Summer Cannibals

I was hoping for an easy breezy summer read, the kind of escape you can get into by the pool.
Melanie Hobson's first novel wasn't exactly that. We were "tricked" with a pleasant beginning, an idyllic description of the large family house. But then we meet David in chapter 2.  

There is so much hostility in the Blackford family, it's a dominant part of each personality.
David is an outright asshole. He's "resigned" to women: is forever lamenting over how hurt he is that he had three daughters, and figured getting married would mean regular sex. Certainly not in the least, he's abusive he to his wife. Other snippets into his far from redeeming personality include his insulting views on Africans, and how he looks down on the modest homes on his street. So yeah, there was nothing likable about main character David. 

Margaret is unhappy with David, who she thinks is always trying to best and outmaneuver her. She resents how deeply he sleeps, as she sleeps very little. And no wonder, for Margaret has a disturbing secret. Her life is filled with betrayal and cruelty. She has a lukewarm, often curt manner with her children. She is a victim, but her twisted relationship with her husband comes to a head after a garden tour gone awry. Hobson delves into her troubled psyche to reveal why she does what she does.
Her choice of cake that she's constantly making that weekend is interesting. Fruitcake, particularly in the summer, isn't what most people crave. Margaret seems to makes it out of obligation, just like how it's eaten.  

Daughter Jax has a perfect family that others envy, but she is intent on hurting her husband. Her quest to be unfaithful to him gives her a spoiled and ungrateful image. 

Pitiful pregnant Pippa is disillusioned with motherhood and her all male home. She too was a victim, taken advantage of in her vulnerable teens.  

Eldest daughter Georgina tries to keep it all together. She's the stable one. But as with most responsible types, she puts up a good front. 

I couldn't find anything redeeming about any of the family members, although I did get satisfaction and relief in how it ended for Margaret and Pippa.
I'm glad I read Summer Cannibals, for the simple fact of being grateful that I didn't live in such a household! 

I received Summer Cannibals in a GoodReads giveaway. 

Until next time,

Kara