Book Review: "Happy and You Know It" by Laura Hankin
“Happy and You Know It” by Laura Hankin
Synopsis: A dark, witty page-turner about a struggling young musician who takes a job singing for a playgroup of overprivileged babies and their effortlessly cool moms, only to find herself pulled into their glamorous lives and dangerous secrets....
After her former band shot to superstardom without her, Claire reluctantly agrees to a gig as a playgroup musician for wealthy infants on New York's Park Avenue. Claire is surprised to discover that she is smitten with her new employers, a welcoming clique of wellness addicts with impossibly shiny hair, who whirl from juice cleanse to overpriced miracle vitamins to spin class with limitless energy.
There is perfect hostess Whitney who is on the brink of social-media stardom and just needs to find a way to keep her flawless life from falling apart. Caustically funny, recent stay-at-home mom Amara who is struggling to embrace her new identity. And old money, veteran mom Gwen who never misses an opportunity to dole out parenting advice. But as Claire grows closer to the stylish women who pay her bills, she uncovers secrets and betrayals that no amount of activated charcoal can fix.
Filled with humor and shocking twists, Happy and You Know It is a brilliant take on motherhood - exposing it as yet another way for society to pass judgment on women - while also exploring the baffling magnetism of curated social-media lives that are designed to make us feel unworthy. But, ultimately, this dazzling novel celebrates the unlikely bonds that form, and the power that can be unlocked, when a group of very different women is thrown together when each is at her most vulnerable.
Rating (out of 5): 4
Trigger warnings: drug use, adultery
Review: I have to admit, I love a book about rich people behaving badly, especially if its set on the prestigious Upper East Side — what can I say, I watched way too much Gossip Girl at a formative age. So, obviously, I added this one to my Book of the Month box when I read the description — wealthy moms gone awry? Sign me up.
This story centers around a New York mom’s playgroup, bringing together all kinds of people you would assume would be in such a group: the reluctant SAHM, the aspiring mommy blogger, the earth mama, the picture perfect second-time mom, and of course, the musician they hired to entertain their kids on a weekly basis. At least, the first few chapters feed into those stereotypes; as you get further into the novel, everything is turned on its head, and things get crazy. There’s adultery, there’s drug use, there’s moms behaving badly, and honestly, there’s a giant twist that I did not see coming at all.
The best part of the book, for me, were the amazing characters that Laura Hankin created; the novel switches through multiple perspectives, so we are able to see into the heads of all the main characters - Claire, Whitney, Amara, and Gwen. Each of them were so complex and so relatable, even as they did things I could never imagine. Well, maybe not one of them — I can’t say more than that because I don’t want to spoil the ending, but I need you all to read this so that we can talk about the aha moment, okay?
Beyond that, I loved the look at motherhood from all perspectives. I’m not a mom (one day, hopefully), but I read enough blogs to know that being a mom right now is fraught — you have the pressures of social media, compounded with very public mom shaming regarding personal decisions. Whitney, Amara, and Gwen were drastically different women who happened to have children around the same age, and their challenges were so different. I personally related the most to Amara (as I bet most of you will), but even when all of them were showing their worst sides, I found them sympathetic and likable.
Plus! The last 50 pages or so were quite a ride. I can’t get into more than that here because you need to go on that ride for yourself, but wow, was I surprised and shocked and all the superlatives. I wasn’t sure how the book would get wrapped up — I had a guess, but I was only like 12% right. The ending of this book is the perfect conclusion to this modern mom fable, and it will make you both laugh and think — and maybe be appreciative if you don’t live on the UES.
TL;DR: A well-paced, darkly funny look at modern motherhood in opulent circumstances — perfect quick read for these times, especially with a chilled glass of white wine.
If You Liked This, Try These:
“The Herd” by Andi Bartz (Moira’s review here!)
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