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The Other Mother

by Tracee Sioux on November 12th, 2007

Gwendolen Gross sent me her new book, The Other Mother: A Novel, to review. It’s look at a relationship between a working mother, Amanda, and a stay-at-home mother, Thea, who live across the street from each other.  

Both Thea and Amanda are the protagonists, except aren’t we supposed to like a protagonist? I don’t think I liked either one of these women particularly.

This book is an accurate look at the judgement and condescension felt by women on both sides of the working or staying home issue. It’s also an accurate portrayal of the fact that neither woman is thrilled about her choices. In fact, in many ways, both women are miserable about their choices.

At 6 - 12 weeks women in America face the two bad choices of abandon career or abandon baby. In this story one woman, Thea, chooses to abandon her career and the other woman, Amanda, chooses to abandon her baby. Because it’s such an emotional choice both women resent the other for her choice. That’s what I mean by accurate. It’s an accurate depiction of what happens when women have children and an accurate depiction of how they feel about the mother who makes a different choice.  Neither woman really finds a way out. Both just learn to accept and live with their respective choice.

To sum it up, neither woman likes her choice. The different women just hate one choice more than they hate the other. Then they get emotionally attached to the choice they hate the least. Then they react to the other woman out of a defensive place.

There are a few really good plot twists in The Other Mother: A Novel as well, but I will let you have those surprises. The Other Mother is a book worth reading, regardless of which mother you are. It will provide insight into what the other mothers in your life are thinking about you.

(Truthfully, it left kind of a bitter taste in my mouth about who we, as women, are being.)

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POSTED IN: Fabulous Book Club