Death Do Us by Ruthy Mason: An engaging if uneven story
A review of Ruthy Mason's debut novel 'Death Do Us,' which uses the 'femgore' genre to critique the commercial wedding industry and the concept of marriage. The reviewer praises the atmospheric opening but notes that the narrative loses momentum due to a vague historical subplot.
Why it matters
The book reflects current cultural conversations regarding the 'tradwife' trend and the commodification of marriage.
The success of Oscar-winning film The Substance has led to a proliferation – or should that be an ooze? – of so-called “femgore”. London-based author Ruthy Mason’s debut novel, Death Do Us , falls into this category as it sets out to skewer marriage and the commercial wedding industry as a suffocating experience for women.
It begins with Bea, an archaeologist who is newly engaged to the handsome, kind and wealthy Jake. Everyone tells her how lucky she is, but Bea seems to be having an adverse reaction to the family heirloom engagement ring that Jake has given her.
Her ring finger is swollen and painful, and as the weeks and months go by, and the hunt for the perfect wedding dress and preparations for a giant hen party intensify, her symptoms increase to include hair loss, tooth loss and scaly skin patches.
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