I was determined to bring a few books off the front of the TBR this month in anticipation of picking my way through the whole thing during 20 Books of Summer. I was also very keen on reading this novel, having loved the author’s “The Vanishing Half” back in 2020. I think this one was reissued on the strength of that book’s success, however it was a New York Times Bestseller in its own right when it was published in 2016 – it is very accomplished as a first novel. I would like her to write some more although I see she’s recently been working on some “American Girls” books alongside a historical doll character she was invited to create.
Brit Bennett – “The Mothers”
(16 December 2021, BookCrossing Not So Secret Santa from Sam)
After a secret’s been told, everyone becomes a prophet. (p. 148)
It’s quite hard to review this book because it’s very plot-led. Basically we have three young people in San Diego connected to the church. Nadia’s mum has just taken her own life and she’s in a fog of grief, taking comfort where she can. Luke is a former football star, now injured, also the pastor’s son, and Aubrey, who becomes close to Nadia over a difficult summer, is the good girl with the difficult past, now living with her sister and her girlfriend (I think the only White character in the book).
So two girls without mothers, three characters seeking affection where they can find it, three characters who could be pulled from the stock character pile, but what she does with them when Nadia sleeps with Luke and gets pregnant defies your plot expectations and is beautifully done as we follow them over a number of years. And the mothers? Each chapter begins with a section in the first person plural voice (“We …”) which is a chorus of the church mothers, gossiping, finding out, commenting, thinking back to their own younger lives, breaking out secrets and telling who told.
Atmospheric, lyrically written, sad and clever, and a recommended read.
This is Book 29 in my 2024 TBR project – 112 to go!
Laura
May 23, 2024 @ 06:58:28
I’m afraid I found this completely forgettable – but then I didn’t love The Vanishing Half either, though I liked it more than this one. I’m intrigued by whatever she is doing with American Girls though! Loved my American Girl doll growing up.
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Liz Dexter
May 23, 2024 @ 11:30:54
It says on her Wikipedia page about it https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brit_Bennett . And fair enough, we can’t all love everything. I thought it was quite unusual and that it would stay with me, but we’ll see, of course!
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griffandsarahthomas
May 23, 2024 @ 09:57:32
Somehow, this author had passed me by but your review inspired me to do some googling and look at reviews. I see it was very popular when it was first published. It does look as if it was an outstanding debut novel and one which would probably be an excellent conversation starter for book groups as it seems to cover many important and emotive subjects. Thanks for raising my awareness!
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Liz Dexter
May 23, 2024 @ 11:31:56
Yes, this one and The Vanishing Half would both make great book group reads!
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Wendy
May 23, 2024 @ 11:21:51
I know I read this one, but like your first commenter, I’m struggling to remember it! I also looked at my Goodreads review, but it was very vague–I don’t think I got much out of it except that the writing was beautiful. I did like The Vanishing Half much more.
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Liz Dexter
May 23, 2024 @ 11:35:55
Oh dear – the writing WAS beautiful which I didn’t really mention, and I just thought the plot went in a way I really wasn’t expecting, which made it interesting.
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Jane
May 23, 2024 @ 14:29:16
I like the idea of the mothers as a Greek Chorus, I hadn’t heard of this author but it sounds interesting!
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Liz Dexter
May 25, 2024 @ 18:26:37
Yes, it was a clever way of doing it.
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Davida Chazan
May 24, 2024 @ 08:38:18
I enjoyed this one, but I never was interested in reading her other book. Not sure why. Maybe because I found the novella “Passing” by Nella Larsen to be so amazing.
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Liz Dexter
May 25, 2024 @ 18:27:26
Oh, that’s interesting, I liked reading that one as a sort of modern update on Passing showing how many issues had stayed broadly the same.
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Anne Bennett
May 24, 2024 @ 22:08:18
I always enjoy your reviews and am tempted to add this to my TBR but that dang list is so long and I put books on it and then forget why or who recommended them. I, too, am desperate to make a dent in that list. About a year ago I went through my TBR and if the library didn’t have a copy of the book, I removed it from my TBR. That was then this is now. Back up in numbers on the list and I need another culling.
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Liz Dexter
May 25, 2024 @ 18:27:56
My TBR is all-too-real but what you call your TBR I call my wishlist and that’s horrific!
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Marcie McCauley
May 27, 2024 @ 13:04:53
I really enjoyed what she did with the “we” voice here and found the book read quickly, holding my attention from start-to-stop. Like you, I was surprised with how the story went; I don’t know what I had been expecting, but that wasn’t it! (In a good way, so complicated.)
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Liz Dexter
May 27, 2024 @ 19:52:35
Yes, it was clever and well done, wasn’t it. And yes, I expected the opposite outcome of one thing, but then it was clear that even that happening had a huge effect through the years.
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heavenali
May 30, 2024 @ 21:08:14
It is so hard to review very plot driven books. I enjoyed The Vanishing Half so it’s good to hear this was good.
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Liz Dexter
May 31, 2024 @ 16:39:17
It is, thank you! Happy to lend this to you if you’d like a read, it was really interesting, and very good for a debut, too.
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