“When the dark days come, I often ponder how the weight of being a mother is like no other,” narrator Jenna notes. Holly excels at portraying the everyday frustrations of caregiving and the unique loneliness it can bring. Acute details and a confessional first-person present tense effectively draw the reader into Jenna’s intimate sense of perceived failure. Some aspects of her unhappiness are so familiar that they can be mundane to read, especially in detailed dialogue. Nonetheless, Holly balances hardship with levity, such as when Jenna is jailed for public intoxication.
In Jenna’s case, the idea that nobody wants to hear negativity about family life stymies her. Luckily, her tribe of feisty women vent their tears and laughter—without straying into melodrama—and discover that sharing their experiences heals life’s wounds. Most affecting is the notebook in which Jenna doodles and records words of wisdom quoted by loved ones. Many mothers will identify with Jenna’s plight and find solace in its message: caregivers should not suffer alone. The solution? Sharing their stories of failure and triumph will help them to grieve, normalize, and honor their most challenging experiences.
Takeaway: A touching novel of the importance of sharing the trials of motherhood.
Comparable Titles: Anna Hogeland’s The Long Answer, Anita Kushwaha’s Secret Lives of Mothers & Daughters.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
"A lucid look at motherhood; immediately relatable. Aptly describes the chaos of raising children and the possibility of losing one's sense of self. A moving exploration of motherhood's pressures and expectations—one that any parent will find thought-provoking."
