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A review by tessa_talks_books
A Good Mother by Lara Bazelon
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