Reading Yesteryear felt like stepping into a world that was both familiar and deeply unsettling. I could not help but think of the initial broad similarities to Octavia Butler’s Kindred. The novel follows Natalie Heller Mills, a woman who has built her entire identity around a carefully curated tradwife persona. Her farmhouse life, her marriage, her motherhood, even her sourdough, all exist as proof of her supposed perfection. Then she wakes up one morning in a version of her life that looks the same but feels completely wrong. From that moment the story becomes a psychological puzzle, one that grows stranger and more absorbing with every chapter.
The book blends elements of domestic fiction, psychological suspense and something almost speculative. I found the framework unlike anything I have read before. It is creative, unusual and at times disorienting, which works in its favour even when it becomes difficult to follow. The final twist arrives with real force, although I did feel the ending lost some of the emotional texture that had been building. Still, the journey there is gripping.
What stayed with me most were the themes. Burke digs into the performance of womanhood, the pressures of social media, the romanticising of pioneer life and the darker realities that sit beneath those glossy narratives. The book also touches on child abuse, postpartum psychosis and the way faith and nationalism can shape a woman’s sense of duty. Natalie is an unlikeable narrator in many ways, narcissistic and contradictory, yet I often found myself feeling sorry for her. She is a woman who has spent her life trying to inhabit a role that was never meant for her, and the cost of that becomes painfully clear.
I loved how propulsive the writing felt. Even though the book is fairly long, it read quickly because I was so invested in seeing how everything would unravel. It entertained me, frustrated me, made me anxious and kept me thinking long after I finished. Some sections were confusing, especially toward the end, but the confusion felt intentional, as if the reader is meant to unravel alongside Natalie.
I think this book will appeal to readers who enjoy character‑driven psychological fiction, unreliable narrators and stories that examine the darker side of modern womanhood. Anyone interested in influencer culture, tradwife discourse or the tension between authenticity and performance will find plenty to chew on.
Yesteryear is bold, thought provoking and surprisingly emotional. It may not land perfectly for every reader, but it is a story that I keep thinking about, and for me that is always the sign of something worthwhile.
Thank you to Exclusive Books for the opportunity to read this book!
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