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maziemouse's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.0
I’ve never screamed more than while reading from the mom’s perspective.
thephdivabooks's review against another edition
4.0
This book reminds me a lot of the famous headline-grabbing case of Dee Dee Blanchard and her daughter Gypsy, which was probably one of the most famous cases of Munchausen by proxy documented publicly in my generation. It was even reenacted for a streaming series several years ago. While I don’t think this case alone was the inspiration for Darling Rose Gold, I’d guess it played a significant part in helping Wrobel understand how this mental illness plays out.
Unlike many mental illnesses, Munchausen by proxy refers specifically to a form of abuse where a parent or guardian (most common in mothers) makes their child believe they are sick as a form of gaining sympathy and meaning from that relationship. In Darling Rose Gold, we see this terrifying illness play out in flashbacks and the current timeline.
Rose Gold Watts spent nearly two decades believing she was sick when her mother Patty would use ipecac and other tactics to mimic symptoms of illness. Patty would poison Rose Gold, starve her, shave her head, and make her so weak that she was wheelchair bound for much of her life. Rose Gold eventually testified against her mother, getting her put away for aggravated child abuse.
In present day, Rose Gold has purchased the very home she suffered abuse from at the hands of her mother, working to update it as the home shell raise her own infant son Adam in. The book begins as Patty is getting out of prison and Rose Gold invites Patty to live with her in their old home. When I tell you how messed up this scenario is, I felt that Wrobel really delved into the long-term implications of this sort of abuse on the child. Does Rose Gold still need her mother around, or is she planning some form of revenge? And is it possible that she could suffer from the very same mental illness as her mother?
Weaving between past and present and alternating narrators from Rose Gold to Patty, Darling Rose Gold takes a different spin from other books because it picks up several years after when most books would end. It would be easy to see this as an epilogue to a book about Munchausen by proxy, where the formerly abused child now is a mother herself and is building a life away from her abuser. But Wrobel has done the opposite here, starting the book where we should be seeing the positive ending and exploring what happens to someone after this sort of abuse occurs.
But who is getting revenge on whom? Is Patty seeking revenge on the daughter who she thinks turned on her? Is Rose Gold seeking revenge on the woman who ruined her childhood? Or maybe neither of these are true—maybe this is a story of moving on and rebuilding a relationship? You’ll have to read to find out!
Thank you to Berkley for my copy. Opinions are my own.
Unlike many mental illnesses, Munchausen by proxy refers specifically to a form of abuse where a parent or guardian (most common in mothers) makes their child believe they are sick as a form of gaining sympathy and meaning from that relationship. In Darling Rose Gold, we see this terrifying illness play out in flashbacks and the current timeline.
Rose Gold Watts spent nearly two decades believing she was sick when her mother Patty would use ipecac and other tactics to mimic symptoms of illness. Patty would poison Rose Gold, starve her, shave her head, and make her so weak that she was wheelchair bound for much of her life. Rose Gold eventually testified against her mother, getting her put away for aggravated child abuse.
In present day, Rose Gold has purchased the very home she suffered abuse from at the hands of her mother, working to update it as the home shell raise her own infant son Adam in. The book begins as Patty is getting out of prison and Rose Gold invites Patty to live with her in their old home. When I tell you how messed up this scenario is, I felt that Wrobel really delved into the long-term implications of this sort of abuse on the child. Does Rose Gold still need her mother around, or is she planning some form of revenge? And is it possible that she could suffer from the very same mental illness as her mother?
Weaving between past and present and alternating narrators from Rose Gold to Patty, Darling Rose Gold takes a different spin from other books because it picks up several years after when most books would end. It would be easy to see this as an epilogue to a book about Munchausen by proxy, where the formerly abused child now is a mother herself and is building a life away from her abuser. But Wrobel has done the opposite here, starting the book where we should be seeing the positive ending and exploring what happens to someone after this sort of abuse occurs.
But who is getting revenge on whom? Is Patty seeking revenge on the daughter who she thinks turned on her? Is Rose Gold seeking revenge on the woman who ruined her childhood? Or maybe neither of these are true—maybe this is a story of moving on and rebuilding a relationship? You’ll have to read to find out!
Thank you to Berkley for my copy. Opinions are my own.
remyblodreina's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
3.0
Honestly I feel a little let down. The book started off strong. I was getting the heebie jeebies trying to figure out who was in the wrong and so on. I loved that they were both crazy in their own way but I just felt like halfway through the book it just hit a wall and nothing happened. Then before I knew it there were two chapters left, the big thing has happened and even tho I'm like "oh damn!" I would've been like "OHHHH DAAYUMMMM" if it hadn't been so rushed and we had gotten more of Rose Gold's thinking and planning. Lowkey kinda wish it had just been Rose Gold's POV and maybe some occasional chapters from her moms POV.
betsybean's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
3.75
anna_alabaster's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-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
4.75
elijah9715's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
fast-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
4.5
cpriley401's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
medium-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
3.0
marieintheraw's review against another edition
4.0
tension from the moment the book starts. add in some perfectly timed flashbacks and this book will have you on the edge of your seat, but don't except a happy ending.
I received an ecopy of this through netgalley; however, all opinions are my own.
I received an ecopy of this through netgalley; however, all opinions are my own.