Yesteryear was a wild rollercoaster from start to finish. It’s incredibly written and pulls you deep into the depths of Natalie’s story. I’m calling it now, I think this is going to be one of the books of the year.
This is such a strong debut. I found myself utterly hooked by the writing and the concept—I mean, a tradwife suddenly wakes up in the period her life romanticises is a hook that will make you pick the book up. The way Caro Claire Burke explores the fabrication of Natalie’s carefully constructed lifestyle and the chain of events that have lead up to this moment is masterful. It is nuanced and layered and lets you understand Natalie’s motivations, even as you may not agree with them. She delves into the societal ideas around tradwives, the popular conceptions associated with the lifestyle and the political implications. The way Natalie’s choices intersect with the political ambitions and trajectory of her wider family stay with you because of how chillingly relevant they are. Every choice is a carefully thought out move in a complicated game of power and privilege.
This is of course turned on its head with the return to these olden days, the sheer physical struggle to survive and the harsh establishment of these patriarchal roles in sharper focus than modern day. You can empathise with Natalie’s complete disorientation, matched by the reader as we find our feet in these alternating timelines. I liked how Burke echoes similar themes across the timelines, showing the parallels between the differing times and cultures. The influence of patriarchy is keenly felt in both but just in different ways. Natalie as a person is often complicit in reinforcing this culture and standards. Some of the twisted humour lands in her battles with other commenters on the Internet and how her chosen path in life has affected her relationships with her family. There are plenty of intriguing things to discover along the way, but I’ll leave those to you to uncover.
At the centre of it all is Natalie. She is unquestionably a complicated character and one that will polarise readers. Her passion and determination to achieve her goals by any means is horrifying at times and Burke is unequivocal in showcasing the effects this has on the rest of her family. This is in sharpest focus with the exploration of children in influencer culture, particularly family content, and the effects this has on them. For me, this was one of the strongest aspects of the story and one where I could feel the rage bubbling over from the page. There is plenty to think about in here but that aspect truly stayed with me. You get that sense of the curtain being pulled back in the scenes around the content creation and seeing just how artfully curated this seemingly ‘authentic’ content is. The flip into this nightmarish return to the old ways is incredible and keeps you glued to the pages. You simply have to know what is going on and how it all came together. The way Burke constructs this story is incredible and shows an impressive and distinctive flair.
This is a breathtaking book and one that lingers with you long after the final page. I am so excited for it to finally be published so I can discuss it with people. It’s the type of book that you desperately want to dissect with a friend. Without giving anything away, the twists are so brilliant and underscore the central themes in unexpected and thought-provoking ways. The way Burke has chosen to tackle these timely themes is nothing short of inspired.
Yesteryear is sure to be one of the most talked about books of the year and you do not want to miss out on this conversation. It is a real gut-punch, feels incredibly timely and is just an unforgettable story.
Yesteryear is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, Waterstones, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.
Will you be picking up Yesteryear? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis
‘My name is Natalie Heller Mills, and I was perfect at being alive…’
Natalie lives a traditional lifestyle – and her followers are sick with envy. Her charming farmhouse on her working ranch is artfully cluttered, her husband is a handsome cowboy, her homemade sourdough boules are each more beautiful than the last. So what if there are nannies and producers and industrial-grade ovens behind the scenes? What her followers don’t know won’t hurt them.
Then, one morning, Natalie wakes up in a strange, horrible version of reality. Her home, her husband, her children—they’re all familiar, but something’s off. Is this a hoax? A reality show? A test from God? Natalie knows just two things for sure: this isn’t her perfect life, and she must escape, by any means possible.
As darkly funny as it is shocking and gripping, Yesteryear is an electrifying examination of tradition, fame, faith and the grand performance of womanhood, from a thrilling new talent in fiction.
