unlike Karl himself, I suspect! There are numerous private communications between characters, but when Lady discovers that her and Seth’s confidential, special signs have been shared with others, she is outraged.

Art and perception play a leading part in the themes, and the author parodies art, too. For example, Karl’s sister, once a prominent photographer, is more of a has-been now, yet utterly self-confident and condescending. She and Lady create some of the most barely restrained caustic friction in the novel. Their backstory has an enigmatic connection to the main one at hand. But wait till you grok “Woman no. 17’s” origins. As the narrative builds, the emotional tension heightens and the commanding, three-dimensional characters materialize from the pages and sink into your bones.

Lepucki’s muscular prose and poignant black comedy suggest hints of Philip Roth, John Irving, Zoe Heller, and Lionel Shriver, but rather than stand
on their shoulders, she stands on her own. If she continues to write at this level, I’ll be waiting impatiently for every next book. WOMAN No. 17 is nothing like the serious, speculative fiction of California. I was captivated with her arch, arresting new novel of a Hollywood Hills family in the here and now. These aren’t archetypes in a boilerplate dramedy. Lepucki wrote outside the lines and burned the box down.

It’s about mothers and sons, mothers and daughters, and the heart of family bonds. Moreover, the friendship between S and Lady is the best older-younger same-gender relationship I’ve seen since Walt and Jesse in Breaking Bad! It’s filmic, too, but not formula. Snap, sexy dialogue, vivid settings, provocative characters, small injustices, greater betrayals, craven vanities, crouching tigers, hidden dragons.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25-3.5 stars: “Woman No. 17” is a silly/serious novel. Author Edan Lepucki has two alternating female protagonists who provide the reader with differing points of view of the same event. The first main character is Lady Daniels, who has an adorable toddler and a “special needs” 18 year-old son. Her older son Seth is non-verbal: meaning, he won’t talk. He can make noises such as laughing, coughing, crying. All specialists in the field have seen him, and no one has found a physical reason for Seth not to speak. Lady happened to write a short story for “Real Simple” magazine about parenting a special needs child. Her article captured a book editor’s eye, and now Lady is under contract to write a book about her journey with Seth. Lady finds it difficult to write with a toddler, so she provides a Craig’s List ad to garner a nanny.

Enter Esther Shapiro, a recent Art Major graduate who wants to be relevant. She decides to do a performance art project where she mimics her mother(who she distains) in behavior and dress. Her mother was a nanny in her youth; so Esther sees the ad and takes a chance. She changes her name from Esther to “S”. Fast-forward, she gets the job as Lady’s nanny and “S” commences to portray her mother. The silly part comes in that S doesn’t like her alcoholic mother who is gritty and sarcastic. Lady nonetheless is taken with S and finds her refreshing and interesting. The two set on a working relationship/companionship that the reader finds hilarious. Both women are self-centered and conniving. Lepucki entertains the reader with the alternating narratives providing each self-obsessed character’s viewpoints.

S’s drive to perfect her mother in her performance art is silly. Lady’s reaction to all S’s eccentric behavior is strange. Lady’s self-absorbed reflections on Seth and his disabilities is zany. This is a dark comedy that is explores motherhood with a touch of the silliness of art.

[Brooke · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well. That was a bummer.

WOMAN NO. 17 certainly had an intriguing premise- I was mostly curious into seeing how the selective mutism would work out. And I'll admit, in the beginning, Lepucki hooked me in. Lady & 'S' seemed like polar opposites, mix in Lady's sons Seth & Devin, & I was excited to see how the character arcs would unravel. But a quarter of the way in, my interest was lost. The pace slowed down, boggling precious space with repetitive & mundane details that honestly made me anxious to finish.

Which, stupid me, was just a mistake. I was hoping that my determination would be rewarded, that something would occur within these 309 pages to make it worth my time. But no. Sure we get a few juicy tibits in here, including affairs, deaths, a woman who has such a tight grasp on Lady that it's choking her, case of discovering biological fathers...& you would think with all that it would have been more attention grabbing. Believe me, I wish I could say it was. Like every other GR'er I have too many books on my TBR list to waste my energy on mediocre tales. Thankfully it was just a quick read with a somewhat tidy ending so I could just be done with it. I hate when a great premise gets ruined when you try to throw in multiple issues, keep a slow pace & come to a rapid conclusion. It's clumsy & just wasn't for me.

