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Little Bandaged Days
A taut and claustrophobic literary thriller about a mother who loves her children so much it might just be driving her mad …
On the brink of an exciting new life, Erika, a young wife and mother, moves to Geneva with her husband and their two children. She has a beautiful new apartment filled with gorgeous furniture and a charming world outside her door just waiting to be explored. Her husband’s job means he is almost never around, and her entire world is caring for her children.
Everything is perfect. Or is it? Erika has never felt so alone. She can’t sleep. Her thoughts are confusing—they don’t even seem to be her own. The demands of two children under two are getting to her. Once the children are finally asleep, there are just too many hours to fill until morning, and Erika can’t shake the feeling that something bad is going to happen … Edgy, haunting, and boldly original, Kyra Wilder’s debut, Little Bandaged Days, announces the arrival of a singular new talent. This story about a young woman’s descent into madness is unpredictable, compelling, and brutally honest as it grapples with the harsh conditions of motherhood and a mother’s own identity.
As the novel masterfully unfolds, we can’t help but wonder—and fear—just what exactly Erika might be driven to do.
6 hrs. 34 min.
On the brink of an exciting new life, Erika, a young wife and mother, moves to Geneva with her husband and their two children. She has a beautiful new apartment filled with gorgeous furniture and a charming world outside her door just waiting to be explored. Her husband’s job means he is almost never around, and her entire world is caring for her children.
Everything is perfect. Or is it? Erika has never felt so alone. She can’t sleep. Her thoughts are confusing—they don’t even seem to be her own. The demands of two children under two are getting to her. Once the children are finally asleep, there are just too many hours to fill until morning, and Erika can’t shake the feeling that something bad is going to happen … Edgy, haunting, and boldly original, Kyra Wilder’s debut, Little Bandaged Days, announces the arrival of a singular new talent. This story about a young woman’s descent into madness is unpredictable, compelling, and brutally honest as it grapples with the harsh conditions of motherhood and a mother’s own identity.
As the novel masterfully unfolds, we can’t help but wonder—and fear—just what exactly Erika might be driven to do.
6 hrs. 34 min.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 23, 2020
30 people are currently reading
4475 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 226 reviews
January 8, 2020
I struggled.
I hate to give this 3* because it could have been so much better for me in certain ways.
I get the complexity of this, the Mother is on a downward spiral of mental well-being since the birth of her children. That I 150% get. No doubt or room for error and it’s well written and explained.
What irritated me the most was her reference to them. Just referring to them by their initials.
I was so hung up in that it became all consuming whilst I was reading it, just waiting for those initials again and I’d be grrrrrrrr. Was this to show her remoteness? If that’s the case I understand, but it’s too darn irritating for me the reader. I can honestly say it ruined it for me.
You know that big wall painted pure white? Then there’s this itsy weenie little black mark? That mark becomes your focus point now you’ve spotted it! And you tend to ignore the huge surrounding wall painted nicely white. Because your eyes get drawn to that dam black tiny spot.
Well.....that was me each time the authors character refers to those individuals with a dam capital letter!
That’s it really.
I hate to give this 3* because it could have been so much better for me in certain ways.
I get the complexity of this, the Mother is on a downward spiral of mental well-being since the birth of her children. That I 150% get. No doubt or room for error and it’s well written and explained.
What irritated me the most was her reference to them. Just referring to them by their initials.
I was so hung up in that it became all consuming whilst I was reading it, just waiting for those initials again and I’d be grrrrrrrr. Was this to show her remoteness? If that’s the case I understand, but it’s too darn irritating for me the reader. I can honestly say it ruined it for me.
You know that big wall painted pure white? Then there’s this itsy weenie little black mark? That mark becomes your focus point now you’ve spotted it! And you tend to ignore the huge surrounding wall painted nicely white. Because your eyes get drawn to that dam black tiny spot.
Well.....that was me each time the authors character refers to those individuals with a dam capital letter!
That’s it really.
July 3, 2021
4.5 Stars!
Giveaway Win!
What The Fuck Did I Just Read?????
This book gave me a mini anxiety attack. I'm not even joking. I had to lay down in a dark room for a couple of minutes to chill out.
Little Bandaged Days is about Erika(btw I only know her name because it's on the back of the book because it's never mentioned in the book) who is the mother of 2 small children a toddler and infant. She trying to get her bearings since her husband just got a new job in Switzerland. Erika spends all day alone with her 2 kids in their new apartment in a country where she knows no one and she can't speak the language. Erika is experiencing what appears to be but its never stated as being Postpartum Psychosis.
In this book we follow her as her mental health rapidly deteriorates. And its stressful. The book is from her pov and we are solely in her head, so its difficult to tell what is actually happening. Erika is an unreliable narrator but she doesn't even realize it.
I don't think this book is for everyone. It's a difficult read. We also never learned anyone's name, her children are referred to as E &B and her husband is simply M. Only 2 people get names and I'm not even sure they existed. At first I was annoyed that we didn't get her kids names but as I continued reading it became much more clear why that is. A lot of people will probably also hate the ending, because we don't get a definitive conclusion but at least to me it's very clear what happened and its DARK.
No rec but if you've suffered from Postpartum dont read this.
If you've dealt with hallucinations in the past, don't read this.
Giveaway Win!
What The Fuck Did I Just Read?????
This book gave me a mini anxiety attack. I'm not even joking. I had to lay down in a dark room for a couple of minutes to chill out.
Little Bandaged Days is about Erika(btw I only know her name because it's on the back of the book because it's never mentioned in the book) who is the mother of 2 small children a toddler and infant. She trying to get her bearings since her husband just got a new job in Switzerland. Erika spends all day alone with her 2 kids in their new apartment in a country where she knows no one and she can't speak the language. Erika is experiencing what appears to be but its never stated as being Postpartum Psychosis.
In this book we follow her as her mental health rapidly deteriorates. And its stressful. The book is from her pov and we are solely in her head, so its difficult to tell what is actually happening. Erika is an unreliable narrator but she doesn't even realize it.
I don't think this book is for everyone. It's a difficult read. We also never learned anyone's name, her children are referred to as E &B and her husband is simply M. Only 2 people get names and I'm not even sure they existed. At first I was annoyed that we didn't get her kids names but as I continued reading it became much more clear why that is. A lot of people will probably also hate the ending, because we don't get a definitive conclusion but at least to me it's very clear what happened and its DARK.
No rec but if you've suffered from Postpartum dont read this.
If you've dealt with hallucinations in the past, don't read this.
March 14, 2021
“Sometimes it seemed like being a good mother, the best, meant mostly covering yourself over in a layer of smiling and smiling. There was nothing to think about except making everything exactly right in the minute you were in.”
After moving to Geneva with her husband and two children, Erika must navigate motherhood and a foreign country. Soon finding herself almost always alone with the kids while her husband is working, she slowly slips into madness.
I am absolutely reeling after furiously reading this book by newcomer, Kyra Wilder. This is a poetic masterpiece that should be read and analyzed alongside Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper.” The story examines a mother’s role in society and is told in a sort of stream of consciousness manner by Erika. Surprisingly, I only learned the narrator’s name after finishing the book and reading the synopsis on Goodreads. Her name is never used, as she has lost her identity after becoming a mother and a foreigner. Wilder also chooses to use the first initials of her husband and children’s names to refer to them as well. I can see how this could become annoying and repetitive to some readers, however, the writing is so beautiful that it just works. The writing also expertly becomes increasingly more manic, as Erika’s mental state spirals downward.
