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kbkittyb's review
4.0
An excellent read!! Thrilling throughout and heartwarming in places. Intricate characterisation makes the story come alive. The writing was surprisingly easy and light given the subject matter but that just made Polly's narrative more endearing.
This book is a constant vicious circle of fear, relief and frustration. Never boring. An excellent psychological thriller!
This book is a constant vicious circle of fear, relief and frustration. Never boring. An excellent psychological thriller!
shell10771's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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
3.5
kazza27's review
5.0
I will start by saying that this book is seriously creepy from the outset, within the first few pages we encounter ‘Mother’s ‘ dressing ritual with Mirabelle, which you know is very wrong. Mirabelle is a 13 year old girl who is kept prisoner in the house by her mother and dressed like a doll.
The book had a really dark Rapunzel feel to it with mother keeping her safe from all the bad things outside the home. On Mirabelle’s birthday mother brings her a surprise a sister called Clarabelle who she has rescued too. Clarabelle is really Emma a little girl who appears to have been taken from her parents.
Mirabelle suffers from awful headaches and she has been told by mother that dolls do not live to be old and that she is allergic to the light. Mother is obviously very unwell and has lots of secrets about her own shocking past, that are discovered as you read on.
Mirabelle decides that if she isn’t going to live for very much longer she will explore the attic what she finds shocks her to the core. When Emma arrives Mirabelle discovers more about the outside world and begins to doubt all that Mother has told her. Mirabelle is a young adult and she begins to feel emotions that she has not felt before.
This is an extraordinary debut, boy, is it dark! You know immediately that bad things are happening but I could not stop reading. It is a story about abuse and manipulation and it is so twisted that it took my breathe away at times. The book is so claustrophobic and I wanted to let those poor girls out to escape this woman. If you like your psychological thrillers, gripping and disturbing then this is the book for you.
The book had a really dark Rapunzel feel to it with mother keeping her safe from all the bad things outside the home. On Mirabelle’s birthday mother brings her a surprise a sister called Clarabelle who she has rescued too. Clarabelle is really Emma a little girl who appears to have been taken from her parents.
Mirabelle suffers from awful headaches and she has been told by mother that dolls do not live to be old and that she is allergic to the light. Mother is obviously very unwell and has lots of secrets about her own shocking past, that are discovered as you read on.
Mirabelle decides that if she isn’t going to live for very much longer she will explore the attic what she finds shocks her to the core. When Emma arrives Mirabelle discovers more about the outside world and begins to doubt all that Mother has told her. Mirabelle is a young adult and she begins to feel emotions that she has not felt before.
This is an extraordinary debut, boy, is it dark! You know immediately that bad things are happening but I could not stop reading. It is a story about abuse and manipulation and it is so twisted that it took my breathe away at times. The book is so claustrophobic and I wanted to let those poor girls out to escape this woman. If you like your psychological thrillers, gripping and disturbing then this is the book for you.
mik_kass's review
2.0
I’m really annoyed. This book could have been amazing. But about halfway to 3/4 of the way through the author abandoned sense and just started throwing in fantastical things. There was too much vomit and gore. The Mother was way too ‘inhuman’ Polly though 13 acted 16+ at times and also had too much knowledge for someone who had lived inside a house for the past decade. This could have been a knockout of a book, a great concept, a great first half. And then it just goes so downhill it’s not redeemable. Disappointing to say the least.
mrichmondx's review against another edition
4.0
If you’re dipping your toe into the genre of psychological thrillers - do not start with this story! I’m a regular reader of this genre and, for me, the more twisted the better. I will eat my words now because I’ve never felt so on edge while reading a book before now. My heart is still hammering and my head is aching from the sheer adrenaline Davies pumps into her pages.
The story focuses on Mirabelle and Mother, an odd relationship but this is all Mirabelle has ever known so who is she to question it. Until Mother finds another daughter. A new little doll, and Mirabelle is pushed aside. Only then does she start questioning Mother’s strange rules and practices. Only then does she decide to look further into why Mother is like this… and opens a can of crazy worms that cannot be shut!!
The only thing I wish for with this book, hence the loss of a star, is a little more closure.. The ending was just too fast for me and could have really put a lovely bright plaster over all of the literary scars given to me throughout this story. There was potential for a well-deserved epilogue here and I’m sad we didn’t get it.
Read this book if you dare, but prepare to lose sleep x
The story focuses on Mirabelle and Mother, an odd relationship but this is all Mirabelle has ever known so who is she to question it. Until Mother finds another daughter. A new little doll, and Mirabelle is pushed aside. Only then does she start questioning Mother’s strange rules and practices. Only then does she decide to look further into why Mother is like this… and opens a can of crazy worms that cannot be shut!!
The only thing I wish for with this book, hence the loss of a star, is a little more closure.. The ending was just too fast for me and could have really put a lovely bright plaster over all of the literary scars given to me throughout this story. There was potential for a well-deserved epilogue here and I’m sad we didn’t get it.