The only reason why I didn't rate this one star is because I did enjoy Lady's demeanor in the first third of the book, as well as Seth, but I wish the SM would have been a greater aspect/different outcome for him. I was hoping these things would evolve, but alas. Like all my negative reviews, I hope if you're considering picking said book up, it's a better experience for you. Nothing worse than being sucked in, only to leave you hollow inside.

[Ron Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lepucki, an editor and writer for the online magazine the Millions, desecrates so much sacred ground here that you half expect hellhounds to jump out and tear her to shreds. She creates an uncommonly candid portrait of frustrated motherhood, even while deconstructing the art of memoir with all its contradictory potential to reveal and disguise.

That theme gets reframed in fascinating ways by the novel’s related exploration of portraiture. Years earlier. . . .

To read the rest of this review, go to The Washington Post:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/entert...

To watch the Totally Hip Video Book Review of 'Woman No. 17,' click here:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/...

[Jessica Woodbury · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is not a mystery and yet it feels like one while you read it. Two women, each keeping secrets, and the reader waits with baited breath to find out when and what will be revealed. I blew through it quickly, like Lepucki's previous novel CALIFORNIA, but I found WOMAN NO. 17 significantly more satisfying.

I held off on reading this because I am not really a fan of books about wealthy women or performance artists and this is a book about both. But the reason I chafe against that type of subject normally is usually because these novels fall into clear boxes, fit into stereotypes, and don't do much that interests me. This one interested me constantly.

Lady has a complicated history that you wouldn't guess seeing her nice house in the Hollywood Hills. Esther is just out of college at Berkeley with a failed performance art project ready to start her new one: where she takes on the persona of her mother. Part of that project is to take a job as a nanny just like her mother did. Both Lady and Esther have difficult mothers who play large roles in the narratives of their lives. Lady's complicated relationships--with her adorable toddler, with her nonverbal teenage son, with her estranged producer husband, with her photographer sister-in-law--will all get even more complicated when Esther joins the family as a nanny so that Lady can start writing a memoir.

The book follows both Lady's and Esther's perspectives in a way that keeps the pacing and suspense moving forward.

While I liked this book very much, it is worth discussing some ways in which it troubled me. Lady has very problematic feelings towards her son's disability. It's okay for a character to have those feelings, but we still live in a world where people may not necessarily recognize those views as problematic. Worse, Lady discusses autism (which her son does not have) incorrectly more than once and it's unclear if the author knows she is incorrect or not. Lady says several times that her son is not a savant, not without emotion, so not autistic. These are really damaging things to say and it's impossible for me to read this book without correcting the record since the author does not do so. Being a savant does not make you autistic. People with autistic are not unemotional. These stereotypes should not exist in this book because they do more harm than narrative good.

Lady specifically says, for example, that her son was a "snuggler," and "It's one reason why he wasn't diagnosed with anything beyond the mutism. He can show affection to the people he loves." I nearly threw the book across the room at that point. Especially because someone who has been through a formal autism diagnosis process would know this is not true. Lack of emotion has nothing to do with diagnosis. People with autism feel emotions keenly and express them in ways anyone can recognize and interpret.

This is a book that features a disabled character as someone with his own desires, his own will, his own autonomy, and that is wonderful. But he is still seen by all the other characters as being defined by his disability. We almost never see him discussed without discussing his disability. It certainly seems that this is part of the point Lepucki is trying to make, but she has still managed to have the entire book revolve around this problematic perspective without picking it apart in much detail. At one point, Lady notes that when her son is on Twitter he never discusses his disability, and at the end there are some signs that things have changed, but it doesn't feel like enough. Especially for a disabled reader who could find the book too problematic to be worth reading.

[Judy Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars Edan Lepucki returns following California with her latest WOMAN NO.17 – a cleverly written twisty contemporary of motherhood, womanhood, relationships, and identity.

Infused with art in many forms, a web of deceit, dark and witty — a sinister look into a Hollywood family and complex relationships. When things are not always as they appear.

Think a "helicopter" insecure mom with a past; an impersonator, selective mutism, alcoholism, childhood traumas, a revealing photograph, narcissistic behavior, self-sabotage, social media (Twitter) obsession, time, age, a love triangle, and a bunny.

