The Dangerous Husband by Jane Shapiro.
A novel filled with very, wickedly funny dark humor. An artistic Manhattan photographer and an artistic writer fall in love after a blind date set up.
Part 1 is the longest third of the book as they meet, fall in love, marry, and then get to know what each other is really like. Infatuation meets Reality. It can be brutal, as you can imagine.
The narrator is the wife who's name is never revealed. During infatuation he is so sweet and funny and charming. Later reality reveals his aggravating clumsiness, absent mindedness, clutter, chaotic aura and other grating foibles. First disenchantment, then frustrating embarassment, then fear. As time goes on, his destructiveness becomes outright dangerous with extensive injuries to himself and others. Towards the end of Part I I was in agony as to why she continues to subject herself to the painful life he's immersed in daily. She struggles because she still gleans that he means so well, he's so sincere and loving in his actions. The problem is execution.
Although, at times I wonder a little about the pure sanctity of the narrator from the things she says. No doubt a dangerous husband, but keep in mind we're hearing the story from her. Keep your eye on her as well.
In Part II the unnamed wife finally decides she needs to look at her options and either leave this man in order to save herself, or perhaps she should kill him before he kills her. This is a very entertaining section as she writhes in her decisions and reflections of her different options. Especially interesting is when at one point she wonders why does she feel murdering her husband is even an option when she can just leave him. She decides that she believes fervently in marrying for life . . . until death does us part. And so she has to stay with her commitment until a death, preferably his. Then she wonders if she's supporting a healthy personal mindset when taken to its extreme. I told you - dark humor that is very funny.
In Part III our wifely protagonist, or is she the antagonist, reconciles herself to a solution.
The ending is a delicious twist!
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