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ariana3's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book was way better than I expected! I read it really quickly and enjoyed it more than I anticipated. When you think about it, the plot isn't very deep or complex, but the way the author tells the stories about these families in the neighborhood just sucked me in. Each chapter is told from the perspective of one of the moms/neighbors.
Plot summary:Four families live on this one street - 3 are friends and one is an OG outcast house that others are waiting to tear down and buy the land to build a new house. One family has the aesthetically pleasing wife with a powerhouse job, but she's a terrible mother with anger problems. This wife, Whitney's, best friend across the street is Blair. Blair is the perfect wife, turning a blind eye to her husband's obviously wandering eyes, and perfect mother to their daughter. Whitney and Blair envy each other, but Blair is unaware of Whitney's envy of Blair being the perfect mother. The 3rd family - Rebecca lives in the neighborhood, picture-perfect marriage and intense job of ER doctor. She desperately wants kids but has had 5 miscarriages. Whitney's oldest son and most challenging (to her) child falls from his 3rd story window. The book delves into what may have happened. In a nutshell- Blair thinks her husband is having an affair with Whitney. He's not, but he is a cheater that she just stays ignorant to. Whitney is a huge cheater, just to feel like she isn't trapped in her life of being a mom when she doesn't want to be. So a twist is that she isn't having an affair with Blair's husband, but with Rebecca's husband!!!! The supposedly sweet, kind, doting, affectionate husband! Whitney's son saw them having some wild sex on the patio one night, he yelled out for them to stop, and he fell out of his window. Whitney and her son had an argument that night so everyone, including her husband, thought that Whitney had pushed him because she can have explosive angry moments. In the Epilogue, her son is awake and fine and alive. She's desperate to show him she's still around and she didn't leave like she threatened before he fell out the window. He agrees to talk, it's a super tender moment. Bringing the book to a happy ending. Then basically the last line is the son saying "what will happen to you when I tell everyone what you did." đ¤âŹď¸ If I was a mom I feel like this would break my heart. But since I'm not, this feels perfectly calculated, cruel as only kids could be, and definitely not what i expected!!!!!!!
Plot summary:
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, and Infertility
Moderate: Blood, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Grief, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Bullying, and Death
Minor: Abandonment, Self harm, Body shaming, Death of parent, and Alcohol
thatswhatshanread's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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? Yes
4.75
Iâm gonna rate this how I did âThe Pushâ, as I loved it just as much as her debut. The only thing keeping me from 5 stars is the both of them having very quick endings.
WOW!!! An incredibly fascinating second novel from Ashley Audrain. I was immediately invested in the deep tangle of suburban domesticity between the three families at the helm of this story, and even the fourth familyâs insights sprinkled throughout. Audrain commands your attention with every page, every insane detail that feels hot in your hands, like juicy but disturbing neighborhood gossip youâre only so lucky to be privy too. Like you are one of the periphery moms, whispering about only the surface of the twisted, mangled iceberg.
This is as much a novel about marriages and parent-child relationships under pressure as it is a novel of suspense. Which is to say, this isnât exactly a thriller, but very much so an intense domestic drama that leaves you clutching at your pearls, as they say, as the charactersâ lives unravel. A child in a coma, due to mysterious circumstances. His parents, his neighbors, none of them quite who they seem. Rumors everywhere. Lies as abundant as a cup full of sugar.
I throughly enjoyed this one. I loved the intensity, the explicitness, the shock, every character interwoven into another in the most unexpected ways. This is a deliciously spiraling novel that makes you think a whole lot about the lives of those acquaintances around you that may be entirely different from what you only see from the end of the driveway. Or overheard from an open windowâŚ
WOW!!! An incredibly fascinating second novel from Ashley Audrain. I was immediately invested in the deep tangle of suburban domesticity between the three families at the helm of this story, and even the fourth familyâs insights sprinkled throughout. Audrain commands your attention with every page, every insane detail that feels hot in your hands, like juicy but disturbing neighborhood gossip youâre only so lucky to be privy too. Like you are one of the periphery moms, whispering about only the surface of the twisted, mangled iceberg.