However, this is no typical “Fatal Attraction” . . . A modern contemporary saga: deeper, absorbing, and entertaining. No boiled bunny; however, a floating Peter Rabbit bunny.

An emotional powerhouse of a novel!

Being a child, daughter, and mother is painful." A burden. Told from different perspectives.

Set in Hollywood Hills, a part of the Santa Monica Mountains; a hillside neighborhood of the central region of the city of Los Angeles, California— Lady Daniels is married to Karl, a rich guy who appears to love his family and has given her the life she never had previously. Lady has not always had it so glamorous and able to live this lifestyle.

As we revisit the past, Lady was formerly married to a no-good bum, jack-ass Marcus. None of her girlfriends or anyone liked him. She gets pregnant and ready to have an abortion years earlier and Marcus wants her to keep the baby. Before their son, Seth is even a toddler, Marcus leaves with a little help and financial incentive from Lady’s mom.

Lady hated her mom. Vicious and gorgeous. They had not spoken in twenty years. A love/hate relationship. As a single mom, Lady raised her son, Seth, barely making ends meet. She is protective of him. He never speaks. Marcus never knew about his selective mutism. Then Karl comes along and they marry and are raising son Devin (age two) and Seth. He is a good father to both boys.

As the book opens, Seth is now nineteen, and Devin is a toddler. Devin is a constant chatterbox and talks non-stop, unlike his brother. Seth does not speak and talks via his iPhone, sign language, social media, and letters.

Lady and Karl have an argument regarding an incident about her son Seth. She asks Karl to leave for a trial separation; however, they have a unique relationship and still see one another. Lady does not know what she wants. She is very confused and troubled.

Lady had written an essay in Real Simple about the strains of parenting a mute child After it went viral, she landed a book contract to expand on the subject.

In her forties, she decides to hire a nanny to help take care of Devin, so she could spend her time writing. However, she goes to coffee shops among other things and never writes. She procrastinates and overthinks everything.

She hires a twenty-two-year-old girl, called “S”. S is not her real name. She connects with Lady and Devin. Immediately, Lady hires her without even doing a background check. She moves into the cottage.

Lady is needy and in desperate need of companionship. She makes crazy poor choices. She pushes Karl away, and overprotective with Seth, and does not have the patience for Devin. However, she and S soon become friends. Even though they have a twenty-year-age difference, the two have many things in common. Mainly their dysfunctional overbearing mothers. (and, Seth). The claws come out.

As the book moves on, we hear from Lady and S. We know early on, S has something up her sleeve. Lady has a past involving a photograph called Woman No. 17, taken by her sister-in-law, and nemesis, Kit. How will these three connect? (Lots of triangles in the book).

S begins working on a secretive art project and in the meantime, she becomes closer to Seth. (before/after) in reverse. They connect in more ways than none. He is working on a film plus much more. He also is a little naughty. S loves to drink as well as Lady. Lady is always hungry.

Readers learn more about Lady’s past and S’s family. Seth is mysterious with a secretive side. Lady thinks about Marco and wants him to meet (their) son. Karl is trying to get back together. Marcus is curious about his dad. Lady and S have their own secrets.

Stop. Drop. Dead. Private signs.

Twitter: @Sethconscious and @muffinbuffin41. Crazy action going on here.

Seth is a teen boy. Lady Daniel’s baby boy. He was like a wild animal, rarely seen and barely understood. He has selective mutism. Was Seth a skilled liar? Dangerous? S and Seth are both artists.

With all the drama and the deception, there are so many funny hilarious moments. One of my favorites one-liners, among many:

“Mommy,” Devin said, finally tearing himself away from the screen. “You done with your dog hair?”

I laughed and wiped my face with my sleeve. “Hair of the dog, baby."

"And, yes, I finished it. Go back to watching your show now. Mommy’s all right.”

Triangles: Seth/Lady/S, Marco/Karl/Lady, Lady/Marco/Kit, Seth/Kit/S, (Sure I am leaving out more).

A woman saddled with secrets. Guilt. Betrayal. A mother who straddles between love and doubt. A collision course. Two complex women. Secrets and lies. Lady is not as put together as she would like others to believe. WOMAN NO. 17 would make an interesting movie. (Very LA)


The author skillfully crafts complexities of life with a twist. A compelling portrait of motherhood. WOMAN NO. 17 is like nothing you will ever read. It is unique. The author is talented and delves into the human psyche. With flawed characters, written with a deep understanding of mothers, daughters, sons.

