While her mother seems sincere and apologetic (her mother was always cold to her, their relationship contentious), something seems to have changed, and softened her. “Considerate of each other’s space and needs.” “We’ll be equals, roommates,” she said, trying to imagine them both in new roles. Could Jackie possibly be implying that the problems they’d had while Grace was growing up were due to her age? Some inexcusable lack of maturity that ignored the reality of her having been an honest-to-god child? Jackie had always hated being a mother, at least that’s how Grace remembered it. She always heard rebukes in her mother’s words, and in the silent spaces too. “This will be good for us-it’s been a long time, and we’re both adults now.” Grace wasn’t sure she was prepared for this more mercurial, less predictable phase of Jackie’s life. As a child Grace had known her mother to have one mood-cranky. “Of course, I understand it’s your house.” Jackie sounded relieved now, and excited. Her alter egos reared up in protest, Stop! Don’t you realize what’s about to happen? Without explicitly saying it, Grace had opened the door. “We’d have to establish boundaries,” Grace heard herself say. Then her mom calls, having the same needs and suggests that she move in with her and pay for half of everything. So when the pandemic hits, and everyone goes into lock down, Grace unfortunately loses her job, and thinks about getting a roommate to supplement her lack of income. She’s solid, independent, and really happy. Grace is finally getting her life in perfect order (just bought herself a cute house, set up her home office), works in a great hair salon, has a supportive and fun best friend (Miguel), and is not suffering from any romantic entanglements.

Is someone just devious enough to create upheaval in our main character’s life? Forcing the main character to make rash decisions, discombobulating them, and lashing out? Or is it all in her head? Who’s the enemy here? I guess you can call her an unreliable narrator for sure, but I love those, ’cause I can’t tell what’s real, or imagined. One she has a strained relationship with. Life during a pandemic, and lockdown, and all of the insecurities that go along with it… plus, a new roommate (her mother!!). Sure enough, the writing style, the flow, and the main character’s POV was interesting enough to keep me reading. Here’s my review of “Baby Teeth” in case you missed it. I figured, ehhh why not? I liked her book “Baby Teeth” so I was curious. I liked it!! When I saw the sort of… mediocre rating average it had, I wasn’t expecting much (though I hadn’t read any of the reviews as I wanted to go in blind). Mothered: A Novel <- A psych-thriller by an author I’ve read before? YES PLEASE!! And yet… another creepy kid in the mix. MARYSE’S SURPRISE FROM HER FAVORITE BOOK BOYFRIEND’S.ALL MY REVIEWS (ALPHABETICAL BY AUTHOR).

Mothered zoje stage