There are so many powerful issues at play to analyze and interpret. Some of which are repetitive cycles, abandonment, loneliness, feeling wanted, needed and loved. Erika is in limbo between two worlds, the real and the imagined. Is she mad? While the interlude chapters intimate that is the case, the ending is left open for interpretation. I’m not really sure as a reader what is real or imagined. While I would have appreciated more hints from the author, it is one of those books that forces you to use your critical thinking skills and keeps you on your toes.
And OMG, what a horrible husband! %!!
4/5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and ABRAMS for the ARC of Little Bandaged Days by Kyra Wilder in exchange for an honest review.
After moving to Geneva with her husband and two children, Erika must navigate motherhood and a foreign country. Soon finding herself almost always alone with the kids while her husband is working, she slowly slips into madness.
I am absolutely reeling after furiously reading this book by newcomer, Kyra Wilder. This is a poetic masterpiece that should be read and analyzed alongside Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper.” The story examines a mother’s role in society and is told in a sort of stream of consciousness manner by Erika. Surprisingly, I only learned the narrator’s name after finishing the book and reading the synopsis on Goodreads. Her name is never used, as she has lost her identity after becoming a mother and a foreigner. Wilder also chooses to use the first initials of her husband and children’s names to refer to them as well. I can see how this could become annoying and repetitive to some readers, however, the writing is so beautiful that it just works. The writing also expertly becomes increasingly more manic, as Erika’s mental state spirals downward.
There are so many powerful issues at play to analyze and interpret. Some of which are repetitive cycles, abandonment, loneliness, feeling wanted, needed and loved. Erika is in limbo between two worlds, the real and the imagined. Is she mad? While the interlude chapters intimate that is the case, the ending is left open for interpretation. I’m not really sure as a reader what is real or imagined. While I would have appreciated more hints from the author, it is one of those books that forces you to use your critical thinking skills and keeps you on your toes.
And OMG, what a horrible husband! %!!
4/5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and ABRAMS for the ARC of Little Bandaged Days by Kyra Wilder in exchange for an honest review.
January 24, 2020
Little Bandaged Days is a story of motherhood, the search for identity and the slow descent into madness through isolation. After moving to Geneva, Switzerland, for her husband's job protagonist Erika finds she is so very alone; once she has put the children to sleep appears to be the hours that impact her most. Despite all of these issues bubbling beneath the surface she still manages to maintain the facade of the perfect family unit she wishes so desperately she was part of. The account of her slide into insanity is so vividly and strikingly observed that I was shocked to discover this is Wilder’s debut novel. It was so visceral and fascinating right from the outset and I feel having one more compassionate book based around mental illness can only be a good thing. And also the writing is a thing of beauty.
This is so much more profound than just a story; it was an experience and a terrifying one at that. We all know that mental health is still a taboo subject and it still very much has a stigma attached to it. Being alone in a strange country with only yourself for company is a situation most of us would find extremely daunting and to make matters worse she doesn’t speak the language or understand what is being said by others. Slowly but surely she slips away and her grasp on reality continues to dwindle. It’s an emotive, haunting and heartbreaking read featuring some rather disturbing moments. One of the aspects the author does exceptionally well is create a creeping sense of dread and oppressive claustrophobia and these build and build throughout. A compelling and important book. Many thanks to Picador for an ARC.
This is so much more profound than just a story; it was an experience and a terrifying one at that. We all know that mental health is still a taboo subject and it still very much has a stigma attached to it. Being alone in a strange country with only yourself for company is a situation most of us would find extremely daunting and to make matters worse she doesn’t speak the language or understand what is being said by others. Slowly but surely she slips away and her grasp on reality continues to dwindle. It’s an emotive, haunting and heartbreaking read featuring some rather disturbing moments. One of the aspects the author does exceptionally well is create a creeping sense of dread and oppressive claustrophobia and these build and build throughout. A compelling and important book. Many thanks to Picador for an ARC.
March 14, 2021
“Sometimes it seemed like being a good mother, the best, meant mostly covering yourself over in a layer of smiling and smiling. There was nothing to think about except making everything exactly right in the minute you were in.”
After moving to Geneva with her husband and two children, Erika must navigate motherhood and a foreign country. Soon finding herself almost always alone with the kids while her husband is working, she slowly slips into madness.
I am absolutely reeling after furiously reading this book by newcomer, Kyra Wilder. This is a poetic masterpiece that should be read and analyzed alongside Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper.” The story examines a mother’s role in society and is told in a sort of stream of consciousness manner by Erika. Surprisingly, I only learned the narrator’s name after finishing the book and reading the synopsis on Goodreads. Her name is never used, as she has lost her identity after becoming a mother and a foreigner. Wilder also chooses to use the first initials of her husband and children’s names to refer to them as well. I can see how this could become annoying and repetitive to some readers, however, the writing is so beautiful that it just works. The writing also expertly becomes increasingly more manic, as Erika’s mental state spirals downward.
There are so many powerful issues at play to analyze and interpret. Some of which are repetitive cycles, abandonment, loneliness, feeling wanted, needed and loved. Erika is in limbo between two worlds, the real and the imagined. Is she mad? While the interlude chapters intimate that is the case, the ending is left open for interpretation. I’m not really sure as a reader what is real or imagined. While I would have appreciated more hints from the author, it is one of those books that forces you to use your critical thinking skills and keeps you on your toes.
And OMG, what a horrible husband! %!!
4/5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and ABRAMS for the ARC of Little Bandaged Days by Kyra Wilder in exchange for an honest review.
After moving to Geneva with her husband and two children, Erika must navigate motherhood and a foreign country. Soon finding herself almost always alone with the kids while her husband is working, she slowly slips into madness.
I am absolutely reeling after furiously reading this book by newcomer, Kyra Wilder. This is a poetic masterpiece that should be read and analyzed alongside Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper.” The story examines a mother’s role in society and is told in a sort of stream of consciousness manner by Erika. Surprisingly, I only learned the narrator’s name after finishing the book and reading the synopsis on Goodreads. Her name is never used, as she has lost her identity after becoming a mother and a foreigner. Wilder also chooses to use the first initials of her husband and children’s names to refer to them as well. I can see how this could become annoying and repetitive to some readers, however, the writing is so beautiful that it just works. The writing also expertly becomes increasingly more manic, as Erika’s mental state spirals downward.
There are so many powerful issues at play to analyze and interpret. Some of which are repetitive cycles, abandonment, loneliness, feeling wanted, needed and loved. Erika is in limbo between two worlds, the real and the imagined. Is she mad? While the interlude chapters intimate that is the case, the ending is left open for interpretation. I’m not really sure as a reader what is real or imagined. While I would have appreciated more hints from the author, it is one of those books that forces you to use your critical thinking skills and keeps you on your toes.
And OMG, what a horrible husband! %!!
4/5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and ABRAMS for the ARC of Little Bandaged Days by Kyra Wilder in exchange for an honest review.
December 21, 2020
Shortly after I started this book, I realized it was not for me. I did not connect with any of the characters at all. Throughout the whole book, she referred to her children with only initials and I have to say, this drove me nuts. Just could not understand what was going on so I threw in the towel early. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
September 18, 2020
I was given an ARC of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, many thanks for this opportunity. I finished this book a few days ago and have been trying to figure out exactly how I feel about it. I’m still not sure. I’m giving it 3 stars, though it leans more to 3.5 for me.
TLDR Some of the stylistic choices and content may make this a difficult read for some people. If you can handle those, I cautiously recommend.
This book is written differently from any other I’ve read. A few differences:
1. It’s a first person stream of consciousness narrative. This means some parts are mundane and repeat so often they can be frustrating; however, I feel those moments are important for reflecting the monotony of the main character’s life.
2. The main character is never named. Nobody is (except one stranger, noticeably), but at least her family get initials. She’s never once named or addressed by her name, which is reflective of her not having an identity. Other side characters also aren’t named.