The best description (bullseye) and an accurate summary of the book (great review):

. . . “Despite the hint of deceit and scent of illicit canoodling in the air, Lepucki doesn’t appear to be interested in writing a trashy noir cum sly bodice-ripper, though some of the sexy scenes do get a pinch, well, rough. Pretty early on, it’s clear that she’s experimenting with exploring something deeper. Mainly: what it means to be a needy, vulnerable, passionate, discarded lover, wife, daughter, and mother.” . . .

“Woman No. 17” is structured like a classic she-said, she-said. In odd-numbered chapters, we hear about events from Lady’s perspective — and the scoop ain’t pretty. " . . . San Francisco Chronicle.

Like the book based, mini- TV series, Big Little Lies, there is a façade. Twisted secrets. Friendships. Motherhood. Relationships. She was poor, lonely, and single when Lady met Karl. Did he ever really know the real Lady? Lady is coming unglued and her life is unraveling. Self-sabotage. The haunting photo.

Gripping. Provocative. Thought-provoking, and yet frustrating.

The book raises big questions about identity, ethics, art, parenthood, relationships, motherhood, social media and our modern digital age. A mix of intriguing, stimulating, unpredictable, mysterious, and utterly engaging.

I hit the literary jack box: I scored an electronic early reading copy from NetGalley, and granted an early print book from LibraryThing Early Reviewers, and purchased the audiobook, which sealed the deal!

My favorite narrator is Cassandra Campbell. I pretty much pre-order every book she narrates. Her voice is calming and soothing. She was a perfect Lady and Devin. Phoebe Strole was well-suited for the younger S! 11 hrs and 46 mins. Kept me entertained for days!

Ironically, I had just finished The Scattering (Strole) and The Book of Summer (Campbell) performing and directly afterward got to hear them both as a duo team.

Looking forward to reading more from Lepucki. Her writing is inventive, unique, sharp, fascinating, dark, mysterious and witty. I found myself dying to get back to the book. It was addictive. Strongly reminded of Ellen Meister’s The Other Life with the art connection, humor, and an honest look at the innermost thoughts of struggling women.

A special thank you to Crown, LibraryThing Early Reviewers, and NetGalley for an early reading copy.

JDCMustReadBooks

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure, I know Edan and I had the pleasure of reading an early draft of this superb book. Read on if you'd like my post publication thoughts...

Woman No 17 reads quickly, but deceptively so. I found myself turning back, reconsidering and finding more and more beneath the surface of its page-turning momentum. Through the dual narrative of Lady and S, two witty and well-developed protagonists, Lepucki very slyly pulls back the layers, the facades, of female relationships (from mother to daughter to artist to subject) revealing their myriad complications.

There are passages to savor for their insight..."There was a time when everything mattered to me, when life was grave, when I required that gravity to survive. Seth had just been born." As well as passages that had me laughing out loud..."Sometimes I pity young Steven Shapiro, walking willingly into my mom's arms, believing he could tame her. (My dad wept when Roy got mauled by that tiger. Not that Roy's misfortune was the particular issue. He'd have cried if it had been Siegfried too. A little too close to home, Stevie?)" Edan's prose is like none other and her ability to modulate from the dramatic to the comic is admirable.

Lady and S are not always easy company for one another or the reader. They are reckless and secretive, but often the fun of this book is how much more we are aware of who they truly are than their counterparts--or themselves. Yet this book is better than a plot-twisty summer read. It is more human than that, more of a journey, more questioning than revelatory. It is a tale of how hard we try and how often we fail even when all we intended was to express love.

I can't wait to read what Lepucki writes next -- oh, wait, I won't have to! Go huggers. ( ;

[Michelle E · Rating 4 out of 5]

Woman No. 17 by Edan Lepucki… Wow, where to begin?

I was struck by the amount of broken marriages, broken friendships and broken relationships. On the other hand, the novel was an easy and interesting read. Women trying to find themselves despite the roles in which they are currently. A page-turner.

Lady lives in a mansion and has just given her husband the boot for a “trial separation”. Meanwhile she is trying to write a book about her oldest son, who is 18—I won’t spoil it for you, and is trying to figure out how to do that with an active 3 year old son. Enter 24 year old S, her soon-to-be nanny. An unlikely friendship forms between the women, leading to confessions, secrets and lies.

