From the bestselling author of The Radio Hour comes this charming but pointed look at the tumultuous extraordinary decade of the 1960s, and the effects of the pill, rebellion and new ideas on ordinary Australian women as alongside shorter skirts and the Beatles, they embrace freedom…
1960s Adelaide: The Langley family – Olive, Len and their two daughters, twenty-year-old Cathy and ten-year-old Evelyn – live a peaceful suburban life, although Grandma Langley turns up each Sunday lunch like a bad fairy to castigate them for their dubious morals.
Cathy, training to be a teacher, thinks women have it tough. No sex until marriage, then no work, child after child and the sacrifice of their desires to church, husband and family. Cathy is determined not to marry right away. Once married, it’s all over. A life no longer her own. Young Evelyn wants to be a fairy princess … until she sees for herself the price women pay for such dreams.
When the new contraceptive pill arrives women can suddenly sense freedom. But powerful forces are aligned against women’s reproductive choice and a fight begins. A fight that takes on their own doctors, the might of the Catholic church, and the outdated morality of previous generations.
(4/5)
The Marriage Trap is a historical fiction novel set in the 1960s in Adelaide, Australia, centering on the Langley family and the shifting expectations placed on women during a decade of social upheaval. The story explores puberty, sex, marriage, gender roles, the influence of the Catholic church, and the arrival of the contraceptive pill – an innovation that challenged entrenched cultural, medical, and religious expectations
The novel follows three generations of women – particularly Cathy and her younger sister Evelyn – as they confront the realities of womanhood in a restrictive era. Cathy resists the expectation that marriage will define her life, while broader societal forces (family, community, church, and medical authority) push back against female autonomy
The 1960s setting isn’t just background – it shapes every decision the characters make. The tension between tradition and change feels authentic and immediate, as do the impact of historical events such as the assassination of President Kennedy, The Beatles’ trip to Australia, the introduction of decimal currency, and more
The Marriage Trap is a thoughtful, emotionally engaging novel that blends personal stories with broader historical change. While it may not reinvent the genre, its Australian setting and focus on reproductive freedom give it a distinct and meaningful edge.
The novel tackles serious issues – gender inequality, reproductive rights, and societal pressure – with clarity, whilst highlighting “personal and moving insights” into the limited roles available to women at the time
By showing different ages and viewpoints within one family, the story highlights how attitudes evolve (or resist change). This layered approach adds emotional depth.
At its core, the book is about choice, or the lack of it, and how even small acts of resistance can have lasting consequences
In my opinion, stories about women’s liberation in the 1960s are common. Readers of similar novels (e.g. Lessons in Chemistry) may find some of the themes predictable, but I did enjoy this book.