3. There are no quotation marks. I think this ties into #1, as she just seems to be talking/thinking the story.
These elements were important to the story, but could be frustrating to read. It’s hard to keep track of characters who aren’t named. Or else it’s frustrating to have to read “M’s boss’s wife” instead of a name several times within a page. No quotation marks makes it harder to recognize speech while reading, so I’d often have to reread bits once I discovered it was or wasn’t being said out loud. Overall, not enough to dissuade me from finishing but annoying. And like I said, they added certain things to the story, such as having no identity and being detached from her family.
As for the writing itself, well. Kyra Wilder is a fantastic writer and she has quite a way with words. Her writing style remind me of Madeline Miller. Not the subject matter, but the way they write lines that are so beautifully unexpected it can make your breath catch just a moment. How their writing is so effortlessly transporting. I will look forward to reading more of her works.
This novel intrigued the hell out of me because, quite frankly, I related. I think if you’ve never dealt with mental illness, this may be a hard one to finish or handle. You read as her mind slowly devolves, and I felt the way it was somehow spread out and quickly deteriorating was well done. Some of the passages are difficult to read, as she is the children’s sole caretaker and they have to deal with and are subjected to the effects of her declining mental health.
***spoilers***
Having said that, I have several issues with the story.
1. What the hell, M? Who IS this man that so casually leaves his family for weeks at a time and doesn’t even bother trying to come home. Why would his personality change so much from prior to their move? I understand working more and being overwhelmed, but he’s literally home for a couple hours a week. Who leaves their family sitting with dinner ready for hours every night like it’s nothing?? Something is off there, and it’s not explained fully by the cheating. He barely noticed when literally everything has gone to shit and his kids look malnourished, that’s kind of extreme. Yet the times he does speak, he’s concerned about her?? It just doesn’t make sense.
2. WHO IS NELL? Why did the cops show her picture at the end? I love that she’s the only person named as it truly reflects how important this stranger has become to the main character. But now I’m lost about her at the end.
3. Where did the huge bruise on her face come from? The fingerprints on her arm? I’m so confused. For a bit I thought maybe Nell wasn’t real and this was a Fight Club scenario but then the cops showed Nell’s picture at the end. So now I don’t know what to think.
4. The ending. Oh my GOD was this infuriating. It’s less “open to interpretations” and more just “ends abruptly with zero resolution.” Was the last bit real?? Did they leave happily?? If so, how the hell did we wind up in a mental hospital? Or prison? If it isn’t real, what?? Something happened, clearly. But I haven’t got a clue what it is. Are the children alive?? Who is Nell?? Somebody please read this and help me understand.
**end spoilers**
Overall, while there were many frustrating aspects of this book, I’d cautiously recommend and will be looking forward to more works by this author.
TLDR Some of the stylistic choices and content may make this a difficult read for some people. If you can handle those, I cautiously recommend.
This book is written differently from any other I’ve read. A few differences:
1. It’s a first person stream of consciousness narrative. This means some parts are mundane and repeat so often they can be frustrating; however, I feel those moments are important for reflecting the monotony of the main character’s life.
2. The main character is never named. Nobody is (except one stranger, noticeably), but at least her family get initials. She’s never once named or addressed by her name, which is reflective of her not having an identity. Other side characters also aren’t named.
3. There are no quotation marks. I think this ties into #1, as she just seems to be talking/thinking the story.
These elements were important to the story, but could be frustrating to read. It’s hard to keep track of characters who aren’t named. Or else it’s frustrating to have to read “M’s boss’s wife” instead of a name several times within a page. No quotation marks makes it harder to recognize speech while reading, so I’d often have to reread bits once I discovered it was or wasn’t being said out loud. Overall, not enough to dissuade me from finishing but annoying. And like I said, they added certain things to the story, such as having no identity and being detached from her family.
As for the writing itself, well. Kyra Wilder is a fantastic writer and she has quite a way with words. Her writing style remind me of Madeline Miller. Not the subject matter, but the way they write lines that are so beautifully unexpected it can make your breath catch just a moment. How their writing is so effortlessly transporting. I will look forward to reading more of her works.
This novel intrigued the hell out of me because, quite frankly, I related. I think if you’ve never dealt with mental illness, this may be a hard one to finish or handle. You read as her mind slowly devolves, and I felt the way it was somehow spread out and quickly deteriorating was well done. Some of the passages are difficult to read, as she is the children’s sole caretaker and they have to deal with and are subjected to the effects of her declining mental health.
***spoilers***
Having said that, I have several issues with the story.
1. What the hell, M? Who IS this man that so casually leaves his family for weeks at a time and doesn’t even bother trying to come home. Why would his personality change so much from prior to their move? I understand working more and being overwhelmed, but he’s literally home for a couple hours a week. Who leaves their family sitting with dinner ready for hours every night like it’s nothing?? Something is off there, and it’s not explained fully by the cheating. He barely noticed when literally everything has gone to shit and his kids look malnourished, that’s kind of extreme. Yet the times he does speak, he’s concerned about her?? It just doesn’t make sense.
2. WHO IS NELL? Why did the cops show her picture at the end? I love that she’s the only person named as it truly reflects how important this stranger has become to the main character. But now I’m lost about her at the end.
3. Where did the huge bruise on her face come from? The fingerprints on her arm? I’m so confused. For a bit I thought maybe Nell wasn’t real and this was a Fight Club scenario but then the cops showed Nell’s picture at the end. So now I don’t know what to think.
4. The ending. Oh my GOD was this infuriating. It’s less “open to interpretations” and more just “ends abruptly with zero resolution.” Was the last bit real?? Did they leave happily?? If so, how the hell did we wind up in a mental hospital? Or prison? If it isn’t real, what?? Something happened, clearly. But I haven’t got a clue what it is. Are the children alive?? Who is Nell?? Somebody please read this and help me understand.
**end spoilers**
Overall, while there were many frustrating aspects of this book, I’d cautiously recommend and will be looking forward to more works by this author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2021
Let me start by saying that in many ways this book deserves 5 stars because it is an extremely well written and deeply disturbing account of one mother's inexorable slide into madness. It is like nothing I have ever read before.
The reason I only awarded the book 4 stars is for two reasons. Firstly, I think that this is a book that will not attract universal appeal and secondly because I was so distraught reading Little Bandaged Days that it was hardly an enjoyable experience. We don't always read for pleasure, and a book is more likely to have a lasting impact if the contents allow the reader to reflect upon their experiences or own belief system, but personally I have far too vivid an imagination not to have been scared by what I read.
Apparently, (reading the blurb), the mother's name is Erika but I don't once remember reading this detail. What I do remember is that the narrator's family have no names other than the initial letters prescribed to them. M is the husband and father, E the very young girl and B the baby. This in itself is original, perfectly fitting for the story, and adds to the alarming sense of losing one's mind. It speaks of being detached and lost in a crowded room. It perpetuates the loneliness and the panic that had me gulping for air.
Our unknown mother has moved to Switzerland for M to spend long, long hours, nights and days and weeks away in some high flying job whilst she is stuck in a small apartment looking after the two children and struggling to retain a sense of identity beyond the person who feeds, cooks, cleans, plays, entertains, nurses and worries about being good enough.
The pressure builds and the stream of internal thought becomes a frightening torrent, leaving me breathless and anxious and altogether horrified. There are days and times when she seems OK, but then there are increasing episodes of obsessive compulsive behaviour and paranoia, psychosis and self-harm.
