A review by johndiconsiglio
The Mothers by Brit Bennett

3.0

A pair of motherless daughters—SoCal African-American girls, one wild & reckless, the other shy & church-going—become best friends. Over years, they share secrets, boyfriends, betrayals, etc. So, yeah, you’ve been here before. Author Bennett doesn’t ask too much of readers, but she doesn’t dumb-down either. A 2016 bestselling debut, it lacks the bite of her 2020 follow-up Vanishing Half. A Greek chorus of narrating gossipy church “Mothers” doesn’t help. Neither does an abortion storyline that wants to have it both ways. You can take it to the pool.