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A review by znvisser
The Push by Ashley Audrain
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Oof. I read this book in a day but it will definitely haunt me for more, and in more than one way too.
The Push introduces us to a line of dysfunctional mother-daughter relationships. We follow Blythe, mother of Violet, but we also learn about her mother Cecilia and grandmother Etta. Blythe is not the first woman in her family who, despite having had a rough childhood herself, becomes a mother because society - and therefore, men - expect them to. Blythe manages to convince herself she will be a better mother than her own, but when Violet is born she can't seem to establish a connection. As time goes by, she starts to suspect there are some alarming reasons for this, but she is the only one to believe so. Then her son Sam is born and everything changes, at first for the better.
Throughout the book, you are constantly reminded that the narrator is unreliable. I decided to just go with it and believe her, and that made for quite an experience. But even if you go at it another way, this is still a very sad story, just for different reasons. And the fact that both possible realities exist simultaneously throughout the book, makes this story so incredibly heart wrenching. The short chapters really manage to aggravate the tension, and they made me turn page after page.
This book definitely warrants some content warnings so if you're not sure you can sit through it all, look into those before picking this up. But if you decide to anyway, get ready to be VERY disturbed.
The Push introduces us to a line of dysfunctional mother-daughter relationships. We follow Blythe, mother of Violet, but we also learn about her mother Cecilia and grandmother Etta. Blythe is not the first woman in her family who, despite having had a rough childhood herself, becomes a mother because society - and therefore, men - expect them to. Blythe manages to convince herself she will be a better mother than her own, but when Violet is born she can't seem to establish a connection. As time goes by, she starts to suspect there are some alarming reasons for this, but she is the only one to believe so. Then her son Sam is born and everything changes, at first for the better.
Throughout the book, you are constantly reminded that the narrator is unreliable. I decided to just go with it and believe her, and that made for quite an experience. But even if you go at it another way, this is still a very sad story, just for different reasons. And the fact that both possible realities exist simultaneously throughout the book, makes this story so incredibly heart wrenching. The short chapters really manage to aggravate the tension, and they made me turn page after page.
This book definitely warrants some content warnings so if you're not sure you can sit through it all, look into those before picking this up. But if you decide to anyway, get ready to be VERY disturbed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Car accident, Child death, Death, Murder, Self harm, Stalking, Violence, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Infidelity