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A review by rebekah_florence
The Mothers by Brit Bennett
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
If you’re a fan of the show Greenleaf, I would highly recommend this book. As a Black woman who grew up in the church (specifically with family members who were pastors of an A.M.E. Zion church) this book felt like coming home to me. The mothers of the church-their drama, adages, gossiping, compassion- were written in such an authentic way that I could hear their voices as they spoke. I could gush about this book all day. I love that the title is a nod to not just the mothers of the church but also the mothers of our three main characters in the novel. Each of their mothers has traumatized them in one way or another, and that trauma has brought them to they way each of them navigates their own life presently. I loved that the story was told from multiple points of view. Maybe it’s the theatre-lover in me but each time the “Mothers” narrated the story, I felt that they operated as a Greek chorus of sorts. If I had to make a complaint about this book, I would say that I wish the ending was a little more fleshed out without the major time jump but perhaps that’s for the best. Much like Nadia’s situation and relationships, some things will always be left unresolved .
Graphic: Suicide, Violence, Abortion, and Murder
Minor: Sexual violence