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thelibraryofanolive's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Abandonment, Pregnancy, Car accident, Child death, Infidelity, Grief, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent
Moderate: Murder, Alcohol, Violence, Sexual content, Stalking, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Blood
Minor: Abortion, Addiction, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Drug abuse, Excrement, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Dementia, and Confinement
lthumphrey's review against another edition
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Grief, Murder, Self harm, Emotional abuse, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Suicide, Violence, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
parker_rj's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Death, Blood, Child death, Mental illness, Suicide, and Self harm
marisabenn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Not a 5 star read because I both love and hate the ambiguity. I wanted to know what really happened, but that's not how the story is meant to be.
Graphic: Abandonment, Child death, Car accident, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Infidelity, Abortion, and Stalking
Minor: Bullying, Dementia, Self harm, Suicide, Abortion, and Miscarriage
batcaves's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Child death, Alcoholism, Infidelity, Mental illness, Addiction, Alcohol, Car accident, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Abortion, Blood, Death of parent, Death, Abandonment, Pregnancy, and Toxic relationship
her_little_library's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Grief, and Child death
Moderate: Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts
This book is very, very dark. There's a lot of horrific things that happen in detail and that come back up over the course of the book.eva_k's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
First of all, let me prefice this by saying, family oriented psychological thrillers arenât my thing. Like, at all. Before this, I have never picked one up and read beyond the blurb on the back cover. I even remember holding this very book in my hands one day and idly putting it back on the shelf because I did not think this would be a book I could enjoy.
However, this book has for some reason had such a grip on me from the very first sentence to the last one, and it has mostly to do with the authorâs absolutely brilliant writing style. Audrain has given her protagonist, Blythe, such a unique voice as she tells her story of her personal nightmare she finds herself in from the second she gives birth to her daughter. The story itself already awakens every womanâs fear one might have about motherhood, but her fast-faced narrative truly enraptures the reader and forces them to feel like theyâre reliving the chaotic whirlwind of her story. Auderlain also added a very personal note to the narrative by having Blythe refer to her husband Fox in second person pronouns. Sheâs literally telling her story to YOU. And damn, does it chill you to the bone at times. But at the same time, it creates a barrier of sorts between Blythe and Fox as we only ever see him through her own eyes. It also gives the effect of having her scream her thoughts at him while he doesnât listen to or understand her. And yes, it made me scream at the book several times, too.
I also have to say that I adored the way this isnât just a story about one mother and daughter relationship, but about three generations of mothers, as the book also features flashbacks to Blytheâs mother and grandmother having their own rocky (to put it VERY mildly) relationship with their daughters. You truly feel the weight of generational trauma, which only adds to the tone of the story.
I feel like I could drone on and on about this book, but Iâm stopping here so I donât accidentally give away any spoilers. But truly, this book is well worth reading, itâs such a good quality psychological thriller even if youâre like me and donât necessarily enjoy family-centered thrillers. It plays games with your head and makes you question everything, from Blythe even being a reliable narrator to possibly getting second thoughts about ever being a mother. Since I even read it on vacation, I can even guarantee that the book is a perfect fast-paced beach read if you, of course, enjoy reading really dark books on your vacation. đ
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Car accident, Pregnancy, Grief, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Blood and Suicide
thatswhatshanread's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I was hooked immediately and never let go. The writing was smart and breezy and blunt and chilling, the chapters were deliciously short, the characters were multifaceted and unhinged, the plot was searing, uncomfortable, explosive. Darkly fantastic.
âThe Pushâ refers, specifically, to one tragic incident in the main characterâs life, but to me it was also a direct metaphor for all of the different types of motherhood represented in the story. How much children shape our worlds, the very good parts and, in this novelâs case, the traumatic and the sinister.
If you havenât already, pick this up ASAP. You wonât be able to put it down until the very last page.
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Abandonment, Abortion, Blood, Body horror, Car accident, Child death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Violence, Mental illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual content, Stalking, and Suicide
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Bullying, Toxic friendship, Stalking, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Racism, Infertility, Panic attacks/disorders, Miscarriage, Mass/school shootings, and Dementia
ashlyreadsevrythg's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, Grief, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Medical trauma, Stalking, and Toxic relationship
keijiwolf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Medical content, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Self harm, Stalking, Physical abuse, Suicide, Abandonment, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Excrement, Abortion, Car accident, and Dementia