I am not even sure if I understood all of the book. Was Nell real, or part of her? The sections in italics refer to a time and place that seems brutal and draconian, a desolate place of punishment designed to masquerade as treatment. So many hints of a criminal case and yet the ending, just as brutal, leads nowhere. It was as if I had fallen into an emotional abyss with no way back to my fellow humans.
This novel is not for the faint-hearted or emotionally fragile. It is intense, relentless and a beautiful-but-terrifying exploration of what happens when reality blurs to the extent that it disappears.
An exceptional achievement by the author but a read I would find hard to pick up again.
Thank to Kyra Wilder, the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book ahead of publication in exchange for an honest review.
The reason I only awarded the book 4 stars is for two reasons. Firstly, I think that this is a book that will not attract universal appeal and secondly because I was so distraught reading Little Bandaged Days that it was hardly an enjoyable experience. We don't always read for pleasure, and a book is more likely to have a lasting impact if the contents allow the reader to reflect upon their experiences or own belief system, but personally I have far too vivid an imagination not to have been scared by what I read.
Apparently, (reading the blurb), the mother's name is Erika but I don't once remember reading this detail. What I do remember is that the narrator's family have no names other than the initial letters prescribed to them. M is the husband and father, E the very young girl and B the baby. This in itself is original, perfectly fitting for the story, and adds to the alarming sense of losing one's mind. It speaks of being detached and lost in a crowded room. It perpetuates the loneliness and the panic that had me gulping for air.
Our unknown mother has moved to Switzerland for M to spend long, long hours, nights and days and weeks away in some high flying job whilst she is stuck in a small apartment looking after the two children and struggling to retain a sense of identity beyond the person who feeds, cooks, cleans, plays, entertains, nurses and worries about being good enough.
The pressure builds and the stream of internal thought becomes a frightening torrent, leaving me breathless and anxious and altogether horrified. There are days and times when she seems OK, but then there are increasing episodes of obsessive compulsive behaviour and paranoia, psychosis and self-harm.
I am not even sure if I understood all of the book. Was Nell real, or part of her? The sections in italics refer to a time and place that seems brutal and draconian, a desolate place of punishment designed to masquerade as treatment. So many hints of a criminal case and yet the ending, just as brutal, leads nowhere. It was as if I had fallen into an emotional abyss with no way back to my fellow humans.
This novel is not for the faint-hearted or emotionally fragile. It is intense, relentless and a beautiful-but-terrifying exploration of what happens when reality blurs to the extent that it disappears.
An exceptional achievement by the author but a read I would find hard to pick up again.
Thank to Kyra Wilder, the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book ahead of publication in exchange for an honest review.
June 15, 2020
Kyra Wilder’s Little Bandaged Days was a book I hadn’t heard about before and bought based on the blurb alone. It about a woman named Erika who moves to Geneva with her two children and husband because the latter has been offered a new high profile job there. Erika stays home with the kids, being in a new country, where she can’t speak the language and doesn’t have any friends. The novel is basically her slow descend to madness.
I really can’t praise this book enough. It is certainly not everyone’s cup of tea because it is highly unnerving and had a very particular writing style. The narrative voice is almost solely Erika’s inner monologue, with very little dialogue with anyone else. It mostly just describes her daily routine which is pretty much the same every day, only with occasional variations. The husband and two kids are named by initials only, which makes the distance and detachment from normality even stronger. It instantly reminded me of The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and also Shirley Jackson’s work. Erika became sickeningly concentrated on the domestic, at first trying her best and veering on the other end of the spectrum (complete neglect of her home and children) by the end of the book.
The tension in the book is built up so cleverly. Everything is fine fine fine and suddenly without any warning, something freakishly odd happens and then everything continues as if nothing has happened. Until the climax at the end which was borderline horror. The more so because it wasn’t supernatural - everyone can go mad. The writing itself is very atmospheric and highly imaginative. You can almost feel the suffocating summer air her apartment and smell the moulded lemons on the kitchen countertop, that are a recurring theme in the book. The sentences feel like someone talking so fast and without stopping until they have to gasp for air. They flow, being one whirlwind lull which keeps going faster and faster until it stops with a bang. It is difficult to describe going mad, but Wilder excels in this task.
I constantly wanted to underline sentences, comparisons and metaphors - there were so many memorable ones. Wilder has captured the golden trap of a housewife life brilliantly. What can lie behind the perfect facade of a well-kept home? How difficult it actually is, how lonely it can be. And how very important is to have an identity of your own besides being a mother and a stay at home mother especially. To have at least some job, some hobby, something to give more roles to oneself besides just one.
I highly recommend this book and honestly am very impressed that it is her debut.
I really can’t praise this book enough. It is certainly not everyone’s cup of tea because it is highly unnerving and had a very particular writing style. The narrative voice is almost solely Erika’s inner monologue, with very little dialogue with anyone else. It mostly just describes her daily routine which is pretty much the same every day, only with occasional variations. The husband and two kids are named by initials only, which makes the distance and detachment from normality even stronger. It instantly reminded me of The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and also Shirley Jackson’s work. Erika became sickeningly concentrated on the domestic, at first trying her best and veering on the other end of the spectrum (complete neglect of her home and children) by the end of the book.
The tension in the book is built up so cleverly. Everything is fine fine fine and suddenly without any warning, something freakishly odd happens and then everything continues as if nothing has happened. Until the climax at the end which was borderline horror. The more so because it wasn’t supernatural - everyone can go mad. The writing itself is very atmospheric and highly imaginative. You can almost feel the suffocating summer air her apartment and smell the moulded lemons on the kitchen countertop, that are a recurring theme in the book. The sentences feel like someone talking so fast and without stopping until they have to gasp for air. They flow, being one whirlwind lull which keeps going faster and faster until it stops with a bang. It is difficult to describe going mad, but Wilder excels in this task.
I constantly wanted to underline sentences, comparisons and metaphors - there were so many memorable ones. Wilder has captured the golden trap of a housewife life brilliantly. What can lie behind the perfect facade of a well-kept home? How difficult it actually is, how lonely it can be. And how very important is to have an identity of your own besides being a mother and a stay at home mother especially. To have at least some job, some hobby, something to give more roles to oneself besides just one.
I highly recommend this book and honestly am very impressed that it is her debut.
October 8, 2019
Little Bandaged Days is the story of a young mother who has moved to Geneva for her husband's high-flying job. While he is working increasingly long hours at the office, or schmoozing clients over steak and champagne, his wife is taking care of their two small children. At great pains to seem like the perfect mother, our narrator - who remains nameless for much of the novel - is the model housewife to begin with: suits are pressed, the children are clean and well-dressed, and dinner is on the table every night. But as her sense of loneliness increases and her grasp on reality seems ever more tenuous, the reader begins to worry: just what is this over taxed young mother really capable of?
It's difficult to believe this is a first novel: Kyra Wilder has created a beautifully wrought work of fiction with gorgeous imagery, and a genuine sense of foreboding. Certain tricks are used to great effect, for example, referring to the children and husband by only initials rather than their full names makes them slightly less real to us than the narrator is; it also made me feel like I was reading a redacted record at times, where the names had been removed for reasons of privacy, which made the world feel even more real, and sinister. The prose itself is beautiful, lending itself more to poetry at times, though never over-flowery.
I was gripped by this book from the start, and spent most of the book hoping that everything turned out well while also being darkly sure it wouldn't (I won't say anything else about that as I don't want to spoil the book for people who haven't read it). Stunning writing from a ridiculously talented new author - I can't wait to see what Kyra Wilder writes next, but consider me first in line for her next book.
