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skaarke's review against another edition
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to review Stone Mothers. I loved the synopsis of this story so I jumped on it. Sadly, I found it so slow and hard to get into. Some characters seemed underdeveloped for my taste and the ending left me wanting more. While this is the first book by Erin Kelly I have read, I had heard many positive things about her other books so wanted to give this one a try. Sadly, it fell a little short. A story about an insane asylum and blackmail, it had all the promises of a great read.
booksintheirnaturalhabitat's review against another edition
3.0
Stone Mothers is told in three different parts, each a different point of view. Marianne returns home as an adult many years later as responsibilities sometimes require in that phase of life. She had built a new life elsewhere to escape from her past, and now it's threatening to resurface... something that would surely upend her family. Everyone has their secrets, but no one knows the entire truth of what happened with an old mental hospital at the base of it all. Perhaps there others with a lot to lose as well.
I was excited when I read the premise of this book. Mental health and the inner psyche is something that I'm always intrigued by however I didn't feel like the book fully delivered. There was build up to what I thought would be a huge reveal and I felt let down when it either didn't occur in that moment or the reveal didn't seem quite built or intense enough. The book, however, did continue to have creepy undertones throughout and some moments of resentment. Jesse was so irritating that I had to try not to get worked up; I can't stand ignorant POS's like him.
All in all, it was just a middle of the roads, not quite standout book for me. It had potential but in my eyes didn't fully fulfill its potential.
I was excited when I read the premise of this book. Mental health and the inner psyche is something that I'm always intrigued by however I didn't feel like the book fully delivered. There was build up to what I thought would be a huge reveal and I felt let down when it either didn't occur in that moment or the reveal didn't seem quite built or intense enough. The book, however, did continue to have creepy undertones throughout and some moments of resentment. Jesse was so irritating that I had to try not to get worked up; I can't stand ignorant POS's like him.
All in all, it was just a middle of the roads, not quite standout book for me. It had potential but in my eyes didn't fully fulfill its potential.
lisaeirene's review against another edition
4.0
Marianne is accomplished in her career, married with an adult daughter, living a posh life in London. Then she goes back home to her rundown town to help care for her mother who is suffering from dementia. She is faced with the dark secrets she left behind.
Her husband surprises her by buying a flat in a newly renovated building that used to be the insane asylum in her hometown. He thinks this is a good thing since they are going to be there for awhile taking care of her ailing mother. But Marianne is suddenly faced with her secret past and everything is threatening to be revealed and ruin her life.
The book was told in a very interesting way. I enjoyed it a lot and liked the unique writing style. The book starts slow but picks up the pace and get pretty good.
gillxy23's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book took a while to get into. I found the last quarter which told the story from the perspective of two other characters, the most interesting to read. Some parts I found ridiculous and skim read.
catriona176's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization
bookdrgn's review against another edition
4.0
This took a bit of getting into, but the mystery was sound. I kept thinking it was one thing and it turned down a different corner.
Marianne has returned home to help care for her dying mother. Her husband purchased, as a surprise, a home in the last place Marianne wants to be. A site of death, shame and secrets.
Very quickly her past comes back to haunt her and the last thing she wants to have happen is her mentally unwell daughter discover her mother is not without faults.
Just as we reach a precipice in the story, we are whipped back to Marianne’s teen years and her version of events.
It was good to see Marianne’s relationship with her former boyfriend and co-conspirator. Jesse is an angry young man who doesn’t let anything stop him. Marianne is pulled along, trying to talk him down multiple times. We see what the event is that’s created the circumstance Marianne finds herself in now.
Just as quickly we are whisked back further to the story of the woman in the middle of all that’s happening. The story of Helen is one I relate to as a modern woman, knowing the horrid history women have had, especially when it comes to not wanting to become a mother or wife in the 50s.
I empathise with Helen before and after the event.
I empathise with Marianne and Jesse to a degree, a lot more if I didn’t know Helen’s story.
