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cdubiel's review
5.0
I loved this book. So excited to see more complex legal thrillers hitting the market. It is one of my favorite genres. I especially enjoyed this one because it had so many twists, and there are so many moral gray areas with each of the main characters. Abby Rosenberg is the protagonist and a lawyer who is about to give birth at the start of the book. She is defending Luz Rivera Hollis, a nineteen-year-old who killed her husband on an army base in Germany. The main question is whether Luz did this to defend herself and her child from her husband's abuse, or if the killing was premeditated and thus murder. Abby's partner is not very happy with her for going back to work so early to continue on Luz's case, and the title could refer to either Abby or Luz, or both. What defines a good mother - and what do women sacrifice by striving to fall into that category? This book is highly discussable and compulsively readable - I seriously cannot wait until more of my coworkers can read it so I can share it with them.
maureenmccombs's review
3.0
More like 3.5 stars. A bit melodramatic at times, the premise and the writing were solid. I would guess this is the first in an expected series. I would read the author’s writing again.
rebleejen's review
emotional
mysterious
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
4.5
giantarms's review
3.0
I think I heard about this book on a podcast but I don't remember which one because I had to wait a while before the library would give it to me. This is a great lesson in frugality: you too can read the hottest new releases for free if only you wait patiently. Though I admit I have checked on my reservation for [b:No One Is Talking About This|53733106|No One Is Talking About This|Patricia Lockwood|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1601474686l/53733106._SY75_.jpg|84057345] a little more feverishly than necessary so who am I to give advice?
Anyway this is a legal procedural featuring many fucked up people just trying to do their best in life. I really appreciate that nobody here is a saint and nobody here is a demon. Are there egos in need of stroking? Yes. Were some unethical choices made? Yes. Was there a happy ending? I'm not telling.
Major themes include motherhood and family and motherhood. Also, toying with jewelry. However, I don't think legal procedurals are my jam. Still, good job Laura Bazelon, I really did want to know what happened.
Anyway this is a legal procedural featuring many fucked up people just trying to do their best in life. I really appreciate that nobody here is a saint and nobody here is a demon. Are there egos in need of stroking? Yes. Were some unethical choices made? Yes. Was there a happy ending? I'm not telling.
Major themes include motherhood and family and motherhood. Also, toying with jewelry. However, I don't think legal procedurals are my jam. Still, good job Laura Bazelon, I really did want to know what happened.
janjanjukebox's review
3.0
More of a 3.5 I was going to give it a 4 because of the several mistakes regarding the military, but the story went downhill so it got a 3.5.
bookishlifeofjess's review against another edition
3.0
I read this one as my first audiobook. It was good. Still not sure how I feel about ebooks though.
bettyboop25's review
3.0
I really enjoyed this legal thriller. Luz is the wife of a soldier. She kills him and this story tries to determine if it's self defense or not. Her lawyer Abby is solely invested in this case much to the detriment of her personal life. We watch as Abby tries to keep everything in order while having a liar as a client.
I was so invested and just wanted to keep going. I found it interesting seeing why Abby made the decisions she did.
I was so invested and just wanted to keep going. I found it interesting seeing why Abby made the decisions she did.
tessa_talks_books's review
4.0
A Good Mother by Lara Bazelon is a legal thriller that will disturb you and leave you transfixed to the page as you hope beyond hope that there is a better tomorrow.
What I Liked
The story is very compelling. My eyes did not want to leave the page as I was often concerned, disturbed, and at a few points even horrified. It isn’t really even about whether or not Luz killed her husband out of self-defense or if she murdered him. It’s about the outcome of the trial regardless of what actually happened. After both lawyers offered their case, who would the jury believe?
I liked the theme of what makes a good mother that ran throughout the story. It paints the picture of mistakes and bad choices just being moments in time, not defining what kind of mother one is. And this is true to an extent. Good mothers are not perfect; what they share is an uncompromising love for their children and a willingness to strive to make the best choices and do the right thing.
What I Wish
I wish that the main characters hadn’t been so lacking in relatability. Most of Abby’s, one of Luz’s lawyers, choices on the home front disturbed me, though I could understand how she felt to a point. But she took everything past the point of understanding, and two events even horrified me. Nic, her significant other and father to her baby Cal angered me. If someone does something more than once that is horrifyingly abnormal and dangerous, there is either a medical health issue or a mental health issue, and a loving partner, to me, would have done something to make sure she got the help she needed. Then there is Luz’s other lawyer, Will. For Will, I have no words. I would say he was just fortunate and leave it at that. Lastly, Luz is an interesting character but is really sealed herself off, so getting a peek inside is all but impossible. This makes her unrelatable, and she lacks development as a character. Maybe if Jonathan had played a more significant role in the story (as he had the most potential to be a relatable character), my thoughts about the story in terms of characters would be different.
To Read or Not to Read
If you enjoy compelling legal thrillers that are plot-driven, so you are okay without character connections, you will enjoy this dark and disturbing read. But if you get triggered by violence and endangerment, beware.
Rating: 3.5/5
What I Liked
The story is very compelling. My eyes did not want to leave the page as I was often concerned, disturbed, and at a few points even horrified. It isn’t really even about whether or not Luz killed her husband out of self-defense or if she murdered him. It’s about the outcome of the trial regardless of what actually happened. After both lawyers offered their case, who would the jury believe?
I liked the theme of what makes a good mother that ran throughout the story. It paints the picture of mistakes and bad choices just being moments in time, not defining what kind of mother one is. And this is true to an extent. Good mothers are not perfect; what they share is an uncompromising love for their children and a willingness to strive to make the best choices and do the right thing.
What I Wish
I wish that the main characters hadn’t been so lacking in relatability. Most of Abby’s, one of Luz’s lawyers, choices on the home front disturbed me, though I could understand how she felt to a point. But she took everything past the point of understanding, and two events even horrified me. Nic, her significant other and father to her baby Cal angered me. If someone does something more than once that is horrifyingly abnormal and dangerous, there is either a medical health issue or a mental health issue, and a loving partner, to me, would have done something to make sure she got the help she needed. Then there is Luz’s other lawyer, Will. For Will, I have no words. I would say he was just fortunate and leave it at that. Lastly, Luz is an interesting character but is really sealed herself off, so getting a peek inside is all but impossible. This makes her unrelatable, and she lacks development as a character. Maybe if Jonathan had played a more significant role in the story (as he had the most potential to be a relatable character), my thoughts about the story in terms of characters would be different.
To Read or Not to Read
If you enjoy compelling legal thrillers that are plot-driven, so you are okay without character connections, you will enjoy this dark and disturbing read. But if you get triggered by violence and endangerment, beware.
Rating: 3.5/5
nataschabelle's review
dark
mysterious
medium-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
3.5
An entertaining courtroom drama that kept me interested.
But I wish the twist at the end with the law suit from Nic had been explored more. I wish the Luz part of the story had ended halfway through the book and the second half could have explored Abby’s mothering and how she managed to get partial custody of Cal. That part seemed unbelievable to me.
margaretpinard's review
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75