Thank you to NetGalley, who provided me with a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
It's difficult to believe this is a first novel: Kyra Wilder has created a beautifully wrought work of fiction with gorgeous imagery, and a genuine sense of foreboding. Certain tricks are used to great effect, for example, referring to the children and husband by only initials rather than their full names makes them slightly less real to us than the narrator is; it also made me feel like I was reading a redacted record at times, where the names had been removed for reasons of privacy, which made the world feel even more real, and sinister. The prose itself is beautiful, lending itself more to poetry at times, though never over-flowery.
I was gripped by this book from the start, and spent most of the book hoping that everything turned out well while also being darkly sure it wouldn't (I won't say anything else about that as I don't want to spoil the book for people who haven't read it). Stunning writing from a ridiculously talented new author - I can't wait to see what Kyra Wilder writes next, but consider me first in line for her next book.
Thank you to NetGalley, who provided me with a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 11, 2020
This book made me feel terribly claustrophobic and unsettled. I could feel the oppressive heat that the narrator felt with her very young children stuck in a hot apartment in the middle of July and August in a foreign country with a distant workaholic husband. The stinking garbage, the rotting lemons, the dog poop-you could smell it while reading this book. Post-Partum depression is real and I hated this woman's husband which she referred to as "M" in this book. I did not feel comfortable reading this book but the writing was so descriptive I would recommend to anyone who enjoys deep and soul searching fiction.
Thank you to Net Galley and publisher for a chance to read and review.
Thank you to Net Galley and publisher for a chance to read and review.
November 19, 2019
Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan MacMillan for a free ARC of this book.
While the story started out well enough, it soon proved to be a slow and tedious read. None of the dialogue is within quote marks, which can make for difficult reading at times. Also, we're in the head of the main character all the time who is slowly spiralling into madness. At no point could I say this was a fun or entertaining read, and with the unsatisfactory ending, I now wonder why I ever spent about five hours reading this novel.
While some of the writing was well executed, I don't get the point of the book. It isn't fun. It doesn't entertain. I can see no message or point to it at all. It gets a soft 2 stars from me.
***
NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.
5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.
While the story started out well enough, it soon proved to be a slow and tedious read. None of the dialogue is within quote marks, which can make for difficult reading at times. Also, we're in the head of the main character all the time who is slowly spiralling into madness. At no point could I say this was a fun or entertaining read, and with the unsatisfactory ending, I now wonder why I ever spent about five hours reading this novel.
While some of the writing was well executed, I don't get the point of the book. It isn't fun. It doesn't entertain. I can see no message or point to it at all. It gets a soft 2 stars from me.
***
NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.
5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.
January 24, 2020
(#gifted @picadorbooks) When I finished Little Bandaged Days I had to sit and think for a while on what I made of it. But the more I thought, the more I realised, yep, this was a very good, very sad, very dark little book, and I’ll be eagerly waiting to see what Kyra Wilder comes out with next if this is her debut!
.
Essentially, we follow one mother’s mental decline as motherhood takes its toll on her following a move to Switzerland for her husband’s new job, which sees him jetting off to important meetings while our protagonist is left to care for their two children alone in a new country where she doesn’t speak the language. I know we think that in 2020 surely parenting is more equal, but it just isn’t. If you have young children, can’t afford childcare and have no family who can help out, someone has to look after them and still for the most part that someone is the mother.
.
Through a few flashbacks we see some of Erika’s relationship with her own mother, as well as happier times with her husband, which makes her decline all the more devastating. Wilder’s use of foreshadowing and building dread is excellent, and by the end we’re hurtling towards *something* and we might not know what but the tension is real. Wilder plays heavily with all the senses, evoking scents, sights and sounds with her beautiful writing, making the reader feel as claustrophobic as Erika does.
.
After I finished reading, I saw a short clip from the author herself explaining that the idea for the book came from her own experiences (not totally, thankfully!!) as she struggled a lot after the birth of her second child. I love how she uses fiction to explore the dreadful possibilities of ‘what if?’ and the darker outcomes of what being a mother could do to a person.
.
I would definitely recommend this one to all those interested in books around motherhood, and anyone who wants to explore the darker side of family life!
.
Essentially, we follow one mother’s mental decline as motherhood takes its toll on her following a move to Switzerland for her husband’s new job, which sees him jetting off to important meetings while our protagonist is left to care for their two children alone in a new country where she doesn’t speak the language. I know we think that in 2020 surely parenting is more equal, but it just isn’t. If you have young children, can’t afford childcare and have no family who can help out, someone has to look after them and still for the most part that someone is the mother.
.
Through a few flashbacks we see some of Erika’s relationship with her own mother, as well as happier times with her husband, which makes her decline all the more devastating. Wilder’s use of foreshadowing and building dread is excellent, and by the end we’re hurtling towards *something* and we might not know what but the tension is real. Wilder plays heavily with all the senses, evoking scents, sights and sounds with her beautiful writing, making the reader feel as claustrophobic as Erika does.
.
After I finished reading, I saw a short clip from the author herself explaining that the idea for the book came from her own experiences (not totally, thankfully!!) as she struggled a lot after the birth of her second child. I love how she uses fiction to explore the dreadful possibilities of ‘what if?’ and the darker outcomes of what being a mother could do to a person.
.
I would definitely recommend this one to all those interested in books around motherhood, and anyone who wants to explore the darker side of family life!
December 8, 2019
‘Little Bandaged Days’ by Kyra Wilder is a story of a mother descending into madness in an isolated world of motherhood. Erika moves to Geneva with her husband who is starting an important and well-paying job abroad. Away from their family and friends, Erika’s world is limited to the small apartment where she spends all of her time caring for their two children, E and B. Erika works all day to create a perfect life for her and her family in a country where she doesn’t know anyone and doesn’t speak the language. The story is structured in three parts, and in each part Erika’s imagined, perfect world becomes more and more detached from reality and she becomes more isolated from the outside world. Erika is a rich and well-developed character. It is easy to imagine Erika’s struggle to create the perfect family life, which everyone around her seems to have. As the novel progresses, and Erika loses control, the story pulls the reader into Erika’s isolated world. I found that the other characters in the novel were more difficult to picture. Erika’s children, E and B, and her husband M, do not only not have a name but also seem to lack a story for the reader to connect to. Although this made it more difficult to imagine them as the family that surrounds the main characterIt also strengthened the idea of isolation and loneliness of the mother, who seemed to be all alone in the world that she creates for herself. In ‘Little Bandaged Days’ Kyra Wilder created two worlds, the real and the imagined, and she shows how, sometimes, it is difficult to tell them apart. Thank you to Picador and Bookbreak UK for sending me a proof of this novel!
September 7, 2019
Little Bandaged Days was a quirky read, a lot of which worked really well for me but a lot of which just did not.
It is basically one mother's descent into depression and madness although I'm not sure madness is the right word- it has a lyrical cadence to the prose which is very compelling, I was struck by the way the author uses language and nuance to get across that seemingly straightforward events were actually more sinister. In that, it was truly excellent and it has put Kyra Wilder firmly on my radar for future novels.
However overall I found the story lacking and often somewhat irritating. The main protagonist refers to her children and husband by a single letter, presumably the first letter of their actual name although this is never confirmed. B and E therefore never became real to me, as young humans, people in their own right. This, for me personally, made the emotion of it one step removed, rather than damaged this mother came across as selfish. The ending didn't really connect to the central theme that well it kind of just rambled around full circle and I felt like there was no real meaning in any of it.
That, of course, is all subjective- there's a lot to love here, not least the genuine writing talent on display, something that seems lacking in a lot of the churned out stuff these days like suddenly good writing isn't the first thing you need. Little Bandaged Days may not have 100% hit the mark for me story wise but I do think this is an author to watch
It is basically one mother's descent into depression and madness although I'm not sure madness is the right word- it has a lyrical cadence to the prose which is very compelling, I was struck by the way the author uses language and nuance to get across that seemingly straightforward events were actually more sinister. In that, it was truly excellent and it has put Kyra Wilder firmly on my radar for future novels.