This is as much a novel about marriages and parent-child relationships under pressure as it is a novel of suspense. Which is to say, this isnât exactly a thriller, but very much so an intense domestic drama that leaves you clutching at your pearls, as they say, as the charactersâ lives unravel. A child in a coma, due to mysterious circumstances. His parents, his neighbors, none of them quite who they seem. Rumors everywhere. Lies as abundant as a cup full of sugar.
I throughly enjoyed this one. I loved the intensity, the explicitness, the shock, every character interwoven into another in the most unexpected ways. This is a deliciously spiraling novel that makes you think a whole lot about the lives of those acquaintances around you that may be entirely different from what you only see from the end of the driveway. Or overheard from an open windowâŚ
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Infertility, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Medical content, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Cursing, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Blood, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Ableism, Domestic abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Alcohol, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Vomit, and Suicidal thoughts
laurenabeth's review
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This was unfortunately a major miss for me. The non-linear timeline, the focus being on the most unredeemable characters, and the predictability of the ending truly disappointed me.
I wonât go into a summary, but while I find this book to be raw and insightful, I didnât find it especially well written or constructed. There are too many voices, too many timelines, too many unnecessarily jarring scenes that come off gratuitous for shock value. If the book is about womanhood and how hard it is, about motherhood and what defines it, about escaping what we thought we wanted for what we think we can live with⌠I understand the purpose of the book but found it poorly executed.
Whitney and Blair are both monstrous, the husbands are all unfit, and the kids are uniformly forsaken for their parentsâ petty whims.
The ending was predictable and no one emerges from the text unscathed. So what was the point? What Iâm sure started off as a character study ended up being more of a grueling race to the finish, which is actually where the story begins.
Iâm befuddled and let down, frankly.
I wonât go into a summary, but while I find this book to be raw and insightful, I didnât find it especially well written or constructed. There are too many voices, too many timelines, too many unnecessarily jarring scenes that come off gratuitous for shock value. If the book is about womanhood and how hard it is, about motherhood and what defines it, about escaping what we thought we wanted for what we think we can live with⌠I understand the purpose of the book but found it poorly executed.
Whitney and Blair are both monstrous, the husbands are all unfit, and the kids are uniformly forsaken for their parentsâ petty whims.
The ending was predictable and no one emerges from the text unscathed. So what was the point? What Iâm sure started off as a character study ended up being more of a grueling race to the finish, which is actually where the story begins.
Iâm befuddled and let down, frankly.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Sexual content
Moderate: Self harm, Abortion, Bullying, Child death, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Abandonment, Murder, and Gaslighting
emmasbookishself's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
A suburban drama at its finest!
Whatâs said and done behind closed doors isnât just your secret when you live in a closely housed community.
It all starts with a fabulous party hosted by Whitney Loverly and her husband Jacob! The guest list includes a few neighbours like Blair and Aiden, Ben and Rebecca, Mara, other moms and many acquaintances.
The party becomes a standstill when Whitney is overheard screaming atrocities at her son, Xavier. Her non so perfect life is revealed in a startling way.
Nine month later and Xavier is found outside her bedroom window, as if heâd fallen out.
Was it an accident? Could Whitneyâs rage have gotten the better of her this time?
Itâs natural with any trauma that the family and those close to the family will be asked questions to ensure it was an accident. In a small closely housed community things will have been seen and heard, outside of the outburst that happened at the party⌠will anyone share what theyâve seen or heard?
Blair is having difficulties of her own, her marriage isnât great, her daughter Chloe is devastated about Xavier and sheâs convincing herself that her husband is cheating on her with none other than Whitney.
Rebecca and Ben have been trying desperately for a baby, and has suffered many miscarriages. Rebecca works at the hospital that Xavier was taken to and has kept a close eye on his case. She also knows about that night at the party⌠should she bring it up?
Sheâs keeping a secret of her own right now, after Ben stating he was done trying for a baby. Around that time Ben started visiting Xavier, playing softball but keeping it from Rebecca.
Mara lives right next door to the Loverly family and Xavier reminds her so much of her own son, with all his peculiar behaviours. They spend time together thatâs peaceful and understanding. She gifts him with an old airplane that was once her sons, which Xavier treasures.
Blair, Whitney, Rebecca and Mara are all neighbours but for the most part thatâs the main tie to their relationships. Whitney and Blair are closer but Blair tends to keep her secrets close.
