A review by lesserjoke
The Mothers by Brit Bennett

4.0

This novel strikes me as a great example of how talented writing and character work can elevate old tropes beyond their familiar patterns. When I try to summarize the plot -- a 17-year-old hides her romance with a college guy and subsequent abortion from her best friend, who later goes on to marry him -- it sounds a bit tired and dramatically overwrought. But in debut author Brit Bennett's hands, the people in this love triangle feel fleshed-out and compelling, particularly in their evolving dynamics with one another and their complicated relationships to the mothers and other maternal figures in their lives. The nearly-all-black cast lends a further air of distinction and authenticity to the story, and the Greek chorus of church ladies voicing the latest community gossip between chapters is a welcome frame of meta-narrative. Although the ending of the book is a bit open for my tastes, I've really enjoyed most everything leading up to that point.

[Content warning for suicide, death of a parent, domestic abuse, sexual assault, incest, and racism.]

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