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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
This... just isn't all that good. I'm surprised by how many four-star reviews this book has, because it's really just average.
The premise, where a child is born to three parents (a conventional mother and father with the mitochondrial DNA of a second woman) sets up as an interesting plot device. However, it very quickly falls less about that and more about two mentally ill women fighting over who is the real 'mother'- the one who gave most of the DNA, carried the child to term and raised her for eleven years... or the scientist who gave a small DNA sample worthy of 37 genes and is just somehow possessive.
Yeah.
The story is told from three points of view- the two mothers and the child- and jumps around from the point of conception to the present day. None of the characters really jump out, nor are any of them particularly strong. The plot itself was so easy to unravel that I was almost disappointed by how basic it was.
There's a throwaway line early on the Claire's original husband, Ethan, doesn't have strong sperm. Rob and Jillian then have sex and there's a mention of him throwing the condom away. How does this come back? Well, Abigail is actually his daughter after Jillian took that sperm to make more of the would-be embryos viable, of course! Oh, and the embryo she implanted in herself? Yeah, that really is made from Ethan's sperm. Claire wasn't having hallucinations at all, she was seeing Charlie, Jillian's son.
And at no point do Claire and Rob meet any repurcussions for living under forged identites. None at all.
I only rated this two stars because I finished the novel and it was super easy to read. That's it.
The premise, where a child is born to three parents (a conventional mother and father with the mitochondrial DNA of a second woman) sets up as an interesting plot device. However, it very quickly falls less about that and more about two mentally ill women fighting over who is the real 'mother'- the one who gave most of the DNA, carried the child to term and raised her for eleven years... or the scientist who gave a small DNA sample worthy of 37 genes and is just somehow possessive.
Yeah.
The story is told from three points of view- the two mothers and the child- and jumps around from the point of conception to the present day. None of the characters really jump out, nor are any of them particularly strong. The plot itself was so easy to unravel that I was almost disappointed by how basic it was.
There's a throwaway line early on the Claire's original husband, Ethan, doesn't have strong sperm. Rob and Jillian then have sex and there's a mention of him throwing the condom away. How does this come back? Well, Abigail is actually his daughter after Jillian took that sperm to make more of the would-be embryos viable, of course! Oh, and the embryo she implanted in herself? Yeah, that really is made from Ethan's sperm. Claire wasn't having hallucinations at all, she was seeing Charlie, Jillian's son.
And at no point do Claire and Rob meet any repurcussions for living under forged identites. None at all.
I only rated this two stars because I finished the novel and it was super easy to read. That's it.
I would reccommend this to readers on the newer side of thrillers. It was a great read. I was able to guess the small plot twists along the way but it did not hinder my enjoyment. My biggest quam with this bokk was the 5th grade daughter age 11, was written more like a 14 year old in my opinion.
3.75/5
I finished this book in one sitting and I'm completely in awe of the pace of story in this one.
A true edge-of-the-seat thriller!
I finished this book in one sitting and I'm completely in awe of the pace of story in this one.
A true edge-of-the-seat thriller!
I feel like I'm on the edge of a mountain, waiting for the ground to fall out from under me. Except it's impossible to see the most important thing: how steep is the drop?"
Meh, this one was just okay. The plot was interesting until it turned silly. There were a lot of leaps and sliding pieces that felt so unbelievable, it reached a point where it was hard to take the story seriously.
I didn't particularly like any character - they all seemed manipulative liars, all out for their own interests (except for one perfect person..ugh). I also found Abby's age hard to pin point until it was really pointed out - I must have missed where they said how old she was and felt like she was older than her 11 years. But it's an easy read and I did want to know how it would all turn out.
Meh, this one was just okay. The plot was interesting until it turned silly. There were a lot of leaps and sliding pieces that felt so unbelievable, it reached a point where it was hard to take the story seriously.
I didn't particularly like any character - they all seemed manipulative liars, all out for their own interests (except for one perfect person..ugh). I also found Abby's age hard to pin point until it was really pointed out - I must have missed where they said how old she was and felt like she was older than her 11 years. But it's an easy read and I did want to know how it would all turn out.
Thank you to crooked lane books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. I am struggling for the right words to put into words how much I loved this book. Kira Peikoff hit it out of the park with this one. It was a twisty, turns thriller that kept me on my toes while making me think about bioethics and genetic engineering. Highly recommend and I am going to add her other books to my to-read list as soon as I can.
I requested an ARC of this through Amazon's Vine program, which has no influence on my rating or review.
This story is told from the perspective of 3 female characters and hops around in time between past and present. Claire is a woman whose mitochondrial DNA carries a disease that proved fatal to her young son. Jillian is a brilliant scientist working for (and sleeping with) an equally brilliant scientist who specializes in infertility. Abby is Claire (and Jillian's) daughter.
