Take a photo of a barcode or cover
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Grief, Pregnancy
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Infertility, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pregnancy
Moderate: Physical abuse
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Misc: full transparency I probably would have enjoyed the translated work more if it was an American translation vs a British one.
Also this may be translation error so I don’t fully hold it against the book, but maybe bc one of my Mexican relatives is an Aurelio (though he’s also French-Mexican and died 1914) I found it confusing the book never explained why or how someone, Alina, whose family is from the mountains of Veracruz has French citizenship whether it was from her husband, grandparent or what because apparently if you graduate from France you can do something fast tracked for two years but it’s just never explained unless the translation missed a sentence or half of one and it made me think I had two characters confused.
Otherwise it did make me laugh a little that I got the bittersweet joke about French elections.
Also speaking of Mexico and a race, that is not a strong theme here but it’s no accident the nanny and the most poor person in the novel is the one listening to cumbias, making mole, Carries the baby in wraps “like the indigenous women” even if she’s definitely only mestiza. White People are such a bubbled class privileged (and many of the characters here are quietly clearly very wealthy) minority in Mexico the sheer bubble they live their lives from even just the middle class mestizos is really something and the eurocentrismo is also something. Like even pop Mexican stuff barely came up and it didn’t super surprise me that a book of an emerging Latin American writer with several bulbs about being the best in Latin America is …so centered around Europe and has a bit of distant and odd relationships with it’s brown homeland. The Latin American literary scene is very disproportionately white, some of those blurbs were other Latinos so I hope this is was more marketing decisions for the English market then her own active choices.
I thought the use of Asian spirituality and religion was tastefully done but fully possible it just made me remember my own religious studies and classes where Buddhism was one of the topics. (Also frankly if the author did do a thesis about Buddhism I would simply like to read it) But again did not surprise me the Mexican main characters looked to Europe and Asia for their answers then home even if a lot of their problems and know themselves and the world a solved via Mexican women coming together to understand each other and a Mexican feminist collective.
Entirely about the book: I enjoyed how Frank the book was about dehumanizing nature of motherhood and women who are and aren’t mothers and how much being a mother frankly sucks half the time especially because I think the book even if it got tenuous at times managed to talk about how much a burden motherhood and care giving can be without dehumanizing the children that are either disabled or have severe anger issues bc if the late abusive relative figure they’re mimicking to feel in control of their unstable life etc.
I was very afraid there would be a eugenics moment with Ines and Laura though. Also again there is something about race and class about how Alina resented the clearly less white middle class curvier and younger nanny. That I don’t think is fully addressed by how the women made up (though a lot of that is what Alina thought vs what she ever said to anyone). And arguably she thinks much worse things of her own baby I genuinely was afraid would be killed in a bout of postpartum psychosis Or herself. I also liked that her husband Aurelio frankly got to be problematic and un ideal and therefore more human in that he didn’t just immediately empathize with his wife paranoia and resentment imagining an nonexistent affair though him handling that worse then her shopping addiction and credit debt clearly due to stress was Funny!
Marlene the nanny, got to have her own unhealthy boundaries clearly dealing or not dealing with her own infertility not to mention caring for a baby everyone is told could die any day just because. Doris the single mother got to be literally dangerous neglectful of herself and her son in a way the book was deeply human about while also having Laura force and confront Doris saying “you need to tell me what’s wrong so we can fix it”.
Also frankly as a Mexican I think it’s really easily to see how an abused woman in Mexico becomes an agoraphobe that I thought the novela developed getting worse incredibly well. As well as an abused woman more and more unable to deal with her son shouting the same things and throwing things like his abusive dad did even if it’s because he’s terrified of his mother’s mental illness he’s making worse because he’s not allowed out of the house that has no books in it except for school and eventually she stops feeding either of them etc. like how he’s being raised even unintentionally is frightening even if his reaction is moreso. Very strong understanding of people and cycles.
I did like that the book did not shy away from some deeply horrible thoughts people have.
