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windchains's review against another edition
4.0
This one was hard for me to rate... it had plot twists and turns, and while I guessed some of them, others were surprises. The ending was what made it so jarring - it felt too rushed after the build up of the story described within. Maybe it was the fact that babies were involved, but the whole story left me feeling a little unsettled. Not Goodman’s finest work, but a page turner nonetheless.
rminfante's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
beastreader's review against another edition
4.0
I was into this book. I started it at night, which was not a good idea. This is because I was already half way through the book before I had to make myself put it down to get some sleep. Yet, I was right back picking up the book as soon as I could.
When it came to Daphne; she was fine. If she had not been dealing with the mental health issue then, she would have been an average person. I am not saying that the mental health issue made her more interesting but it was the story as a whole that made Daphne intriguing.
As far as psychological thrillers go, I really liked how it was subtle in the plot. It allowed me to be drawn in a little bit more and more as the story went on. I thought, I had it all figured out but then the author put a twist in the storyline that I didn't really see coming. The Other Mother is a psychological thriller that will have you losing sleep in a good way while keeping you on the edge of your seat!
When it came to Daphne; she was fine. If she had not been dealing with the mental health issue then, she would have been an average person. I am not saying that the mental health issue made her more interesting but it was the story as a whole that made Daphne intriguing.
As far as psychological thrillers go, I really liked how it was subtle in the plot. It allowed me to be drawn in a little bit more and more as the story went on. I thought, I had it all figured out but then the author put a twist in the storyline that I didn't really see coming. The Other Mother is a psychological thriller that will have you losing sleep in a good way while keeping you on the edge of your seat!
melaniegreenfield's review
2.0
I received this book as a Christmas gift, so while I wanted to love it, it definitely wasn’t great. The Other Mother was full of cheesy, bad writing, predictable “twists”, one-dimensional characters and a confusing over-the-top plot line. Can’t say I’d recommend this one! 🤦🏼♀️
blogginboutbooks's review against another edition
4.0
I love me a spooky psychological thriller with Gothic undertones and Carol Goodman usually delivers just that. Her newest is a creepy mind twister that kept me wondering what in the world was really going on. The first 3/4 of the book offers a taut story that's confusing but also compelling. Its ending, though, seemed far-fetched and contrived. Overall, I enjoyed this one (and stayed up WAAYYY too late finishing it); it's not, however, my favorite of Goodman's books.
machadofam8's review against another edition
3.0
Very dark. Very. A bit hard to follow - could have done with a bit of editing to make it tighter.
loribulb's review against another edition
2.0
I am a major (MAJOR) Carol Goodman fan, so I was excited to get this book. Unfortunately, I just didn't connect with the story very well. Perhaps because I'm not a parent?
Both the bad guys and the good guy were painted with very broad brushes. They were almost caricatures, which I found disappointing. The good guy was a guard who talked to the protagonist a few times before her life went to hell, but he was the one who stood up for her? It seemed like such a stretch.
The bad guys... it was obvious from their introduction they were malicious garbage people. The confusion on the part of the main character felt a little forced and uneven... I know she was mentally a weak person and she was recovering from postpartum depression but even with those taken into consideration I had a hard time buying it. If anything I got frustrated that she did not figure things out sooner. One of my biggest pet peeves is a main character who isn't very smart- I feel like I've wasted my time when I read their story.
Both the bad guys and the good guy were painted with very broad brushes. They were almost caricatures, which I found disappointing. The good guy was a guard who talked to the protagonist a few times before her life went to hell, but he was the one who stood up for her? It seemed like such a stretch.
The bad guys... it was obvious from their introduction they were malicious garbage people. The confusion on the part of the main character felt a little forced and uneven... I know she was mentally a weak person and she was recovering from postpartum depression but even with those taken into consideration I had a hard time buying it. If anything I got frustrated that she did not figure things out sooner. One of my biggest pet peeves is a main character who isn't very smart- I feel like I've wasted my time when I read their story.
peripetia's review against another edition
3.0
I recently found myself in a mood to read a thriller - at best, they're engaging, very readable, and just plain fun. I'm quite picky about the thrillers that I read, though, possibly because it's just not my preferred genre.
This book was promising in the beginning. We have the protagonist, a confused mother caught in the crossfire of society's pressure on mothers, her husbands expectations, and her own depression, confusion, and loneliness. That was interesting.
The book had potential, it had things to say, but for me, it was very mediocre. I guessed the twists early on. I found the mental illness rep of this one specific condition to be pretty terrible, at best cringe-y. But I did want to find out what would happen. The ending was too long as the author wanted to explain absolutely everything.
This book was promising in the beginning. We have the protagonist, a confused mother caught in the crossfire of society's pressure on mothers, her husbands expectations, and her own depression, confusion, and loneliness. That was interesting.
The book had potential, it had things to say, but for me, it was very mediocre. I guessed the twists early on. I found the mental illness rep of this one specific condition to be pretty terrible, at best cringe-y. But I did want to find out what would happen. The ending was too long as the author wanted to explain absolutely everything.
problemreader's review against another edition
3.0
It was okay. I found it very confusing. Thank you to Librarything and William Morrow Publishing for this advance reader copy.