When Jillian posts on an online message board that her boss is involved with a new procedure that would potentially allow mothers who pass genetic diseases to their children to have healthy children with the involvement of another healthy woman's DNA, Claire sees this as her only option to having another child. For years since her son's death, Claire has lied to her husband (who desperately wants to have another child) and has taken steps to ensure she won't get pregnant. She finally agrees to seek fertility treatment if he allows her to choose the doctor.
Suffice it to say, the experiment works, even though it violates federal regulation and has to remain a secret. Which it doesn't for very long. The rest of the story deals with the repercussions of the choices made and how it affected the lives of the participants, and becomes less of a story about medical breakthroughs and ethical concerns regarding gene alteration than a cookie-cutter thriller ala Fatal Attraction when Jillian decides to reinsert herself into Claire's life.
As someone who has a genetic disease which could potentially affect my children, I was looking forward to the exploration of this aspect of the story. Knowing what my parents and I went through (and what I and my children could go through), the topic of genetic alteration to eradicate certain diseases is an interesting one. That small portion of the novel is the only reason this book didn't receive a single star from me.
Maybe I've just read too many not-so-great psychological thrillers lately, but this one was extremely predictable. There was not a single twist I didn't see coming, and only one red herring that had me expecting something different before it was explained away in the last few pages.
I didn't find any of the characters to be particularly likable, nor, aside from Claire, were their actions realistic or believable. Once the story turned predictable, I had a hard time willing myself to pick it up and continue reading. It should not take more than 2 weeks to finish this story.
If you've loved a lot of popular recent thrillers, you might enjoy this book. It just didn't work for me.
This story is told from the perspective of 3 female characters and hops around in time between past and present. Claire is a woman whose mitochondrial DNA carries a disease that proved fatal to her young son. Jillian is a brilliant scientist working for (and sleeping with) an equally brilliant scientist who specializes in infertility. Abby is Claire (and Jillian's) daughter.
When Jillian posts on an online message board that her boss is involved with a new procedure that would potentially allow mothers who pass genetic diseases to their children to have healthy children with the involvement of another healthy woman's DNA, Claire sees this as her only option to having another child. For years since her son's death, Claire has lied to her husband (who desperately wants to have another child) and has taken steps to ensure she won't get pregnant. She finally agrees to seek fertility treatment if he allows her to choose the doctor.
Suffice it to say, the experiment works, even though it violates federal regulation and has to remain a secret. Which it doesn't for very long. The rest of the story deals with the repercussions of the choices made and how it affected the lives of the participants, and becomes less of a story about medical breakthroughs and ethical concerns regarding gene alteration than a cookie-cutter thriller ala Fatal Attraction when Jillian decides to reinsert herself into Claire's life.
As someone who has a genetic disease which could potentially affect my children, I was looking forward to the exploration of this aspect of the story. Knowing what my parents and I went through (and what I and my children could go through), the topic of genetic alteration to eradicate certain diseases is an interesting one. That small portion of the novel is the only reason this book didn't receive a single star from me.
Maybe I've just read too many not-so-great psychological thrillers lately, but this one was extremely predictable. There was not a single twist I didn't see coming, and only one red herring that had me expecting something different before it was explained away in the last few pages.
I didn't find any of the characters to be particularly likable, nor, aside from Claire, were their actions realistic or believable. Once the story turned predictable, I had a hard time willing myself to pick it up and continue reading. It should not take more than 2 weeks to finish this story.
If you've loved a lot of popular recent thrillers, you might enjoy this book. It just didn't work for me.
When I signed on to do PopSugar's 2020 Reading Challenge, I was a bit wary of the "medical thriller" prompt. It's not exactly a genre I generally read, but Kira Peikoff's Mother Knows Best looked promising. As we near the end of the year, I am pleased to share that this novel did indeed deliver on all fronts. In fact, I rated it 5 stars since it kept me so entertained on my commute (I listened to the audiobook version available on Hoopla.)
Claire Abrams is a wonderful mother by all standards except for one - she carries a genetic mutation that she passed on to her son. Her little boy Colton has mitochondrial disease and lives a diminished life because of it. After Colton dies from his illness, Claire, deep in the throes of grief, wants to try again for another baby, but she is afraid of her child inheriting her faulty DNA.
When Claire learns about a doctor, Robert, and scientist, Jillian, experimenting with some rather radical ideas, she approaches them to volunteer herself to have the first baby with three genetic parents. You heard that right - Claire's baby will have three parents: herself, her husband, and Jillian, whose mitochondrial DNA will replace Claire's. While the experiment is a success, the governing bodies are not thrilled to learn about the ethical missteps this trio has taken. When Claire and Robert go into hiding, Jillian becomes their scapegoat, taking the punishment for their illegal project and serving time because of it.
Now it's ten years later, and Jillian is out of prison and looking to right the wrongs of the past. Claire, who is raising the product of their experiment - a miraculously healthy daughter named Abigail - fears for the life of herself and her loved ones after spotting Jillian out and about in the city. Can Claire protect everything she holds dear from a women hellbent on revenge?
