The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson vs The Mad Wife: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Romance
Side by side
The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson
Orphan Train meets Before We Were Yours meets Water for Elephants in this compelling multigenerational novel of survival, love, and the families we make. In 1924, four-year-old Cecily Larson’s mother reluctantly drops…
vs
The Mad Wife
THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERFrom bestselling author Meagan Church comes a haunting exploration of identity, motherhood, and the suffocating grip of societal expectations that will leave you questioning the…
The verdict
- Ratings are close across the board — any is a safe pick by score.
- The Mad Wife is the quickest read — about 5 hours vs 8 for The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson.
- The Mad Wife has the widest readership — 173928 ratings behind its score.
- The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson runs the darker storyline; The Mad Wife stays the lighter read.
How to choose
Want a one-evening read?
The Mad Wife
≈ 5h vs 8h for The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson
Want the crowd-tested pick?
The Mad Wife
173928 ratings vs 18193 for The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson
In the mood for something dark?
The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson
a darker storyline than The Mad Wife
Want something lighter?
The Mad Wife
an easier tone than The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson
Scores by source
| The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson | The Mad Wife | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 3.9 (18193) | 3.9 (173928) |
| Hardcover | 3.7 (12) | 3.7 (65) |
| Apple Books | 4.0 (107) | 4.0 (489) |
Reception
| The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson | The Mad Wife | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 18193 | 173928 |
| Want to read | 73460 | — |
| Reading it now | 1357 | — |
| Written reviews | 2014 | — |
| Pages | 432 | 321 |