Funny, sad, and tragic.

4 stars out of 5
Publication Date: 09 May 2017

Thanks to Crown Publishing and Netgalley for this Advanced Reading Copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Obsidian · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was torture. I don't even know what to say except I did DNF it the other day at the 26 percent mark when I realized I loathed the two leads (Lady and Esther though she is called S (S for Snake) by Lady's younger son.

I felt like I was drunk while reading. I saw words on the page and nothing made sense. I hated the POV of Lady and I hated the POV of S. They are both two sides of the same messed up coin. I finally called it quits on page 75 of 311 of my e-book copy when I realized that I was rooting for a serial killer or some horrible accident to take them out.

I think the biggest issue I had was that Lady and S are not very nice. They are both doing a terrible job of being human beings. Lady is annoyed by her young son and that her current husband is a good guy. That's all I got really. She is trying to write a book and so filled with artistic spirit she can't be a mom as well as write at the same time. And I get that. You really can't work with a little person hanging off of you. But instead of taking her estranged husband up on his wanting to watch their son she's all no. You shall not pass. It's like she is afraid that even though she doesn't want to be bothered with their son, she doesn't want him to have his father.

And Lady has an older son that is mute. I was intrigued for five seconds there and just lost any interest in him as a character. It seems that the author is without an ounce of subtlety showing that something may go down between S and him.

S is messed up. The end.

Sometimes I can get into a book showing terrible people (Holden Caulfield anyone) but after a while I find it boring to read. It's just the writer showing you how terrible they are again and again and you waiting for other characters to say screw this and be done with them.

The writing is not pulling me in at all. I am just annoyed this was touted as a thriller and so far there is none of that happening. Also the darkly comic part is not coming through at all.

[Book of the Month]

Mommy Dearest?
By Judge Kim Hubbard

Some books pull you in from the very first sentence; this one had me at the dedication. It reads: “To my mother, who always says, ‘If you’re bored, read a book.’” My mother said that too! (She also said, “I’ve never been bored in my life,” which was less helpful. So blamey! Like her head was a wonderland and mine must be empty inside!)

Sorry. Where was I?

Mother issues. We all have them. This wickedly entertaining novel showcases some especially dysfunctional examples of that first, most primal bond.

Woman No. 17 is the story of two women, each a bit deranged from mama drama, who come together and form a most unlikely (and destructive) friendship over the course of a scorching summer in the Hollywood Hills.

Lady Daniels is no longer speaking to her neglectful mother, even as Lady is busy raising a toddler and looking after her older son Seth, now 18, who mysteriously (and guilt-inducingly) doesn’t speak at all. Lady’s an impulsive woman: after kicking out her devoted second husband, she advertises for a nanny and—without so much as asking for a reference—hires the first young woman who comes to the door.

As it turns out, Lady’s new hire—“S” (short for Esther)—may not be the most dependable employee. Unbeknownst to Lady, S is working through feelings about her own tough mother by adopting her characteristics: no makeup, blunt talk, binge-drinking and all. It’s performance art at its weirdest, and the chapters of Woman No 17 narrated by S are filled with both wonder and foreboding.

Both deliciously complicated women attempt to repair the damage of their upbringings even as their lives spiral further and further out of control. Lepucki anchors Lady and S’s wild ride with keen observations and sympathy for her unmoored creations—their humanity shines through even in their most unhinged moments. Astute, nuanced, and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, Woman No. 17 is the kind of book you’ll find yourself underlining, and it will stay with you long after you put it down.

Read more at https://www.bookofthemonth.com/woman-...

[Lolly K Dandeneau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Via my blog https://bookstalkerblog.wordpress.com/
I sat on this novel before reviewing, I wanted time to really express how it made me feel.

“I’d been beautiful. The past tense was like a shove to the chest.”

