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A review by rellimreads
A Good Mother by Lara Bazelon
1.0
DNF @ 40%
In description, theme, narrator – this book had everything going for it in terms of what I should love. Instead, I hated it.
Cindy Kay’s spectacular narration and my fervent hope that Bazelon was going somewhere, anywhere redeemable with a single character are the only reason I got as far as I did.
Unfortunately, it’s just really bad. I can’t stand any of the characters. None of them. Not just objectionable or morally gray behavior – I’m fine with loving hating a character. But these were so one dimensional, stereotypical, and unrelatable on all levels. Additionally, the legal thriller aspect was completely lost to a decades worth of day time soap opera drama (see spoilers below). The only “history” the reader is given about the case is some emails between Travis and a girlfriend. All this did was give me more people to dislike and no concern for any kind of justice, moral or legal.
Narration:
This was a narrator motivated pick because I really enjoy Cindy Kay. She was amazing here – the voices, accents, tension. Sadly, she wasn’t able to save the writing.
Specific objections that includes spoilers:
* Abby (defense attorney) strips in front of a judge as some kind of misguided power play. The whole thing is bizarre and completely unbelievable. Both her actions and the judge’s response.
* Will (other defense attorney, married) is having an affair with Luz (defendant). Additionally, there’s some kind of pain/control/dominance kink going on that’s just off.
* Bazelon seems to be trying to juxtapose the “mothering” of Abby and Luz. It falls flat. Abby obviously didn’t plan her pregnancy and doesn’t want to be a mother. Motherhood isn’t for everyone for a variety of reasons, the issue is Abby seems to be determined to make everyone else miserable over it. Besides being a very young stay at home mom, Luz’s parenting isn’t even described other than she loves her daughter.
In description, theme, narrator – this book had everything going for it in terms of what I should love. Instead, I hated it.
Cindy Kay’s spectacular narration and my fervent hope that Bazelon was going somewhere, anywhere redeemable with a single character are the only reason I got as far as I did.
Unfortunately, it’s just really bad. I can’t stand any of the characters. None of them. Not just objectionable or morally gray behavior – I’m fine with loving hating a character. But these were so one dimensional, stereotypical, and unrelatable on all levels. Additionally, the legal thriller aspect was completely lost to a decades worth of day time soap opera drama (see spoilers below). The only “history” the reader is given about the case is some emails between Travis and a girlfriend. All this did was give me more people to dislike and no concern for any kind of justice, moral or legal.
Narration:
This was a narrator motivated pick because I really enjoy Cindy Kay. She was amazing here – the voices, accents, tension. Sadly, she wasn’t able to save the writing.
Specific objections that includes spoilers:
Spoiler
* Abby (defense attorney) strips in front of a judge as some kind of misguided power play. The whole thing is bizarre and completely unbelievable. Both her actions and the judge’s response.
* Will (other defense attorney, married) is having an affair with Luz (defendant). Additionally, there’s some kind of pain/control/dominance kink going on that’s just off.
* Bazelon seems to be trying to juxtapose the “mothering” of Abby and Luz. It falls flat. Abby obviously didn’t plan her pregnancy and doesn’t want to be a mother. Motherhood isn’t for everyone for a variety of reasons, the issue is Abby seems to be determined to make everyone else miserable over it. Besides being a very young stay at home mom, Luz’s parenting isn’t even described other than she loves her daughter.