Review: Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

I’d noted the hype for Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke for awhile before I chose to read it myself. I grabbed it after reading the synopsis on NetGalley when it was readily available for reviewers. I’m always somewhat skeptical of books that receive this kind of attention, but Yesteryear is the real deal.

Natalie is living her best life, what many women might even call the dream. She’s a highly influential tradwife with a huge following on Instagram and an enterprise beginning to accrue quite a net worth. She has a perfect, large family. Until she wakes up one day and seems to be back in the 1800s. Everything seems somewhat familiar, but different somehow. She can’t figure out if she’s really traveled back in time, is the unwitting star of a terrifying reality TV show, or is being tested by some deity. All she knows is that she needs to escape.

The author has done a tremendous job of creating the character Natalie. She is definitely well-rounded. Although she’s not always very likeable, I found I was able to relate to some of the things she experienced with life, childbirth, and marriage. The rest of the characters, fittingly, come off a bit like background props in “Natalie’s World,” which, of course, is exactly what the author is going for. Some of them were quite interesting.

Burke writes in a style that is voice first, modern, irreverent, cynical, intimate, fast-moving, and socially sharp. It’s darkly funny with biting satire. She uses accessible prose with pointed social commentary in a way that is both psychologically incisive and emotionally candid. As the book progresses, the writing grows more tense, propulsive, and increasingly unhinged. It’s truly delicious.

A reviewer I highly respect noted in her review that the ending fell a bit flat for her. I can definitely see why she felt that way. I’d even agree, it does fall flat and most definitely isn’t what I expected or wanted. Nonetheless, the story blew my mind and left me thinking, “What in the world did I just read?”

Readers, if you appreciate sharp social satire, Yesteryear is for you. I highly recommend this book if you like books that mess with your assumptions and enjoy morally messy characters. This book is definitely “big author intent, but it lands,” much like The Handmaid’s Tale. I’d also liken it a bit to The Push by Ashley Audrain, in regards to motherhood discomfort, unreliable emotional terrain, and bleak psychological tension. If you enjoyed either, or both, of these titles, I’m quite certain you’ll find something to enjoy with Yesteryear.

Nerd Rating: 🤓🤓🤓🤓🤓— darkly satirical and completely bonkers in the best way

Let’s Discuss:

What’s a book that left you staring at the wall wondering, “What did I just read?”

Visit this site to learn more about Yesteryear and Caro Claire Burke.

I read a digital copy made available by Knopf through NetGalley, and this review reflects my honest opinion.