“The Husbands” is an impressive debut novel from author Holly Gramazio. Gramazio’s story may initially come across as science fiction but is quickly revealed to be a charming, funny, thought-provoking story about the complexities of relationships, personal choice, and the pursuit of an ideal partner.
Single to Married in a Moment
After a “hen party” night to celebrate a friend’s upcoming wedding, Lauren finds a pajama-wearing stranger named Michael in her flat. He claims to be her husband. The problem is, she’s single and has never seen this man before.Before she can dial the police or scream for help, she notices that her home has significantly changed since she left that afternoon. The decor is different—she remembers some items, but other pieces are new, including pictures of her with Michael as a happy couple on the walls.
Even stranger, just before the battery dies, the screen saver on her phone shows the two of them embracing. Still drunk from the party but now seriously disoriented, she is at a loss for what to do. This Michael, whoever he is, is quite polite and passes off her behavior as someone who has had far too much to drink. He suggests that she should sleep it off, then trots off to the spare bedroom as any considerate husband might do.
An Adventure in Past Choices
After a few attempts to explain her situation to trusted confidants, like her good-looking neighbors Toby and Maryam or her sister Nat, she realizes that the task is impossible. She realizes that she won’t be believed and will be forced to seek some sort of medical care.
With no scientific education in quantum realities, Lauren is forced to try and determine the rules of her attic. She soon realizes that if a particular man is not to her liking, she can coerce him into the attic on some pretense, and voilà, he’s replaced with a new version. But, of course, a new husband comes with new challenges—including in the bedroom. Intimacy issues are, well, complex. Sometimes fun, sometimes very awkward.
Changing husbands occasionally means changing careers. She discovers that her newest life includes being the manager at a local hardware store, but she has no memory of how to do her job. After another husband swap, she’s shocked to find that her niece and nephew no longer exist.
An Exploration of Relationship Dynamics
Through the fantastical mechanism of the magic attic, “The Husbands” examines the allure and pitfalls of exploring multiple life possibilities. Lauren’s ability to swap husbands at will allows her to experience various lifestyles and relationship dynamics, each with its own expectations and compromises.This exploration forces her to confront her attitudes toward marriage and long-term commitment, particularly the notion of responsibility and effort required to sustain a relationship.
By the time of her friend Elena’s wedding, she’s settled on an American husband named Carter, who is, at the very least, an acceptable companion for the nuptials. But as the event progresses, she begins to suspect that he might actually be someone worth investing in. This leads to new questions about how she feels about marriage in the first place.
Lauren admits to herself that she never particularly “wanted a wedding, never planned or imagined it, never saved pictures” of dresses to a secret folder. But she always liked the feeling of a “mind made up.” She feels that if something goes wrong, she wants her first thought to be “How can I fix this?”
Well Worth the Read
“The Husbands” is a clever and engaging novel that uses a fantastical premise to explore deep-seated issues related to love, choice, and personal growth.Lauren’s evolution from a woman indulging in the freedom of interchangeable partners to someone who understands the value of commitment and the complexities of love offers a nuanced commentary on the human condition and the search for meaningful connection.
