Yesteryear

Caro Claire Burke’s new novel has received a lot of buzz. The  reviews describe it as a story about a successful tradwife influencer with millions of followers who suddenly finds herself thrown into living the 1880s life she has been promoting so vigorously online. Natalie lives on a farm with her perfect husband and children and creates an online rural bliss lifestyle that is the envy of many (although there are a few detractors who see her as a handmaiden to a conservative right agenda). Her successful cottagecore brand resonates with women who are feeling the pressure of modern life. It has also made her family wealthy. But when the curtain behind the online idyll is lifted we learn that tradwifedom is not as effortless nor as perfect as Natalie makes it seem. 

Then, without explanation, Natalie wakes up one morning living on an actual 1880s frontier farm and having a passel of kids, a brutish husband and suddenly cooking every meal from scratch loses its allure.

It was a good summer read but if you’re looking for depth you won’t find it here. It strains belief and the characters are all as unreal as Natalie’s perfect online life.