Sweat marks a change in direction for this author

  • Book: Sweat
  • Location: London
  • Author: Emma Healey

Review Author: Tina Hartas

Location

Content

This novel is penned by the hugely successful author of Elisabeth is Missing and is quite a change in direction. I think my first observation is that I would not choose to buy a novel titled “Sweat”. Anyway, Cassie finished her relationship with Liam because finally she understood what it meant to be the less powerful person in a controlling relationship and managed to make her escape.

He now turns up at her gym but he has lost his sight and she espies an opportunity to get her revenge. She introduces herself as Steph (don’t her professional colleagues notice that she is using a pseudonym with one client, what happens if he rings in to change an appoint with “Steph” when she is known throughout the gym as Cassie? I don’t know how that would work). How does she get her revenge? Well, at one point they are out having a meal and she pours hand sanitiser into his food….

There are flashbacks to his behaviour, he had utter control over her food intake, passing off his behaviour in terms of ‘care for her well-being’. She is hugely compliant and this is the overwhelming character trait that then leaves no room for character development. We have glimpses of her mother’s undermining and dismissive attitude (a bit hackneyed) which is used as a vehicle to demonstrate that she is susceptible to engaging with that kind of behaviour.

It is sometimes not altogether clear whether the short chapters are set in the present, where she is Steph, or in the past when she is Cassie and in a relationship with Liam.

The novel has a good pace and I did want to find out how the story would pan out. It does give a glimpse of the lengths a controlling partner will go to.

The law changed in 2015 – coercive and controlling behaviour became recognised as a criminal offence. In real life,  Sally Channen killed her husband in 2010 and she was sent to prison, despite years of suffering controlling acts at the hands of her husband. Once the law changed, she won an appeal and was released. Given the ending of this novel, I feel that this is a novel that anyone who is suffering at the hands of a coercively controlling partner, would not benefit from reading this because it is deflating and demoralising, given the ending. So it feels like a disservice to anyone trying to get out of an abusive relationship.

The setting of London is not strong.

I read this novel for the Grazia Book Club February 2025 and this is the review I submitted:

Sweat marks a change of direction for Emma Healey, following the phenomenal success of her previous novel. The story is set in and around a gym where Cassie encounters her ex, a master of coercive control, but the proverbial boot is now firmly on the other foot. This novel is an exploration of controlling behaviour centred around food, coupled with revenge and set within a loosely woven storyline.

Back to book

Sign up to receive our e-newsletter

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.