All Men Would Be Tyrants If They Could, by Judie Mitchell, tells the story of two sisters, Abby and Connie, living in New England in the years leading up to the American Revolution. Abby is trapped in a marriage to John, a man who shifts between charm and cruelty, while Connie both supports her sister and struggles with her own feelings of powerlessness. Through their alternating voices, the book brings to life the injustice of coverture, the fragility of women’s independence, and the private rebellions of two women caught in a society that denies them a voice. It’s a work stitched together from historical truth, personal pain, and quiet defiance.

Reading it felt like stepping into a private diary. The language is simple but heavy with feeling. I found myself both frustrated and protective of Abby, who clings to hope that love might reform John even as his behavior worsens. Connie, meanwhile, became the heart of the story for me. Her quiet observations, her curiosity, her occasional small rebellions all carried an honesty that made me ache. At times, the writing made me uncomfortable in the best way. It didn’t let me slip into easy judgments; it forced me to feel the tangle of love, loyalty, and oppression that defined their lives.

I do feel that the repetition of John’s temper and Abby’s endurance sometimes dragged, though maybe that was the point. Abuse circles and grinds. The historical details were fascinating, but occasionally they crowded the page with information on trade goods or church sermons. Yet even in those slower sections, I sensed the author’s passion for uncovering the hidden lives of women, and that kept me turning pages.

Reading All Men Would Be Tyrants If They Could reminded me of The Handmaid’s Tale in how it exposes the quiet violence of patriarchy, though Mitchell roots her story in history rather than dystopia, making the injustice feel even more immediate. I’d recommend it to readers who enjoy historical fiction that leans close to lived experience, who want to feel the weight of the past pressing on the present, and who are willing to sit with discomfort in order to better understand the silenced women history tried to erase.

Pages: 312 | ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0FFR7BKXW