I also liked that Laura cared but was not magically maternal or having all the answers or an Angel to all women always. Like her letting Nico stomp on a dead bird was a crazy decision but also very human to be like, that’s fucked up but not a hill I’m dying on. Nico is only eight but I think Nettel wrote so well how women often care for children we know are shaped by their enviroment but are easily on a path not even entirely in our control as the adult to become a danger to us because of the allure of machismo. And also just the fact deconstruction of abuse and it’s cycles is Hard and not something we all know inherently! Like Laura I missed Nico dearly in the end even if being with his aunt and cousins probably was better and I did find it so refreshing that a mother sending her son away was not seen as awful even if I also loved Laura being ashamed she didn’t escort the kid directly to Morelia bc I was afraid for a child traveling between states alone.
As a queer woman the seemingly straight women having a one night together both I think made sense but also Very Funny to me sorry. I just really loved how human the book was and how frankly ugly but with compassion everyone in it got to be.
The novella reminded me how I myself don’t want to be mother but I do dearly want to be an aunt and oh how much I love women and being around around them and friends with them.
Also another translation note: I found it interesting Ni Una Más wasn’t translated but all the other feminist signs and slogans were and I’m curious if Not One More is just that famous globally to not be considered needed to translate or what was the thought process there.
I originally really liked the the original title better because to me the original Spanish title brings up the community aspect even as a single woman more but I do think the Still born in the book where multiple characters are indirectly and directly being told their baby girl will die immediately after being born and the girl is still born and we all have to keep going even though it’s difficult to see any light ahead is also compelling in its own way. Original title is better but this one is still good.
Also this may be translation error so I don’t fully hold it against the book, but maybe bc one of my Mexican relatives is an Aurelio (though he’s also French-Mexican and died 1914) I found it confusing the book never explained why or how someone, Alina, whose family is from the mountains of Veracruz has French citizenship whether it was from her husband, grandparent or what because apparently if you graduate from France you can do something fast tracked for two years but it’s just never explained unless the translation missed a sentence or half of one and it made me think I had two characters confused.
Otherwise it did make me laugh a little that I got the bittersweet joke about French elections.
Also speaking of Mexico and a race, that is not a strong theme here but it’s no accident the nanny and the most poor person in the novel is the one listening to cumbias, making mole, Carries the baby in wraps “like the indigenous women” even if she’s definitely only mestiza. White People are such a bubbled class privileged (and many of the characters here are quietly clearly very wealthy) minority in Mexico the sheer bubble they live their lives from even just the middle class mestizos is really something and the eurocentrismo is also something. Like even pop Mexican stuff barely came up and it didn’t super surprise me that a book of an emerging Latin American writer with several bulbs about being the best in Latin America is …so centered around Europe and has a bit of distant and odd relationships with it’s brown homeland. The Latin American literary scene is very disproportionately white, some of those blurbs were other Latinos so I hope this is was more marketing decisions for the English market then her own active choices.
I thought the use of Asian spirituality and religion was tastefully done but fully possible it just made me remember my own religious studies and classes where Buddhism was one of the topics. (Also frankly if the author did do a thesis about Buddhism I would simply like to read it) But again did not surprise me the Mexican main characters looked to Europe and Asia for their answers then home even if a lot of their problems and know themselves and the world a solved via Mexican women coming together to understand each other and a Mexican feminist collective.
Entirely about the book: I enjoyed how Frank the book was about dehumanizing nature of motherhood and women who are and aren’t mothers and how much being a mother frankly sucks half the time especially because I think the book even if it got tenuous at times managed to talk about how much a burden motherhood and care giving can be without dehumanizing the children that are either disabled or have severe anger issues bc if the late abusive relative figure they’re mimicking to feel in control of their unstable life etc.
