A lot of folks raved about this book. Not trying to sound all contrary, but I do not understand what the appeal is here. I am vexed.
The plot is pretty easily summarized. Molly, a neuroatypical woman, was abandoned by her mother who suffered from drug addiction. She is raised by her grandmother and follows in her footsteps, when she graduates from high school, and becomes a maid. Extremely disciplined and focused on cleanliness, Molly is perfectly cut out for her occupation at a high end hotel in a unnamed large city. Very literal and not good with social cues, Molly is an easy scapegoat for law enforcement and those looking to shift blame when a high profile guest of the hotel is found dead in his room.
I need to address the rampant comparison of this novel to Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. This is not Eleanor Oliphant. That was a terrific book about a traumatized neuroatypical woman. Eleanor’s voice was authentic and believable. Molly reads more like a female mash up of Rainman & Forrest Gump catapulted into the middle of an Agatha Christie novel. Now, throw in some cheesy 1980’s movie style drug trade, Canadians (I think?) who speak like the below stairs cast of a BBC television series, and a pretty uncomfortable portrayl of a Mexican immigrant and there you have it. Again, I really, really just don’t understand. I found a lot of this book to be borderline offensive, honestly. I spent a good portion of my time being angry while I read it.
On a lighter note, The Maid is a love letter to the Olive Garden. (That may be the craziest sentence I have ever written in a book review, but I stand by it). Also, I have never read the phrase “in flagrante” so many times in my life.