Woman No. 17 by Edan Lepucki was not quite what I expected. I was thinking it would be a simple Women’s Fiction read, something to pass the time on a beach. Instead I got fully developed, messy characters that I could relate to. I underlined like mad, I cringed, I ached… they are awkward and naive but strong and wise too, does that make sense? Do any of us make sense? Lady is a writer, a blocked one at that, separated from her fantastic husband Karl and she knows that makes her seem crazy. Who ‘takes a break’ from such a wonderful catch? Her past is always alive inside of her with her teenage son Seth, a mute that she shares secret ‘signing’ with. It’s their thing, at times it seems she feels Seth is her son and toddler Devin is more Karl’s. Devin is untouched by difficulties, he is wonderful and everything perfect. As the reader travels back to Lady’s time with Seth’s irresistible, feckless father Marco it is much like a trip through the painful romantic hope of youth. There is the blindness, the us against them (mainly Lady’s mother who knows, as age gives us that cruel insight, that Marco is not fit to be a father or a husband). Marco is that guy a young woman is hungry for, one that can set her world afire when it’s just the two of them and there are no demands on him, he is perfect when he is the center of a woman’s life but isn’t the sort of man that can contribute nor father his offspring. Crushing reality washes over the lovers and Lady finds herself abandoned, she becomes a single mother because someone has to be the adult and there is no going back to her mother, making room for fate to step in one day through Karl.

Karl is successful and wealthy with a twin sister Kit, a famous photographer who takes a series of photographs about ‘common’ women that creates a division between Kit and Lady. The relationship is complicated, as so many between women are but with a photograph of Lady, so much is said about her life before Karl and why there is resentment she feels towards Kit. Devin is the perfect child, where Seth is ‘flawed’ and I loved Seth’s character. Devin’s curiosity about how his big half-brother speaks (with his hands) is sweet. It’s about time an author writes about someone who is ‘different’ and yet has the normal desires and urges, who isn’t just a pity caricature of a real boy. Seth is simmering, he has been in the dark so long about his real father that there is a distance growing between he and Lady. Any mother with a child with any sort of disability can understand the consuming, sometimes suffocating mothering that is given to said child. A mother gets used to protecting, sometimes denying the son/daughter a chance to grow, to stand on their own and take the hard knocks life gives us all. It’s done out of love, but it also limits. It is a point of contention between Karl and Lady, as Karl seems to be interfering. Lady is blind to her son’s sexuality, it’s too easy to think because a person can’t communicate in the same way as others that they don’t feel nor need the same things. It’s dismissive, it’s infuriating but it happens all the time. Karl has always been hers, he was there through the rough times, before Karl, it was just mother and son trying to survive. I even felt, more than any lover, the closest thing to a soulmate she has is her eldest. It’s a familiar pain reading about Seth when he was young and his ‘difference’ was becoming evident the older he got. It’s a mass of conflicting emotions a parent feels, I know this too well, and Edan Lepucki approached the subject beautifully. I love this line. “There was a time when everything mattered to me, when life was grave, when I required that gravity to survive.” It is such a strong statement but what follows is the gut punch for any parent.
“That visit to the pediatrician was where my memoir should have begun, for it was the first time an expert expressed concern, thus turning Seth into a specimen.” It feels that way, it guts a parent to see their child treated as a specimen, examined for what’s ‘wrong’ so to speak. There is an innate protective viciousness that is born and is never quite put to rest, it is this animal that protects the child for life. It is also why it feels the world is out to get your baby. Most of us hate anyone pointing out our differences, but it’s brutally cruel when someone does it to your child (professionally or not). Can we blame Lady for erasing Seth’s father? “Seth never cried over his dad’s subtle gesture of neglect, and neither did I.”

And yet, this isn’t a sad story to make you pity Seth, he is a vibrantly, hungry young man that doesn’t need your pity! When S enters the scene, she may seem to be the catalyst but things were already bubbling below. S is such a fun, character- artistic and by wanting to create something meaningful after a failed attempt at another project she has decided to wear her mother as a coat. She will shed her former self (Esther Shapiro, the fool that loved a ‘better’ artist, Everett) and become more “HappyKathy”. She is eccentric and darling in her crazy projects. I think about her time in college surrounded by art students (I relate too well, my children are both studying the arts in college as I write this) and the attempts to distance themselves from the cookie cutter world. She’s so lost and yet burning with an intensity after-all, who comes up with the idea to be haunted by their living mother? “My mom blurts everything out.” S is going to approach life as her mom, and this experiment is going to involve Lady and her entire family, unbeknownst to her. As she becomes a nanny for Lady, Seth and S take an interest in one another. They are all going to become entangled in each other, and when everything settles nothing will look the same.

