A review by marywahlmeierbracciano
Motherhood by Sheila Heti

reflective
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I loved listening to Sheila Heti read this book.  I don’t think I would have liked it as much had I read it on the page.  Heti is certainly not for everyone, but if you like unconventionality in your books, give her work a try.  Motherhood is an autofictional rumination on the question of whether or not to have a child, and the book is largely guided by the actual flipping of three coins, inspired by the I Ching.  The three-coin method adds a reverent, mystical quality to the book, which itself reads like a conversational train of thought or a diary.  Heti also delves into family history and inheritance, in this case Jewish Hungarian.  There’s so much to ponder here.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings