Scan barcode
abbie_'s review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
I made a good decision on reading all of Maggie O’Farrell’s backlist! This is my third by her and it’s a gripping dual POV narrative following two women, 50 years apart, figuring out motherhood. I loved Lexie’s storyline, a single woman in the 50s and 60s defying all convention, making a name for herself in journalism, raising a baby as an unmarried, single mother and basically just doing whatever she wants. The second storyline follows Elena, a painter who is struggling to get back to grips with her work after the traumatic birth of her son. Juggling that with her boyfriend who is acting increasingly strange, experiencing flashbacks to a childhood he previously couldn’t remember which knock him for six each time.
An engaging read which you should check out if you enjoy family secrets and themes of motherhood!
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Infidelity, and Medical trauma
Minor: Sexual assault
Drowning; the SA a man traps a woman between his body and a work bench, but it is interrupted and she escapes unharmedlinda3's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, and Pregnancy
bexdubyah's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
Graphic: Infidelity and Death of parent
Moderate: Grief, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical trauma
Minor: Excrement and Miscarriage
cheye13's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
A beautifully written story, with interesting and well-rounded characters. It was entertaining, but I'm wonderinng what the takeaway is. It carries an air of a life lesson, yet I'm not sure what that's supposed to be, let alone if I agree. There's nothing revolutionary about the characters – it doesn't show an unseen side of parenthood or womanhood. It's simply a well-crafted story about interesting people entwined in interesting ways. Not spectacular, but a lovely little read.
Graphic: Death of parent, Excrement, and Infidelity
Moderate: Death, Grief, and Medical content
Minor: Abortion, Miscarriage, and Sexism
More...