This is a long winded review, I understand that, but the scope of this novel is so rich that I can’t even scratch the surface of what I felt and thought. I laughed, I blushed for the painful awkward moments (Lady and S are both awkward in their youth), I ached with the love and mistakes, and I understood the resentment Lady felt towards Kit. No one likes to be dismissed, no one enjoys being seen in messy detail (at their slum I guess you could say) particularly by someone whose life seems to have never verged in your own territory of poverty or struggle. That S is taking on her mother’s messy persona makes me laugh a bit, because it’s the same thing Lady is distancing herself from in the intimate photograph Kit took. Even when S’s parents came for her, I was laughing because S is such a complex young woman, that for her parents this isn’t so outside the norm. I read this a while ago and it’s still simmering inside of me. Woman No. 17 is a gorgeous novel. It won’t be published until May 2017. I could still go on about every character, but this review is becoming a novel. Add this to the top of your 2017 reading list now. I apologize for the long winded review, but the story affected me for personal reasons and not many books can do that.

Publication Date: May 9, 2017

Crown Publishing

Hogarth

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very intrigued by the title, cover and the synopsis of Woman No. 17 and it turned out to be a very unique, interesting and well written book describing the complex dynamics of, and the emotions surrounding, the relationships of a woman. I've been very lucky in that a majority of the books I've read lately, particularly ARC's, have been exceptional and most have received 4 or 5 star ratings from me personally, and excellent reviews in general, well this book was no exception. I'll admit that it was a little slow getting started and I really wasn't expecting what I got, partly because I had seen this book classified in the "mystery" genre which I don't think is accurate, but once I started to get to know the characters I quickly became very interested and invested in their stories. The book gravitates around two women, Lady and S (short for Esther), and the chapters alternate between each of them. The book begins when S is employed by Lady as a live in nanny to care for her two year old son and the two woman strike up a friendship and it turns out they both share a common appreciation, and talent, for art. I really loved the way art was incorporated into this story and I was really able to see into the mind of the artist and understand what a particular piece represented and how it connected to the life of the artist on a very personal level.

There is just so much more to this book than I can reveal in a simple review and I know I wouldn't do it justice if I tried, but it's really well written, very personal and raw and honest and was clearly written from a females perspective and Lepucki did a wonderful, beautiful job capturing the emotions and insecurities that women experience. I highly recommend this book to any woman out there who is looking to read a very well written, interesting book with a lot of depth and a lot of insight into the different relationships that women have. This was easily a 5 star book and Edan Lepucki is a talent to be watched!

I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I also received a physical ARC from a Goodreads giveaway.

[Kasa Cotugno · Rating 5 out of 5]

The publicity for this book calls it a "noir," which I disagree with. Told in alternating chapters by two complex female characters, it is an examination of parenting and identity creation in the Internet age. First is Lady (must say I hated this name, and it took me a while to get used to it as a proper noun), living in her "Hollywood Hills adjacent" mansion, complete with pool, view and guest cottage. Deciding to write her memoir, she hires Esther Shapiro, who is attempting to live life as her irresponsible, destructive, alcoholic mother as an art project, under the pseudonym S Fowler. That Lady hires S without checking any references, allows her to live in the cottage, and entrusts her adorable, precocious 2-year old to her is the novel's only weakness. Also in the household is Lady's 18-year old son Seth, who has never spoken a word, but is not delayed, on the spectrum, or genius. You can readily see where that will end up.

But the themes explored and addressed in these pages are many and done so well. Both characters speak in distinct voices - even without the chapter title, you know who is talking. And the dialogue, whether it's between adults or in several occasions, a 2 year-old, even when with Seth via tweets or iPad messages, is authentic and smooth. Also, there is some gorgeous writing. ("This project was turning into a 'ceci n'est pas une pipe' situation." "Tequila was making me feel like a ballerina assassin.") In full disclosure, I was not a fan of California, her earlier book, but with this one, Edan Lepucki has hit her stride and has gained a fan.

[Adrienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A funny, seductive, irresistible page-turner that also sends a pang to the heart. I hesitate to describe any one element of the book (teenage artistic high? maternity that refuses to desexualize either mother or child? mysterious doubling of self and other?) as the single important thread of plot, because what's most compelling is the interplay between each character, thread, and theme.