Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke is a darkly funny, satirical thriller about Natalie, a wealthy tradwife influencer who mysteriously wakes up in what appears to be pioneer-era 1855.

I loved almost everything about this novel. Natalie is a wickedly flawed protagonist who manages her Insta-perfect life with military precision, while her inner monologue reveals a disturbingly hypocritical woman who is both relatable and deeply unreliable.

Today’s influencer families often appear impossibly perfect, curating lives many people aspire to. Natalie has built an empire on that illusion. She knows it’s all a performance, yet we can’t seem to get enough of her. Whether you’re rooting for her or revelling in her inevitable downfall, she’s impossible to look away from.

The novel’s greatest mystery is Natalie’s journey through time. Is it real? She quickly dismisses the predictable idea that she’s trapped in a reality show, and from that point Burke offers readers very few clues about how Natalie ended up in 1855. I found that uncertainty compelling, even if the ending felt a little abrupt and rushed. Still, it landed on a resolution that was believable enough to satisfy.

Overall, Yesteryear is a thoroughly entertaining novel that offers sharp social satire alongside plenty of suspense.

It’s an engaging read that leaves you with more than a few questions about identity, performance and the lives we choose to present to the world.