The book culminates in almost simultaneous incidents and we end with the story being told from Marianne’s daughters point of view.
Honour brings her mother and Jesse’s lives full circle when she meets Clay, the son of Jesse’s brother, raised by Jesse and the boys mother.
This was a good book. A great insight into the world of mental health in the past, with a great reading list the author used as references for the characters.
Marianne has returned home to help care for her dying mother. Her husband purchased, as a surprise, a home in the last place Marianne wants to be. A site of death, shame and secrets.
Very quickly her past comes back to haunt her and the last thing she wants to have happen is her mentally unwell daughter discover her mother is not without faults.
Just as we reach a precipice in the story, we are whipped back to Marianne’s teen years and her version of events.
It was good to see Marianne’s relationship with her former boyfriend and co-conspirator. Jesse is an angry young man who doesn’t let anything stop him. Marianne is pulled along, trying to talk him down multiple times. We see what the event is that’s created the circumstance Marianne finds herself in now.
Just as quickly we are whisked back further to the story of the woman in the middle of all that’s happening. The story of Helen is one I relate to as a modern woman, knowing the horrid history women have had, especially when it comes to not wanting to become a mother or wife in the 50s.
I empathise with Helen before and after the event.
I empathise with Marianne and Jesse to a degree, a lot more if I didn’t know Helen’s story.
The book culminates in almost simultaneous incidents and we end with the story being told from Marianne’s daughters point of view.
Honour brings her mother and Jesse’s lives full circle when she meets Clay, the son of Jesse’s brother, raised by Jesse and the boys mother.
This was a good book. A great insight into the world of mental health in the past, with a great reading list the author used as references for the characters.
thisguybooks's review against another edition
3.0
3.5/5
The first third of this book didn't really capture my attention so it was a bit of a slow go but at the start of Part Two it really picked up and was quite enjoyable from then on.
The first third of this book didn't really capture my attention so it was a bit of a slow go but at the start of Part Two it really picked up and was quite enjoyable from then on.
nerdoutwithmybookout's review against another edition
3.0
Hello! 🖤 I finished Stone Mothers last night. Honestly I’m not sure how I feel about this one. I’ve shared that my netgalley copy was formatted weird, and it was making it hard to get into. Which is true, but now I don’t know how much of it was the formatting and how much was the story. I would definitely qualify this one as a slow burn.
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The book is broken up into 4 parts, focusing on 3 different characters. I really liked the middle section, which was Helen’s story. I think I would have enjoyed the story more if the entire book was told from her perspective.
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As an avid thriller/mystery reader I’m not sure this fits what I picture for the genre. I’ve shared the synopsis before, and I’ll leave it in the comments this time. Overall, it was just good. For me, it wasn’t a must-read. I think I’m still processing my thoughts! 🖤 I think I’ll give this one a 3 ⭐️ thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
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The book is broken up into 4 parts, focusing on 3 different characters. I really liked the middle section, which was Helen’s story. I think I would have enjoyed the story more if the entire book was told from her perspective.
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As an avid thriller/mystery reader I’m not sure this fits what I picture for the genre. I’ve shared the synopsis before, and I’ll leave it in the comments this time. Overall, it was just good. For me, it wasn’t a must-read. I think I’m still processing my thoughts! 🖤 I think I’ll give this one a 3 ⭐️ thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
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thain's review against another edition
2.0
I have enjoyed the author's books in the past but this one was disappointing. When the setting is that horror gold mine, the abandoned insane asylum, a certain level of creepiness should be guaranteed, but sadly chills were lacking. I hoped things would pick up in the section near the end about a young woman committed for "unfeminine" behavior, but it felt rushed and broke no new ground on the topic.
kath61's review against another edition
3.0
I didn't get involved until Part 3 when the book seemed to come to life. An interesting premise for a story, based on true and horrible experiences of people in past times, but the death that was the unifying thread in the story didn't have enough emotional heft.