Meredith (Trying to catch up!)'s Reviews > The Maid

A State of Perfection

“I am your maid. I know so much about you. But when it comes down to it: what is it that you know about me.”

The Maid is a compelling and quirky mystery about the death of a prominent hotel guest and the maid who finds his body.

25-year-old Molly Gray is proud to be a maid at The Grand Regency Hotel. She finds pleasure in returning hotel rooms back into states of perfection. Cleaning brings her joy, which has been lacking in her life since her Gran died several months ago. Molly enjoys her job--not only because she is good at it, but also because it allows her to be invisible, enabling her to see the guests and the workers at the Regency Grand in a different way. Molly doesn’t understand all that she sees, as she sees the world in a different way than others.

“Freak. Robot. Roomba. Awkward. Standoffish. Neat freak. Weirdo.” These are the words that some of Molly’s co-workers use to describe her. Molly is different, and her difference is not something they understand, so they label her as someone less than. Thankfully, there are a few good eggs in the mix who see Molly for who she is.

The mystery of the murdered hotel guest was interesting, but it in no way is the reason to read this book. Molly Gray, a.k.a Molly Maid, is the star of The Maid.

Narrated solely by Molly, the reader gets a glimpse of Molly’s world through her eyes. Molly’s character is refreshing. I loved her voice, and as Molly would tell you, she has a way with words. We learn about the intricacies of returning a room to a state of perfection and how the orderly nature of clearing helps calm and guide her in a disorderly world. We learn how she feels invisible, how she is lonely, and how she struggles to connect with others. I enjoyed reading Molly’s reflections on the wonderful woman who raised her. Her relationship with her Gran is my absolute favorite and had me in tears.

In addition to Molly, there is a lovely cast of characters, with a few scoundrels mixed in. The voice of her deceased Gran is heard throughout. There is also Mr. Preston and Juan Manuel, amongst others, who make an impact on Molly.

Touching on themes of difference, invisibility, identity, and voice, as well as friendship, love, and family, I absolutely loved this book! Molly is a character that I will not forget anytime soon. This is my first 5-star read of 2o21 (it's about time)!

“The more you live, the more you learn. People are a mystery that can never be solved. Life has a way of sorting itself out. Everything will be ok in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.”

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Random House Publishing/Ballantine Books in exchange for an honest review.