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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
Good LORD…. Ms. Audrain, I have never been so enthralled and horrified at the same time, and I mean that as the utmost complement. This was a gripping story of the compounding effects of intergenerational mental illness and abuse. I will be very selectively recommending this to some women in by life as it is not for the faint of heart!!
Such a tragic story, full of loneliness. Deeply engaging and affecting, I found myself hurrying to finish. The ending leaves you contemplating if there will be a sequel, or if the reader is meant to wonder without answers. I’m not sure which would be a more appropriate conclusion.
If you read [b:We Need to Talk About Kevin|80660|We Need to Talk About Kevin|Lionel Shriver|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327865017l/80660._SY75_.jpg|3106720] and thought, "Yes, but what if it was more chick lit?" then here is the book for you! Not bad, but doesn't feel particularly fresh in content or form.
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
No
***** 5 stars for this emotionally-packed and unsettling novel that upends the concept of traditional new motherhood.
Oh gosh this book had me absorbed from the beginning. Audrain tells us the story of Blythe’s experience with motherhood, trauma, grief, and self-identity after giving birth to her daughter Violet, who she has complicated feelings towards. Audrain’s writing was really immersive; I could feel Blythe’s exhaustion seeping into every sentence and I felt emotionally drained alongside Blythe by the time I finished this book. And although I am not a mother, it was easy to relate to relate to Blythe: her intrusive thoughts, her feeling of not living up to her husband’s expectations, and her complicated grief/ trauma experiences.
I will say though, I don’t know if I agree with this book being marketed as a thriller; although it was tense at times, it didn’t read that way to me.
Oh gosh this book had me absorbed from the beginning. Audrain tells us the story of Blythe’s experience with motherhood, trauma, grief, and self-identity after giving birth to her daughter Violet, who she has complicated feelings towards. Audrain’s writing was really immersive; I could feel Blythe’s exhaustion seeping into every sentence and I felt emotionally drained alongside Blythe by the time I finished this book. And although I am not a mother, it was easy to relate to relate to Blythe: her intrusive thoughts, her feeling of not living up to her husband’s expectations, and her complicated grief/ trauma experiences.
I will say though, I don’t know if I agree with this book being marketed as a thriller; although it was tense at times, it didn’t read that way to me.
This is a fantastic book but it needs to come with lots of warnings. It is profoundly disturbing.
I feel like “holy sh!t” is the only thing I can say. This book must be read to understand the reaction I had. Not a book for moms still in that newborn/baby fog. But anyone touched by family trauma, by the feeling of not being believed, by mental illness. This is a must-read that will keep you up all night.