Published in 1922, This Freedom follows Rosalie, a bright, determined young woman who rejects the traditional path laid out for her. She becomes a successful businesswoman in London, valuing her independence above all else. She marries and has children, but she approaches motherhood with the same detached efficiency she uses in her office, believing she can perfectly compartmentalize her life. The central drama comes from the slow, painful unraveling of that belief, as her family life suffers from her absence and her rigid ideals.

Why You Should Read It

This book hit me hard. It’s easy to see Rosalie as cold, but Hutchinson makes you understand her desperate need for self-determination in a world that offered women so little. You feel her pride in her work and her genuine, if misguided, conviction in her system. The tragedy isn't that she wants a career; it's that the society of her time—and her own uncompromising nature—makes it nearly impossible to blend that with a happy family. It’s a painfully relevant read, asking questions we still debate today about work, sacrifice, and what we give up for the lives we choose.

Final Verdict

Perfect for anyone who loves complex, flawed characters and stories that don't offer easy answers. If you enjoyed the moral dilemmas in books like Madame Bovary or the social scrutiny of an Edith Wharton novel, but set in a more modern, post-WWI England, you’ll find this fascinating. Be prepared—it’s not a light read, but it’s a powerful and thought-provoking one.