Read this book if you dare, but prepare to lose sleep x
luellen1990's review
3.0
Title - Mother Loves Me
Author - Abby Davies
Genre - Psychological Thriller, Mystery
Age - Adults
Published - September 2020
Summary - The books main character is a young girl called Mariabelle and her mother. The book starts with Mariabelle's mother doing Mariabelle's hair and makeup calling her 'little doll'
On the day of Mariabelle's 13th birthday, Mariabelle begins to think things are not what they seem. Having never seen the outside world she asks her mother if as it's her birthday she could go out into the garden and have a look at the world outside. Her mother responds by getting angry and saying no, telling Mariabelle how dangerous the outside world is. She then tells her she has to go out as she has a special surprise for Mariabelle's 13th birthday.
The mother returns home with Mariabelle's 'present' a new sister, 5-year-old Clarabelle who mother explains she has just rescued from the outside world.
The problem is Clarabella says her name isn't Clarabella and when Mariabelle questions her about her previous family after mother told her how abusive they were to Clarabella, this is not the story Clarabella tells.
Mariabella begins to wonder if she is being replaced, if now she is too old and her mother needs a new 'doll' but if so what happens to the 'old doll?' Mariabella begins to dig into mothers life, but she may not like what she finds.
What I thought about this book - This book started off really well, It often had me thinking of a film I saw as a child called 'The Others' the children's mother in that film told her children they too were allergic to daylight so I began to wonder if this book would end the same was the film did (I won't say how as I don't want to spoil it if you've not watched it) This book did not end the same way the film did, unfortunately, I think I may have enjoyed it more if it did.
This book really dragged on and seemed repetitive in areas. I felt like the same thing kept happening. Mother lies to the child, the child discovers truth and rebels, the children run away, the mother finds the children rinse and repeat.
To be honest, by the last few chapters I must admit I had lost interest and I can't say I was paying 100% attention towards the end.
Would I Recommend - Maybe
Would I Read Again - No
Rating - 3*
Reviewed by LucyLui
Author - Abby Davies
Genre - Psychological Thriller, Mystery
Age - Adults
Published - September 2020
Summary - The books main character is a young girl called Mariabelle and her mother. The book starts with Mariabelle's mother doing Mariabelle's hair and makeup calling her 'little doll'
On the day of Mariabelle's 13th birthday, Mariabelle begins to think things are not what they seem. Having never seen the outside world she asks her mother if as it's her birthday she could go out into the garden and have a look at the world outside. Her mother responds by getting angry and saying no, telling Mariabelle how dangerous the outside world is. She then tells her she has to go out as she has a special surprise for Mariabelle's 13th birthday.
The mother returns home with Mariabelle's 'present' a new sister, 5-year-old Clarabelle who mother explains she has just rescued from the outside world.
The problem is Clarabella says her name isn't Clarabella and when Mariabelle questions her about her previous family after mother told her how abusive they were to Clarabella, this is not the story Clarabella tells.
Mariabella begins to wonder if she is being replaced, if now she is too old and her mother needs a new 'doll' but if so what happens to the 'old doll?' Mariabella begins to dig into mothers life, but she may not like what she finds.
What I thought about this book - This book started off really well, It often had me thinking of a film I saw as a child called 'The Others' the children's mother in that film told her children they too were allergic to daylight so I began to wonder if this book would end the same was the film did (I won't say how as I don't want to spoil it if you've not watched it) This book did not end the same way the film did, unfortunately, I think I may have enjoyed it more if it did.
This book really dragged on and seemed repetitive in areas. I felt like the same thing kept happening. Mother lies to the child, the child discovers truth and rebels, the children run away, the mother finds the children rinse and repeat.
To be honest, by the last few chapters I must admit I had lost interest and I can't say I was paying 100% attention towards the end.
Would I Recommend - Maybe
Would I Read Again - No
Rating - 3*
Reviewed by LucyLui
jordanez's review against another edition
Too many content warnings that I didn't want to continue reading.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Kidnapping and Child death
Minor: Incest, Rape, and Adult/minor relationship
cleg11's review
5.0
Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this book.
Oh wow!!! What a book. Couldn’t put it down.
When Mirabelle celebrates her 13th birthday mother brings her a present another little girl called Clarabella who is only 5. Clarabella tells Mirabelle that her real name is Emma and she wants her mummy. This sparks thoughts in Mirabelle that mother is telling them both lies and goes snooping to find evidence that proves mother is not her mom. She makes a plan for her and Clarabella escape. Can they escape without getting caught.
Oh wow!!! What a book. Couldn’t put it down.
When Mirabelle celebrates her 13th birthday mother brings her a present another little girl called Clarabella who is only 5. Clarabella tells Mirabelle that her real name is Emma and she wants her mummy. This sparks thoughts in Mirabelle that mother is telling them both lies and goes snooping to find evidence that proves mother is not her mom. She makes a plan for her and Clarabella escape. Can they escape without getting caught.
wolfchanreads's review
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
moscow80's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0