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hhwanghyunjin's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.5
What I appreciated most about this book was the depth of the characters and the complexity of their relationships with one another. Blythe is a multifaceted character whose experiences and emotions are explored in depth throughout the novel, and her daughter Violet, while often difficult to understand, is also a complex and intriguing character in her own right. I also found the portrayal of the mother-daughter relationships in the book to be particularly well-done, with Audrain deftly exploring the complicated dynamics that can exist between mothers and their children.
While the book can be dark and intense at times, I appreciated the way that it tackled difficult subject matter with sensitivity and nuance. The writing is excellent throughout, with Audrain crafting vivid and evocative descriptions that bring the story to life. Overall, I would highly recommend "The Push" to anyone looking for a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant read, and I would rate it 4.5 out of 5.75 stars.
Graphic: Mental illness, Violence, and Child abuse
Moderate: Suicide, Eating disorder, Self harm, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Cursing and Alcohol
cuddlygryphon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Child death, Grief, and Self harm
Moderate: Child abuse, Death of parent, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Confinement, Miscarriage, Murder, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, and Mental illness
Minor: Alcoholism, Infidelity, Medical content, Abortion, Alcohol, Blood, Sexual content, Suicide, Violence, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, and Toxic relationship
elle_laine's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Death, Grief, Death of parent, Mental illness, Child death, Suicide, and Murder
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Abandonment, Self harm, and Infidelity
Minor: Addiction, Cursing, and Confinement
thelibraryofanolive's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Abandonment, Pregnancy, Car accident, Child death, Infidelity, Grief, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent
Moderate: Murder, Alcohol, Violence, Sexual content, Stalking, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Blood
Minor: Abortion, Addiction, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Drug abuse, Excrement, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Dementia, and Confinement
elleringer's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Child death, and Domestic abuse
kelly_e's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Author: Ashley Audrain
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 2.75
Pub Date: January 5, 2021
T H R E E β’ W O R D S
Visceral β’ Unsettling β’ Complex
π S Y N O P S I S
Blythe is sure she will be the nurturing and comforting mother she never had. But in the midst of the exhausting early months, and incapable of connecting with her newborn daughter, she is convinced something is wrong with Violet. When she shares her concerns with her husband, he dismisses her claims.
When Blythe gives birth to her son, Sam, the situation is very different, and it's everything she always imagined a mother/child relationship to be. When their lives change on a dime, it will force them to face the truth.
π T H O U G H T S
The hype had definitely subsided when I finally picked up The Push, unfortunately it stilled influenced my reading experience and it ended up not living up to all my expectations.
What I like:
- I appreciated the honest insight and portrayal of the expectations versus the realities of motherhood, yet as a childless woman I didn't connect to the plot line.
- The plot line of multi-generational trauma
- Written as a letter, I thought the format was clever. And it was obvious that Audrain is a strong writer.
What I didn't like:
- The plot delivers quite a few stereotypes but I don't know that it leaves us a whole lot further ahead in our understanding, but rather upholds stigmas that can be detrimental to mental health awareness.
- I believe I'd have liked it more if the ending was different. For me, the ending felt like it was used for shock value rather than a natural resolution.
At the end of the day, I wouldn't call this a thriller, rather it's a psychological drama that is sure to spark discussion. But because the plot has been so overdone, The Push is easily forgettable to me.
π R E C O M M E N D β’ T O
β’ readers looking for a compulsive read
β’ bookclubs
π F A V O U R I T E β’ Q U O T E S
"A motherβs heart breaks a million ways in her lifetime."
Graphic: Death, Child death, Child abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Suicide, Self harm, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Abandonment, Miscarriage, Abortion, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Confinement, Infidelity, Gaslighting, Medical content, and Bullying
Minor: Blood, Sexual content, Cursing, Stalking, Death of parent, and Car accident
postpartum depressiontoofondofbooks_'s review against another edition
- 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
5.0
So what I want to say first is that I think going into this book expecting a thriller is a mistake. Even on the inside flap, it says it's more of a psychological drama. *Drama.* Anyone who goes into this expecting jump scares and some mystery to solve is going to be disappointed. I, however, went into it without any real expectations, other than that I knew it would be fucked up because every single person I spoke to who read it told me so. There are definitely horror elements, I would say, but I wouldn't say that it's a true horror or thriller.
The writing was so rich and haunting, it had me horrified even throughout the mundane parts of it, which I think takes a certain skill - a skill that I certainly don't possess. I also really enjoyed the themes within pertaining to generational trauma, found family, and how our parents - even if they want us to be different than they are, sometimes can't help but rub off on us. I also loved reading from Blythe's perspective - what an interesting and flawed character to get to be inside the mind of!!
I don't want to talk too much about what this book is actually about because I think you're better off going in at least partially blind. Be mindful of triggers and take care of yourself as needed.
I'm going to be thinking about this one for a long, long time.
Graphic: Self harm, Blood, Abortion, Murder, Death of parent, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, Rape, Suicide, Gore, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Infidelity, Death, Child death, Sexual assault, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, and Grief
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Excrement
jennyjin's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, and Car accident
ashlyreadsevrythg's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, Grief, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Medical trauma, Stalking, and Toxic relationship
coffiishot's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, and Toxic relationship