The Mother's Group - Fionna Higgins

Pages: 312

Published: 2012 Allen and Urwin

Genre: Contemporary /Women’s Fiction

Format: Large Paperback

Acquired: Local Collins bookstore

Date Finished: April 11^th 2012

Synopsis:

The Mother’s Group tells the story of six very different women who agree to meet regularly after the births of their respective babies. It tracks their individual journeys during that first crucial year—and the group’s collective one—as they navigate motherhood and the shifting ground of their relationships with their partners. Each woman struggles in her own way to become the mother she wants to be, and finds herself becoming increasingly reliant on the friendship and support of the mother’s group members. Until one day, when an unthinkably shocking event changes everything. The Mother’s Group is an unflinching and compelling portrait of love, sex, marriage and parenting in an increasingly complicated world. Moving, provocative, tender and utterly gripping, it will draw you in and never let you go.

Review/Thoughts

From page one I fell hard for this book. It appealed to me on so many levels but fundamentally my desire to be a mother overcome me and the risky cost involved in picking up this book, cost aside I want to run out and buy this for every mother and potential mother I know, and tell them to sit down and devour the book because I certainly did.

The story was one of many emotions and perspectives, each character fresh and full with their own trials and triumphs throughout the novel. The way that each story was interwoven made me hooked with every flick of the page. There was never a dull moment in any of the characters lives and the pacing was constantly enjoyable.

I had my favorites and it was almost like I was sitting there with them, together with my imaginary bundle bouncing on my lap as I picked and judged and drew closer towards those women who I could connect with and those who would challenge me. This is one of the many things I loved about The Mothers group – the constant questioning and challenging of my own morals and for-thoughts of pregnancy and motherhood.

Not only do we gain insight into each woman’s lives, but that of the father and family. It certainly raised a lot of questions I pressed to my partner and it made me thankful at times for having someone willing to be so supporting in my journey. Fiona Higgins has a way of capturing the human spirit throughout every word making you feel, making you a part of something so natural and yet at times the sensation of being disconnected. It was an unflinching fictional look at what a mother feels and goes through and while it did not go into the graphic nature of birth, it did fulfill the knowledge that it is a beautiful experience and that there are pros and cons.

The biggest part of this story was the building friendships and the back-story into each characters life and pre-pregnancy – these two elements made the novel and drove it forward with compassion and realism. This was not one of those stories that is a transition book, each background story built up to the present day was just as emotionally charging as the present day story. I loved it.

Nearing the mid way mark my heart started to churn, my chest tight. I did not want to put this down. The world around me disappeared and tears- oh the tears and the onslaught of overwhelming feelings. I just wanted to talk about this book. I wanted to start it over again and re-read it.

The Mother’s Group was it was set in Sydney, Australia and in modern times where technology is the new social acceptance. But this novel seemed to surpass this thankfully into good old fashioned one on one get together’s and support. Something I greatly appreciated.

I would recommend this book to anyone, woman or man. I am certainly going to give this to my partner to read, for the sheer experience and what he could learn about women and birth and the life after. There is so much fear built up, in a lot of books fiction and non-fiction but The Mother’s Group combines everything so beautifully it left me feeling satisfied and I hope you to enjoy it if you choose to pick it up.

Read if you like: Monica McInerney

Rating: ★★★★★

Living Dead Girl - Elizabeth Scott

Pages: 170

Published: September 8th 2009 by Simon Pulse

Genre: Realistic Contemporary Fiction/ Y.A

Format: Paperback

Date Finished: 20^th February 2012

Synopsis:

The thing is, you can get used to anything. You think you can't, you want to die, but you don't. You won't. You just are.

This is Alice.
She was taken by Ray five years ago.
She thought she knew how her story would end.
She was wrong.

Review/ Thoughts:

I actually forgot that I had purchased this novel until this weekend when I got an invoice telling me it had nearly arrived. Rekindled with interest, I re-read the synopsis and some recommended reviews by both friends and random reviewers and grew really excited to read Living Dead Girl. I haven’t read a dark contemporary read in such a long time I was worried that the subject matter [that hit close to home] would leave me feeling to tormented to read, but in fact it had the opposite affect and I could not stop reading it. The proof- I finished it in a few hours.

This book was amazing. Just pure sickness and turmoil that had my stomach in knots and tears swelling in my eyes and yet I could feel all of Alice’s pain, being subjected to abuse firsthand myself and as a sideliner. In fact I don’t know one person in my family who was not abused. Alice’s story felt so real and raw and ugly and yet powerful and heart wrenching. It is very rare that I read a book and think – fuck I want to just devour every dark piece of fiction I can. Because the honest truth is it is hard to find fiction now days that cuts deep into the marrow and severs every nerve, leaving you feeling gutted and yet emancipated.

This happens, you hear about kidnapping everyday but you do not get to read about what is like during. There are variants of the same hideous story. Some survive and others don’t. Some watch silently when they know and can hear everything while others cannot see. It saddens me that someone could cause Ray to do these things and I actually did feel some semblance of emotion towards him which scares the fuck out of me. I think it’s because we do see Alice’s side of her truth and her story but looking deeper into the novel you can see where history repeats itself and that adds another level to it.

Thank you Elizabeth, this is stunning fiction at its best. I recommend it to everyone no matter what your preference this is a story that needs to be read. I hate the suffering, it eats me inside but people need to wake up and do something and so many people do nothing and watch, too scared to get involved until some poor child’s life gets stripped apart from the inside until they are nothing but bones and ashes. Only then does it peak some people’s interest. Living Dead Girl is disgusting, disturbing but so wonderfully written. Get your hands on it now and if you own it, read it NOW.

★★★★★

ARC Review: Chopsticks - Jessica Anthony & Rodrigo Corral

Pages: 272

Published: February 2nd 2012 by Razorbill

Genre: Young Adult/ Contemporary

Format: Paperback

Date Finished: 9^th February 2012

Synopsis

After her mother died, Glory retreated into herself and her music. Her single father raised her as a piano prodigy, with a rigid schedule and the goal of playing sold-out shows across the globe. Now, as a teenager, Glory has disappeared. As we flash back to the events leading up to her disappearance, we see a girl on the precipice of disaster. Brilliant and lonely, Glory is drawn to an artistic new boy, Frank, who moves in next door. The farther she falls, the deeper she spirals into madness. Before long, Glory is unable to play anything but the song "Chopsticks."
But nothing is what it seems, and Glory's reality is not reality at all. In this stunningly moving novel told in photographs, pictures, and words, it's up to the reader to decide what is real, what is imagined, and what has been madness all along.

Review/ Thoughts:

I won an ARC copy of Chopsticks in a contest hosed by Mary and I must admit that after I received it I was both excited and overwhelmed at how to review it. Chopsticks is certainly not a traditional Y.A contemporary novel, but I only wish there was more books out there like it.

The story itself is fantastic and raw, filled with madness and emotions and mystery. I deeply enjoyed getting to know the character through the various mediums used in Chopsticks, from photographs, pamphlets, newspaper clippings and sketches it was compiled and presented in a stunning fashion and I delighted in experiencing Frank and Graces Journey.

Chopsticks is open to interpretation, especially when you get into the depth of the story. Nearing the end if had be hooked and also left me with that thrilling sensation when you realize everything you have read may not be what it seems.

I read this one in an hour over a Chai latte and a perfect grilled sandwich and I just enjoyed every minute of it. Definitely one of those books to relax with when you want a break from intensity, and love to devour a good story.

★★★★★

Good Reads: Chopsticks

Jessica Anthony

Rodrigo Corral