A review by maggers94
The Push by Ashley Audrain

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This was an unexpected emotional read, and my heart ached for Blythe in so many ways. It just explores motherhood in such a complex way and touches on some pre-existing fears as someone who’s never felt innately maternal. You always hear people say everything changes once you have your own kids and maternal instincts kick in as you bond with your baby, but Blythe’s postpartum journey and her struggle to bond with Violet hit deeply at that anxiety of what if it doesn’t? Tack on her later journey with grief, as well as the perspective of how motherhood altered her relationship with her husband, and it’s just a deeply emotional read from start to finish. Her feelings are narrated in a way that felt so raw and real that when she described first learning about Gemma and Jet, it felt like a gut punch even though I already knew where it was going in that particular part of the story. I just really loved the way it was written overall, and it’s one of those books that is going to stay on my mind well after finishing it.