Kira Peikoff's Mother Knows Best is a captivating, taut thriller that pushes scientific and ethical boundaries, and begs the question, "How far would you go to have the family you always dreamed of?" While this novel has a scientific background and focus, Peikoff keeps the technical details light enough to ensure that this novel can be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of their medical knowledge. In fact, Mother Knows Best is as educational as it is entertaining - I learned much about inherited diseases, in-vitro fertilization, and ethical laws.
What makes this story even more compelling is that Peikoff wrote it is a suspense thriller bathed in medical scandal. Therefore, readers never feel bored or out of place with too many passages about time spent in the lab figuring out how to develop a "Frankenbaby," as Abigail becomes known in the press. Instead, the scientific detail is intermixed with a story about a desperate and devoted mother who would do anything for her children, even if it means sacrificing the life she has always known.
Even better, Peikoff has several twists awaiting readers in Mother Knows Best. While I did see some of the twists coming, I was hoping that Peikoff would indeed take the story there, as it would make this thriller all the more scandalous and irresistible.
I recommend Mother Knows Best to anyone who enjoys books/movies such as Jurassic Park, which successfully combine science and story to great effect.
Claire Abrams is a wonderful mother by all standards except for one - she carries a genetic mutation that she passed on to her son. Her little boy Colton has mitochondrial disease and lives a diminished life because of it. After Colton dies from his illness, Claire, deep in the throes of grief, wants to try again for another baby, but she is afraid of her child inheriting her faulty DNA.
When Claire learns about a doctor, Robert, and scientist, Jillian, experimenting with some rather radical ideas, she approaches them to volunteer herself to have the first baby with three genetic parents. You heard that right - Claire's baby will have three parents: herself, her husband, and Jillian, whose mitochondrial DNA will replace Claire's. While the experiment is a success, the governing bodies are not thrilled to learn about the ethical missteps this trio has taken. When Claire and Robert go into hiding, Jillian becomes their scapegoat, taking the punishment for their illegal project and serving time because of it.
Now it's ten years later, and Jillian is out of prison and looking to right the wrongs of the past. Claire, who is raising the product of their experiment - a miraculously healthy daughter named Abigail - fears for the life of herself and her loved ones after spotting Jillian out and about in the city. Can Claire protect everything she holds dear from a women hellbent on revenge?
Kira Peikoff's Mother Knows Best is a captivating, taut thriller that pushes scientific and ethical boundaries, and begs the question, "How far would you go to have the family you always dreamed of?" While this novel has a scientific background and focus, Peikoff keeps the technical details light enough to ensure that this novel can be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of their medical knowledge. In fact, Mother Knows Best is as educational as it is entertaining - I learned much about inherited diseases, in-vitro fertilization, and ethical laws.
What makes this story even more compelling is that Peikoff wrote it is a suspense thriller bathed in medical scandal. Therefore, readers never feel bored or out of place with too many passages about time spent in the lab figuring out how to develop a "Frankenbaby," as Abigail becomes known in the press. Instead, the scientific detail is intermixed with a story about a desperate and devoted mother who would do anything for her children, even if it means sacrificing the life she has always known.
Even better, Peikoff has several twists awaiting readers in Mother Knows Best. While I did see some of the twists coming, I was hoping that Peikoff would indeed take the story there, as it would make this thriller all the more scandalous and irresistible.
I recommend Mother Knows Best to anyone who enjoys books/movies such as Jurassic Park, which successfully combine science and story to great effect.
What could have been a riveting thriller with twists and turns, transformed into a boring a predictable novel which took the easy way out. I will not spoil the ending but its in no way has any reveals or twists. However you think its going to end you are probably right. The book had such potential and gripped my attention, but by the end i was majorly disapointed. I found myself hating the main character, whom we were susposed to side with, her husband as well as the villian. With no one to root for the novel became extremely disapointing.
* I received a review copy from Amazon Vine and voluntarily provided an honest review. This does not affect the opinion of the book or the content of the review.*
My thoughts:
The cover caught my attention and the blurb sounded different and original which made me want to read this book. This was my first time reading this author and I was pleasantly surprised. I liked certain characters and loathe other characters as I read. I was able to see the twists early on which made the book a little predictable but it was still an enjoyable read for me. I loved how refreshing this plot was as this has been a tough reading year for me and I seem to be dnfing a lot of books. This was a fast paced thriller that held my interest and I couldn't wait to see what would happen next with the characters! I will also be checking out other books from this author as well.
My thoughts:
The cover caught my attention and the blurb sounded different and original which made me want to read this book. This was my first time reading this author and I was pleasantly surprised. I liked certain characters and loathe other characters as I read. I was able to see the twists early on which made the book a little predictable but it was still an enjoyable read for me. I loved how refreshing this plot was as this has been a tough reading year for me and I seem to be dnfing a lot of books. This was a fast paced thriller that held my interest and I couldn't wait to see what would happen next with the characters! I will also be checking out other books from this author as well.