With heavy character narrative the events surrounding Xavierâs accident are told in a week long timeline with some chapters from the past describing bits of the womenâs lives that help the reader understand why theyâve become the way they are.
Intense. Distressing. Character Driven.
Whatâs said and done behind closed doors isnât just your secret when you live in a closely housed community.
It all starts with a fabulous party hosted by Whitney Loverly and her husband Jacob! The guest list includes a few neighbours like Blair and Aiden, Ben and Rebecca, Mara, other moms and many acquaintances.
The party becomes a standstill when Whitney is overheard screaming atrocities at her son, Xavier. Her non so perfect life is revealed in a startling way.
Nine month later and Xavier is found outside her bedroom window, as if heâd fallen out.
Was it an accident? Could Whitneyâs rage have gotten the better of her this time?
Itâs natural with any trauma that the family and those close to the family will be asked questions to ensure it was an accident. In a small closely housed community things will have been seen and heard, outside of the outburst that happened at the party⌠will anyone share what theyâve seen or heard?
Blair is having difficulties of her own, her marriage isnât great, her daughter Chloe is devastated about Xavier and sheâs convincing herself that her husband is cheating on her with none other than Whitney.
Rebecca and Ben have been trying desperately for a baby, and has suffered many miscarriages. Rebecca works at the hospital that Xavier was taken to and has kept a close eye on his case. She also knows about that night at the party⌠should she bring it up?
Sheâs keeping a secret of her own right now, after Ben stating he was done trying for a baby. Around that time Ben started visiting Xavier, playing softball but keeping it from Rebecca.
Mara lives right next door to the Loverly family and Xavier reminds her so much of her own son, with all his peculiar behaviours. They spend time together thatâs peaceful and understanding. She gifts him with an old airplane that was once her sons, which Xavier treasures.
Blair, Whitney, Rebecca and Mara are all neighbours but for the most part thatâs the main tie to their relationships. Whitney and Blair are closer but Blair tends to keep her secrets close.
With heavy character narrative the events surrounding Xavierâs accident are told in a week long timeline with some chapters from the past describing bits of the womenâs lives that help the reader understand why theyâve become the way they are.
Intense. Distressing. Character Driven.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Infertility, Mental illness, Medical content, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, and Self harm
booksbytheglass's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
oooooo boy! this neighborhood has endless secrets, betrayals, and mysteries - and I was here for EVERY single second of it!
following four different ladies of the neighborhood after one of their sons falls out a window, everyone is on edge with their own opinions đ and itâs exactly the messy drama I signed up for!!!
I have to preface by saying that there are a TON of trigger warnings for this one (which Iâll post at the end of this review), and while Iâm all about petty drama, this one was definitely heavy. if youâre looking for a happy ending, youâve come to the wrong place.
while it took me a minute to get everyoneâs names down, I did appreciate how they all felt different from each other with similar demographics and lifestyles. I would have liked to see more BIPOC characters instead of the standard white rich neighborhood always featured in these type of novels - I feel like, in addition to the welcome diversity, it would have added more layers to the plot itself.
ashleyâs writing style is so beautiful, and I feel so enthralled every time I pick up one of her novels. the dialogue is at a minimal, which normally isnât my cup of tea, but it was written so similar to prose that it flowed so well!!!!
thank you to penguin random house and ashley audrain for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: stags leap cabernet sauvignon
following four different ladies of the neighborhood after one of their sons falls out a window, everyone is on edge with their own opinions đ and itâs exactly the messy drama I signed up for!!!
I have to preface by saying that there are a TON of trigger warnings for this one (which Iâll post at the end of this review), and while Iâm all about petty drama, this one was definitely heavy. if youâre looking for a happy ending, youâve come to the wrong place.
while it took me a minute to get everyoneâs names down, I did appreciate how they all felt different from each other with similar demographics and lifestyles. I would have liked to see more BIPOC characters instead of the standard white rich neighborhood always featured in these type of novels - I feel like, in addition to the welcome diversity, it would have added more layers to the plot itself.
ashleyâs writing style is so beautiful, and I feel so enthralled every time I pick up one of her novels. the dialogue is at a minimal, which normally isnât my cup of tea, but it was written so similar to prose that it flowed so well!!!!
thank you to penguin random house and ashley audrain for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: stags leap cabernet sauvignon
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Infertility, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Infidelity and Injury/Injury detail
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