Reviews

Motherhood by Sheila Heti

sbnielsen's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

An interesting meditation on motherhood and the question of whether or not to have children. I found it informative, especially the contrast between parenthood and artistry.

chloehayward's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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? Yes

4.5

katelarue's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

aplacetounfold's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? No

5.0

shimmery's review against another edition

5.0

As she nears the end of her fertile years, The narrator wonders whether or not she should have a child. Consulting flipped coins, everyone she meets and her own family history, she thinks about what it means to be a mother or not, and what it means to be a woman who resists this primal calling.

I think this is a fantastic book. Bizarrely, given how important it is, this is a subject rarely written about, and as the narrator points out, those women who decide they do not want to have children are often pitied and or misunderstood. I think this book will give a lot of women permission to follow their instinct not to have a child in a society that teaches women it is their purpose; that to not want to be a mother is an abnormality cured by meeting the right person/holding a child.

As well as being incredibly thoughtful and insightful, this book is also funny and entertaining — the narrator is a likeable person who manages to attract a lot of interesting people to her (including fortune tellers).

I think all women should read this book.

whoamo's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

jeannievc's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

soni1597's review against another edition

Was not what I expected 

raychillstorm's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

giving so much space to the decision making around motherhood was incredibly exhausting at times, as was the author. but on the other hand, aren't we all tiresome when feeling anxious?

unidentifiedgemstone's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective 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? Yes

5.0

Best book I’ve read this year