However overall I found the story lacking and often somewhat irritating. The main protagonist refers to her children and husband by a single letter, presumably the first letter of their actual name although this is never confirmed. B and E therefore never became real to me, as young humans, people in their own right. This, for me personally, made the emotion of it one step removed, rather than damaged this mother came across as selfish. The ending didn't really connect to the central theme that well it kind of just rambled around full circle and I felt like there was no real meaning in any of it.
That, of course, is all subjective- there's a lot to love here, not least the genuine writing talent on display, something that seems lacking in a lot of the churned out stuff these days like suddenly good writing isn't the first thing you need. Little Bandaged Days may not have 100% hit the mark for me story wise but I do think this is an author to watch
April 1, 2021
I feel like I dropped into a manic nightmare with this story. It felt like it started in the middle, and the ending made no sense to me. The imagery is amazing, the detail in which the author puts us in this state is just *wow*. I couldn't start another book when I finished this one because I was still involved in the book, trying to figure it out, wanting to run until I was out of breath from it. I thought it would be more.
Thank you to NetGalley & The Overlook Press
Thank you to NetGalley & The Overlook Press
June 13, 2021
There are so many things to say about this book. When I first finished it, I was disappointed and confused in the outcome, but then sat for over an hour picking the narrative apart and rethinking it in pieces until I began to see so much more. I am utterly overwhelmed. In fact, I have not stopped thinking about this novel since I finished it around twelve hours ago. It is sitting hard, like a lump in my chest. It is highly impactful, immobilizing, terrifying, and poignant. There is so much to consider and analyze.
In college, I read "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. I was instantly transported to that experience upon reading Little Bandaged Days. The novel is a gripping account of postpartum depression and psychosis in the scope of modern day life. It is based lightly on the author's actual experience and it reads immensely authentically. I struggle to say everything I want to about this book without creating spoilers, so let me just say that this book could also be used as a college read for analysis. It is brilliantly crafted with a protagonist whose every action has meaning and even though you follow the read thinking you're understanding what is going on and all the pieces are falling together, you are left at the end questioning EVERYTHING you knew. It's an amazing read. But it is so incredibly painful.
The trauma gripped me hard. The pace moved from something I could handle and evaluate to something that tore the breath from me and left my heart beating anxiously with worry and concern. I am still not over that feeling.
I am a mother of two young children. I can identify with much of the early thoughts and feelings that the protagonist voices. (I don't recall her being named anywhere in the narrative, but the synopsis identifies her as Erika.) I know what it is like to become overwhelmed by the responsibilities of motherhood and the loss of self that comes along with that responsibility. I am all too keen on the feelings of absolute love and devotion for your children alongside an internal desire to have a moment of peace, a bit of time alone. Due to circumstances of my own life, I also understand her feelings of loneliness and solitude.
There are a lot of things to question about the construction of this novel and the individual characters within it, but I have to assert that I feel this is all purposeful. It makes sense looking backwards. It also does not make sense. Because that's how mental illness is.
I will need to read this again. I have no doubt. It bruised my motherly heart and tore me in pieces at times, but I need to relive it to see it deeper. Just writing through this has made me appreciate it even more.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. *
In college, I read "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. I was instantly transported to that experience upon reading Little Bandaged Days. The novel is a gripping account of postpartum depression and psychosis in the scope of modern day life. It is based lightly on the author's actual experience and it reads immensely authentically. I struggle to say everything I want to about this book without creating spoilers, so let me just say that this book could also be used as a college read for analysis. It is brilliantly crafted with a protagonist whose every action has meaning and even though you follow the read thinking you're understanding what is going on and all the pieces are falling together, you are left at the end questioning EVERYTHING you knew. It's an amazing read. But it is so incredibly painful.
The trauma gripped me hard. The pace moved from something I could handle and evaluate to something that tore the breath from me and left my heart beating anxiously with worry and concern. I am still not over that feeling.
I am a mother of two young children. I can identify with much of the early thoughts and feelings that the protagonist voices. (I don't recall her being named anywhere in the narrative, but the synopsis identifies her as Erika.) I know what it is like to become overwhelmed by the responsibilities of motherhood and the loss of self that comes along with that responsibility. I am all too keen on the feelings of absolute love and devotion for your children alongside an internal desire to have a moment of peace, a bit of time alone. Due to circumstances of my own life, I also understand her feelings of loneliness and solitude.
There are a lot of things to question about the construction of this novel and the individual characters within it, but I have to assert that I feel this is all purposeful. It makes sense looking backwards. It also does not make sense. Because that's how mental illness is.
I will need to read this again. I have no doubt. It bruised my motherly heart and tore me in pieces at times, but I need to relive it to see it deeper. Just writing through this has made me appreciate it even more.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. *
April 20, 2021
Erika moves with her husband and two young children from the United States to Europe. Her husband gets a high income job which will allow her to be a stay-at-home mom.
She hadn't realized that with her husband gone so much traveling for his job, she would be absolutely responsible for everything. Not knowing the language yet is another barrier to making friends, allowing her children to make friends. Eventually the loneliness and isolation starts inching her away from a normal life.
She starts behaving in erratic ways ... hoarding rotten food, bleach-cleaning their apartment among others. The children become quiet and withdrawn. She stops sleeping and finds unusual ways to fill her nights. Her mind seems to be crossing the line into madness.
This debut novel is dark, depressing, and daunting. The characters were deftly defined .. although there seems to be a disconnect between Erika and her husband. He starts working earlier each morning and then later at night. Then he starts the traveling and is away sometimes for a week at a time. When he returns home he doesn't seem to be concerned about her or the children.
I wish there had been more about their relationship, about her feelings about her mother, some kind of back-story on these people. There seems to be a suggestion that the children were physically abused, but that was never made clear. When the conclusion arrives, I had more questions than answers. It was a kind of murky read for me.
Many thanks to the author / The Overlook Press / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological fiction / thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
She hadn't realized that with her husband gone so much traveling for his job, she would be absolutely responsible for everything. Not knowing the language yet is another barrier to making friends, allowing her children to make friends. Eventually the loneliness and isolation starts inching her away from a normal life.
She starts behaving in erratic ways ... hoarding rotten food, bleach-cleaning their apartment among others. The children become quiet and withdrawn. She stops sleeping and finds unusual ways to fill her nights. Her mind seems to be crossing the line into madness.
This debut novel is dark, depressing, and daunting. The characters were deftly defined .. although there seems to be a disconnect between Erika and her husband. He starts working earlier each morning and then later at night. Then he starts the traveling and is away sometimes for a week at a time. When he returns home he doesn't seem to be concerned about her or the children.
I wish there had been more about their relationship, about her feelings about her mother, some kind of back-story on these people. There seems to be a suggestion that the children were physically abused, but that was never made clear. When the conclusion arrives, I had more questions than answers. It was a kind of murky read for me.
Many thanks to the author / The Overlook Press / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological fiction / thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
June 6, 2022
I once spent 11 weeks in Switzerland, alone with a 3 year old, not working and watching my spouse work, so I recognized the quiet, the cyclical routine, the crisp-clean foreignness of the protagonist's days. This might be the most compelling fiction, by the most skilled author, that I've read. You're inside a mind and a poem at the same time, not allowed objectivity. So the ending makes sense, but still leaves me unsatisfied enough to take off one star. But I don't think it could be any other way, so my 4 stars are really not fair. It might be a 5 star. In any case, so much of it is truth that needs to be let out.