I was very afraid there would be a eugenics moment with Ines and Laura though. Also again there is something about race and class about how Alina resented the clearly less white middle class curvier and younger nanny. That I don’t think is fully addressed by how the women made up (though a lot of that is what Alina thought vs what she ever said to anyone). And arguably she thinks much worse things of her own baby I genuinely was afraid would be killed in a bout of postpartum psychosis Or herself. I also liked that her husband Aurelio frankly got to be problematic and un ideal and therefore more human in that he didn’t just immediately empathize with his wife paranoia and resentment imagining an nonexistent affair though him handling that worse then her shopping addiction and credit debt clearly due to stress was Funny!
Marlene the nanny, got to have her own unhealthy boundaries clearly dealing or not dealing with her own infertility not to mention caring for a baby everyone is told could die any day just because. Doris the single mother got to be literally dangerous neglectful of herself and her son in a way the book was deeply human about while also having Laura force and confront Doris saying “you need to tell me what’s wrong so we can fix it”.
Also frankly as a Mexican I think it’s really easily to see how an abused woman in Mexico becomes an agoraphobe that I thought the novela developed getting worse incredibly well. As well as an abused woman more and more unable to deal with her son shouting the same things and throwing things like his abusive dad did even if it’s because he’s terrified of his mother’s mental illness he’s making worse because he’s not allowed out of the house that has no books in it except for school and eventually she stops feeding either of them etc. like how he’s being raised even unintentionally is frightening even if his reaction is moreso. Very strong understanding of people and cycles.
I did like that the book did not shy away from some deeply horrible thoughts people have.
I also liked that Laura cared but was not magically maternal or having all the answers or an Angel to all women always. Like her letting Nico stomp on a dead bird was a crazy decision but also very human to be like, that’s fucked up but not a hill I’m dying on. Nico is only eight but I think Nettel wrote so well how women often care for children we know are shaped by their enviroment but are easily on a path not even entirely in our control as the adult to become a danger to us because of the allure of machismo. And also just the fact deconstruction of abuse and it’s cycles is Hard and not something we all know inherently! Like Laura I missed Nico dearly in the end even if being with his aunt and cousins probably was better and I did find it so refreshing that a mother sending her son away was not seen as awful even if I also loved Laura being ashamed she didn’t escort the kid directly to Morelia bc I was afraid for a child traveling between states alone.
As a queer woman the seemingly straight women having a one night together both I think made sense but also Very Funny to me sorry. I just really loved how human the book was and how frankly ugly but with compassion everyone in it got to be.
The novella reminded me how I myself don’t want to be mother but I do dearly want to be an aunt and oh how much I love women and being around around them and friends with them.
Also another translation note: I found it interesting Ni Una Más wasn’t translated but all the other feminist signs and slogans were and I’m curious if Not One More is just that famous globally to not be considered needed to translate or what was the thought process there.
I originally really liked the the original title better because to me the original Spanish title brings up the community aspect even as a single woman more but I do think the Still born in the book where multiple characters are indirectly and directly being told their baby girl will die immediately after being born and the girl is still born and we all have to keep going even though it’s difficult to see any light ahead is also compelling in its own way. Original title is better but this one is still good.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Medical trauma, Pregnancy
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Pregnancy
Moderate: Child death, Medical content, Medical trauma
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Amazing emotional honesty
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy
Moderate: Misogyny
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Grief
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy
Minor: Alcohol
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pregnancy
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
First half of the book was engaging and interesting. I really enjoyed it but the ending felt rushed and I don’t think it made sense for the storyline- seemed like maybe the author didn’t know how else to end it. Otherwise, a great book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Grief, Pregnancy
Moderate: Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse
Minor: Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I am so grateful that I have had neither challenges with infertility, nor child death or severe disability before I read this.
What a gut punch of a novel. What a beautiful, important, horrible gut punch. Realistic, honest, just, beautiful, horribly sad and incredibly powerful. Beautifully written, amazingly translated.
What a gut punch of a novel. What a beautiful, important, horrible gut punch. Realistic, honest, just, beautiful, horribly sad and incredibly powerful. Beautifully written, amazingly translated.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Infertility, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Grief, Pregnancy
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Medical content, Pregnancy