The Full Matilda: A Novel Horror Book Review

Matilda Housewright hails from a long line of venerable and well-respected African American retainers—her family has been in “service” for generations, serving Washington, D.C. politicos and other upper-crust families. The daughter of the indispensable majordomo Jacob Housewright, Matilda grew up in the house of a powerful D.C. senator and learned how to be a hostess extraordinaire—and has perfected the art of service. . . . But after her father dies and she starts an ill-fated catering business with her brother, Matilda begins to question who she is and what, exactly, she’s serving. Told in the voices of the men in her life—with connecting interludes from Matilda, the reader indeed gets The Full Matilda, a glorious glimpse inside the intriguing life of a captivating woman in the midst of change as she maneuvers through a web of secrets, expectations, and worn-out social mores.

The Full Matilda is wickedly funny, but also bittersweet. David Haynes has created an unforgettably vibrant and intricate portrait of family, unquestioned duty, and the price of propriety as well as the enslavement that comes from clinging to the past. Haynes provides a rare glimpse into the tight-laced world of mores and manners, and the untold stories of the African American men and women who have quietly served the establishment for generations.