October 13, 2019
I'm unsure how I feel about this book. I liked it yet I didn't. The writing style was easy to read, yet I was uncomfortable reading it.
Erika wasn't a character that I particularly liked and by keeping her children's identities secret by just using their initials made it hard for me to picture them.
Little Bandaged Days was not a book for me but I can see many characteristics that will make it popular.
With thanks for netgalley and the publisher for an ARC to read and review.
Erika wasn't a character that I particularly liked and by keeping her children's identities secret by just using their initials made it hard for me to picture them.
Little Bandaged Days was not a book for me but I can see many characteristics that will make it popular.
With thanks for netgalley and the publisher for an ARC to read and review.
October 22, 2019
Very cleverly written account of a mothers descent into madness. Compulsive reading which immerses the reader into the world of the characters. An uncomfortable subject, but relate-able. Not for everyone but I would recommend. My thanks to Net Galley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 4, 2022
So. Stressful. I finished this book yesterday and the stress is still with me. The author did an amazing job putting you in the mind of a woman slowly deteriorating.
Still not sure what to make of the end.
Still not sure what to make of the end.
January 8, 2022
I’m still processing this book but god, what a masterpiece. Taut, elegant, and terrifying.
September 18, 2020
Erika moves to Geneva when her husband, M gets a promotion. She doesn't speak the language and knows no one. M is gone a lot. I would say more than any person could spend at even a new job. Since we only get Erika's perspective, it is possible it only seems that way to her because she is lonely and overwhelmed.
Her children, B, and E are never referred to by their full names, just like M. Exactly what this means, well frankly I am not sure. I suppose it may be indicative of a detachment that is overtaking Erika. It seems like postpartum depression or just the reality of her life is weighing Erika down.
As the story progresses, it becomes apparent that this is not something that can easily be fixed. On the rare occasions that M is home, he fails to notice the increasingly bizarre behavior of his wife, and what might be physical or abusive neglect of his children. As soon as he leaves and Erika is responsible for the children, she grows fearful of almost everything.
If she has to leave the apartment, she takes the children out through the window, fearing the doorman. Food grows scarce as shopping becomes unbearable, garbage piles up, and day and night bleed into one another as she refuses to open the shudders. There are moments of joy scattered within the pages too. Moments when she is so proud of her husband and full of love for her family. Every seemingly happy thought or interaction ends the same way, with Erika afraid and alone.
Interspersed are chapters from an unnamed narrator. Based on the dialogue, I believed it was Erika being held in a horrible place, perhaps a jail or a mental institution? What is clear is that this person has done something horrific. If it is indeed Erika it made me question everything that happened in Geneva. Was she reliving her time there? Did M, B, and E exist at all outside her mind? Or is she just imagining this place as punishment for what she sees as her failures? What is real and what is an illusion?
The thing about this book is that many of my thoughts are just conjecture and another reader might see the same words and give them different meanings. For me, there were no easy answers and I found myself thinking about the underlying themes for days. Was I looking at a woman losing her mind, a woman trying to do the best for her family, or perhaps it was all a dream. I don't have any answers, but I could not look away from this tale.
This is one time that I hope the author shares some more insights once this is published. I think people will love or hate this book, but rarely will they land in the middle.
Her children, B, and E are never referred to by their full names, just like M. Exactly what this means, well frankly I am not sure. I suppose it may be indicative of a detachment that is overtaking Erika. It seems like postpartum depression or just the reality of her life is weighing Erika down.
As the story progresses, it becomes apparent that this is not something that can easily be fixed. On the rare occasions that M is home, he fails to notice the increasingly bizarre behavior of his wife, and what might be physical or abusive neglect of his children. As soon as he leaves and Erika is responsible for the children, she grows fearful of almost everything.
If she has to leave the apartment, she takes the children out through the window, fearing the doorman. Food grows scarce as shopping becomes unbearable, garbage piles up, and day and night bleed into one another as she refuses to open the shudders. There are moments of joy scattered within the pages too. Moments when she is so proud of her husband and full of love for her family. Every seemingly happy thought or interaction ends the same way, with Erika afraid and alone.
Interspersed are chapters from an unnamed narrator. Based on the dialogue, I believed it was Erika being held in a horrible place, perhaps a jail or a mental institution? What is clear is that this person has done something horrific. If it is indeed Erika it made me question everything that happened in Geneva. Was she reliving her time there? Did M, B, and E exist at all outside her mind? Or is she just imagining this place as punishment for what she sees as her failures? What is real and what is an illusion?
The thing about this book is that many of my thoughts are just conjecture and another reader might see the same words and give them different meanings. For me, there were no easy answers and I found myself thinking about the underlying themes for days. Was I looking at a woman losing her mind, a woman trying to do the best for her family, or perhaps it was all a dream. I don't have any answers, but I could not look away from this tale.
This is one time that I hope the author shares some more insights once this is published. I think people will love or hate this book, but rarely will they land in the middle.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 2, 2022
3.5 stars
Being a mum of two under the age of 4 is tough. Being a mum of two under the age of 4 and moving house is very tough. Being a mum of two under 4 (with one being a babe in arms), moving house with a workoholic husband to a country where you don’t speak the language is borderline mission impossible!!! I didn’t know who my narrator was, but my full sympathies went out to her as I got to know her and her family.
I’ll admit, it took me a bit to get into Little Bandaged Days for two main reasons. Bit confusing only having initials for the family characters, E, B and M and not having a name for my companion on this rather tense journey.
The unnamed narrator was rather unnerving. The more I read the more concerned I was for her welfare and that of her young children. But then Part 2 kicks off … that takes my nerves up a gear. What the hell happened between the summer and January??! And then I get more of these seriously uncomfortable insights into someone’s rather disturbing mind. I could feel my whole body tense up with apprehension as what was to come.
Little Bandaged Days is a tough and disturbing read. Its slow pace added to the unnerviness and tension. The interludes of the future break some of the monotony of normal life which isn’t a boring life. I was filled with fear as my narrator gradually lost her grip on reality and her actions became more erratic. I’m not sure quite what I make of this debut from Wilder. Her writing is such that I felt on edge throughout . I don’t know if it was my maternal instinct kicking in as my fear for the two innocents rose or whether it was Wilder playing with a psychological narrative. I wouldn’t say this was an enjoyable read, it was uncomfortable and unnerving. I’d be interested to see what Wilder writes next.
Being a mum of two under the age of 4 is tough. Being a mum of two under the age of 4 and moving house is very tough. Being a mum of two under 4 (with one being a babe in arms), moving house with a workoholic husband to a country where you don’t speak the language is borderline mission impossible!!! I didn’t know who my narrator was, but my full sympathies went out to her as I got to know her and her family.
I’ll admit, it took me a bit to get into Little Bandaged Days for two main reasons. Bit confusing only having initials for the family characters, E, B and M and not having a name for my companion on this rather tense journey.
The unnamed narrator was rather unnerving. The more I read the more concerned I was for her welfare and that of her young children. But then Part 2 kicks off … that takes my nerves up a gear. What the hell happened between the summer and January??! And then I get more of these seriously uncomfortable insights into someone’s rather disturbing mind. I could feel my whole body tense up with apprehension as what was to come.
Little Bandaged Days is a tough and disturbing read. Its slow pace added to the unnerviness and tension. The interludes of the future break some of the monotony of normal life which isn’t a boring life. I was filled with fear as my narrator gradually lost her grip on reality and her actions became more erratic. I’m not sure quite what I make of this debut from Wilder. Her writing is such that I felt on edge throughout . I don’t know if it was my maternal instinct kicking in as my fear for the two innocents rose or whether it was Wilder playing with a psychological narrative. I wouldn’t say this was an enjoyable read, it was uncomfortable and unnerving. I’d be interested to see what Wilder writes next.
