The Perfect Nanny by Leila Slimani

The Perfect Nanny by Leïla Slimani

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
The Perfect Nanny by Leila Slimani

January 2018
Book club, fiction
Penguin Publishing
(Translated, original pub 2016 France
Also under title Lullaby by Faber&Faber 2018 USA)
Rating: 3.5/5

Although it was obvious how the book would end given the first line in the book. I was disappointed with the abrupt ending. I didn’t mind the lack of explanation which is left for reader to decipher. It was just they way it seemingly just ended in the way it started. I’m sure it was meant to be that way, to leave you still thinking about it. From what I understand this book was a result of an actual event which occurred in US and not France the setting of the story. Disturbing non the less.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/p...

Paul and Myriam (Charfa) Masses are a married couple living in France trying to adjust to life with 2 small children. They are no longer the carefree couple who were free to enjoy life in a whim. As much as Myriam loves her children, Adam and Mila, she yearns for the excitement her career as an attorney provided. Paul is an artist and musician who is content to return to work with his wife caring for the children.

The couple decide to hire a nanny when life as a stay at home mother becomes more than Myriam can handle. They eventually hire Louise who seemed to be “perfect” in every way, working above their expectations. The family begins to treat Louise as part of the family even including her on a family vacation.

The drama unfolds as the story of Louise is revealed and her troubled past. This perfect nanny is grieving many losses in her life including the death of her husband Jacques and estrangement from her daughter Stephanie. Of course her mental instability stems as far back as her own childhood.

Unfortunately, Louise is able to overcompensate for her insecurities so well that she becomes so enmeshed in people’s lives they don’t realize how toxic she is until the damage has been done.

https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-per...