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nataliebootlah's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This is the story of Blythe’s life. Setting the tone of the novel, the cold, abusive relationships between the women in Blythe’s family have made her nervous to become a mother. She yearns to have a warm, loving relationship with her children. But when Violet is born, the bonding doesn’t happen. Soon, questionable things start happening that make Blythe wonder if she’s the problem… or if Violet is. Things shift for the better when her son, Sam, is born and she finally feels that connection that mother and child should share.
But then the unthinkable happens.
This book will make you uncomfortable. It is dark, honest, and raw. The challenging themes throughout it are hard to read, but damn it was worth it for the bombshell ending.
Graphic: Grief, Child death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Suicide
Minor: Infidelity
sylvestra's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Car accident, Death, Grief, Infidelity, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Body shaming, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, and Suicidal thoughts
smehra's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Child death, Violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Infidelity, Grief, Death, and Abandonment
Moderate: Body shaming, Stalking, Abortion, Bullying, and Child abuse
lkelly36's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Violence, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Murder, Miscarriage, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, and Child death
Moderate: Abortion, Blood, and Bullying
dramaqueentears's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
After ages of back and forth, Blythe and Fox finally have a baby. Their first child, Violet, is immediately loved by Fox and Blythe just can’t seem to connect with her. What Fox (along with everyone else, honestly) believes to be postpartum depression, Blythe believes is a problem with Violet. She is ultimately convinced she’s right when she has another baby, Sam, and she bonds with him immediately. When Sam dies unexpectedly, everyone believes it’s an accident but Blythe swears that Violet did it.
What makes this such a wild ride is that throughout the story, you learn about Blythe’s family and how her mother and grandmother were raised by their mothers. You see a cycle of abuse that really makes you stop and question whether Blythe can be trusted as a narrator. It was everything I love about books: mystery, suspense, family drama.
If I were going to take off points for anything, it would be that the plot really leaves nothing untold. It was all very predictable but I couldn’t put it down, so it’s keeping all 5 stars for me.
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Car accident, Death of parent, Self harm, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Grief, Emotional abuse, Confinement, and Blood
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Bullying
tatih's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Murder, Suicide, and Violence
Moderate: Infidelity, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Physical abuse
caties_books's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Abortion, Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Car accident, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Grief, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Medical content, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Stalking, Torture, Violence, and Vomit
linesiunderline's review
- 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? It's complicated
3.75
What worked:
• It’s compulsively readable. This is a book everyone says you will read in one gulp, and it is. So if you are after that kind of propulsive experience, this will do it for you.
• Audrain is a strong writer. Her prose is sharp and clear and there’s an economy to it that is satisfying.
• There are several genuinely goosebump inspiring scenes - truly creepy. I could see this translating to film or TV (and I imagine it will).
• The feeling of dread and claustrophobia is palpable. I kept thinking about The Perfect Nanny by Leila Slimani, another book that is deeply unsettling and so hard to put down.
Howevers
• I am uncertain about what the author is trying to say. Is it that generational trauma will continue to disrupt lives unless someone is brave enough to see it and name it and initiate a process of healing? Is it that difficult, troubled children exist and that no one wants to see that even when it’s right in front of them? Is it that we need to listen to mothers, and realize that there are many ways to experience and be a mother? I feel like I was reaching for meaning and not sure if I landed where I was intended to.
• I can’t decide if this is simply another thriller that sensationalizes a difficult female experience. Some reviews have said it shines light on difficult topics around motherhood and mental health, but I’m not sure it leaves us in a greater place of understanding or helps to break down existing stereotypes.
• The ending definitely felt gimmicky, like the author / editor decided it would be a gasp-worthy conclusion so why not go for it.
So there you have it. One thing I can say with certainty is that this is a book you want to talk about. It’s ideal for bookclubs. And I will want to read more by the author.
See below for a million content warnings.
Moderate: Bullying, Car accident, Child death, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Stalking, Sexual content, and Physical abuse
alyreadsbooks'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
4.5
Graphic: Abortion, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Murder, Physical abuse, and Suicide
sadhbhdunne'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
3.0
Moderate: Abortion, Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Car accident, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Miscarriage, and Physical abuse