November 27, 2019
I received a copy of this book from Pan Macmillan via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. At this moment in time having just finished it my mind is just going WOW and wondering how to review the book. I have had some serious blah books lately but this has just washed away all the boredom associated with them.
We never get to know the names of the main character, her husband and children are referred to merely in initials; in fact very few of the characters in the book are named. This give it a a cadence of it own, abrupt and abbreviated narrative just adds to that (can i say here I don't feel as if i am using the right words) Our MC has moved to Switzerland with her husband for his career. As he becomes increasingly busy - with work or maybe not - we see her spiral downwards into what may be post natal depression or some deeper psychosis. Every corner holds some fear for her she is only able to live on the most basic of levels, sometimes not even that. As the book progresses the storyline splits between her home and a place of detention, who is in this place and why is never explicitly stated although this reader made several guesses and indeed changed her mind from time to time.
I think the beauty of this book is not in what it says but in what it holds beneath the surface of those words and what the reader can see through the lines. I felt a creeping fear or dread as I read this almost in one sitting and when the phone rang with just a few pages to go I was more than ruffled to have to put it down.
What a fabulous debut I want more from this author
We never get to know the names of the main character, her husband and children are referred to merely in initials; in fact very few of the characters in the book are named. This give it a a cadence of it own, abrupt and abbreviated narrative just adds to that (can i say here I don't feel as if i am using the right words) Our MC has moved to Switzerland with her husband for his career. As he becomes increasingly busy - with work or maybe not - we see her spiral downwards into what may be post natal depression or some deeper psychosis. Every corner holds some fear for her she is only able to live on the most basic of levels, sometimes not even that. As the book progresses the storyline splits between her home and a place of detention, who is in this place and why is never explicitly stated although this reader made several guesses and indeed changed her mind from time to time.
I think the beauty of this book is not in what it says but in what it holds beneath the surface of those words and what the reader can see through the lines. I felt a creeping fear or dread as I read this almost in one sitting and when the phone rang with just a few pages to go I was more than ruffled to have to put it down.
What a fabulous debut I want more from this author
October 30, 2020
Little Bandaged Days follows Erika, mother of two, moving to Geneva, Switzerland with her husband.
The books takes a rather strange construct, with Erika identifying and interacting with other people by using their initials - including her children. I suppose this is some kind of experiment about Erika pushing people away, but it got fairly annoying the deeper into the book I made it. These sorts of literary experiments can be done well and give a good payoff at the end, but this book fell short for me.
Erika doesn't know the language, and makes no effort at all to learn it. She allows herself to become more and more isolated from the world in which she finds herself, and while I get it's supposed to be about a woman slowly losing her grasp on her own mental health, I just can't feel terribly sorry for anyone who knows they need to change x in their lives in order to have a better life, but makes zero effort to change anything at all to get to that betterment, or at least make progress on it.
This popped up for me in the mystery/thriller category, but it's clearly a general/women's fiction novel. It reads as if someone stepped up for a dare of writing about a woman spiraling into mental illness with the extra challenge of not naming names.
I did not like the ending, which I will not spoil, and this really sums up my review of this book: didn't like it. Clearly, it was not for me. Sorry.
Two stars out of five.
Thanks to Abrams and NetGalley for the review copy.
The books takes a rather strange construct, with Erika identifying and interacting with other people by using their initials - including her children. I suppose this is some kind of experiment about Erika pushing people away, but it got fairly annoying the deeper into the book I made it. These sorts of literary experiments can be done well and give a good payoff at the end, but this book fell short for me.
Erika doesn't know the language, and makes no effort at all to learn it. She allows herself to become more and more isolated from the world in which she finds herself, and while I get it's supposed to be about a woman slowly losing her grasp on her own mental health, I just can't feel terribly sorry for anyone who knows they need to change x in their lives in order to have a better life, but makes zero effort to change anything at all to get to that betterment, or at least make progress on it.
This popped up for me in the mystery/thriller category, but it's clearly a general/women's fiction novel. It reads as if someone stepped up for a dare of writing about a woman spiraling into mental illness with the extra challenge of not naming names.
I did not like the ending, which I will not spoil, and this really sums up my review of this book: didn't like it. Clearly, it was not for me. Sorry.
Two stars out of five.
Thanks to Abrams and NetGalley for the review copy.
October 14, 2019
My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Pan Macmillan - Picador, for the ARC.
I'm afraid this really wasn't for me; from the description I thought it would be much more of a 'story', whereas the narrative conveys, in interminable detail, the almost 'depraved' decent into madness of a young mother.
Erika, with husband 'M' and 2 young children 'B' and 'E' move to Switzerland for 'M's job. He's missing more and more from their rented apartment, you never find out what he actually does and he seems to be oblivious to his wife's mental decline. Erika is at first enchanted by the move but not speaking French tends to leave her isolated. She wants to be the perfect wife and mother but as she dwells on this she begins to lose her identity and she neglects her children, barricades them for hours in the apartment under the pretext of games and feeds them bizarre combinations of snacks and drinks.
The narrative is split between Then and Now - where the reader has to assume that Erika is in an asylum, locked into her own thoughts.
Frankly, after skimming a lot of the book just to get to the ending, having reached it - I still have no idea what actually happened.
I'm afraid this really wasn't for me; from the description I thought it would be much more of a 'story', whereas the narrative conveys, in interminable detail, the almost 'depraved' decent into madness of a young mother.
Erika, with husband 'M' and 2 young children 'B' and 'E' move to Switzerland for 'M's job. He's missing more and more from their rented apartment, you never find out what he actually does and he seems to be oblivious to his wife's mental decline. Erika is at first enchanted by the move but not speaking French tends to leave her isolated. She wants to be the perfect wife and mother but as she dwells on this she begins to lose her identity and she neglects her children, barricades them for hours in the apartment under the pretext of games and feeds them bizarre combinations of snacks and drinks.
The narrative is split between Then and Now - where the reader has to assume that Erika is in an asylum, locked into her own thoughts.
Frankly, after skimming a lot of the book just to get to the ending, having reached it - I still have no idea what actually happened.
January 23, 2021
Maybe it's a side-effect of reading this book in lockdown, but I found Little Bandaged Days intensely claustrophobic. The depiction of isolation, of slowly recessing deeper into the shadows of your own mind, felt so real, I found it almost hard to read, as if I might be swept along with it.
Wilder has a wonderful way with words: it's the kind of prose you could spend hours unpicking. The plot is pretty predictable - you know from the start how it's going to end - but in many ways this inevitability only makes the denouement more poignant.
Compelling and oppressive, Little Bandaged Days is a smart exploration of the self-destructive selflessness of motherhood.
*Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review*
Wilder has a wonderful way with words: it's the kind of prose you could spend hours unpicking. The plot is pretty predictable - you know from the start how it's going to end - but in many ways this inevitability only makes the denouement more poignant.
Compelling and oppressive, Little Bandaged Days is a smart exploration of the self-destructive selflessness of motherhood.
*Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review*
April 15, 2021
I struggled with this one a good bit. There were plenty of instances that I connected with as a mother, seemingly living solely for the benefit of your children. The mental health repercussions of that emotional toll can be life altering, it just didn’t connect with me. I am still very confused with many parts of the book, and I spent a good bit of it wondering why secondary characters were given names, but the mother, husband and children were either never named in the book or only called by initials. I am sure there is a reason, but I would have connected a bit more to the characters if I at least knew their names. Because of this, I felt much more connected to Nell, Aurelie, and even to the boss’ wife.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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