The May-Mothers are a group of Brooklyn moms who all recently had their first child. They meet in Prospect Park under the shade of the willow tree and swap stories, share tips and commiserate the stresses of being a new mother. There is Nell, the career woman with her thick British accent, Collette is the author who is ghost-writing her second book while her partner is the new darling of the literary world. Francie is the transplant from the deep south and struggles to fit into the New York City social scene. And finally, there is Winnie, the single mom who keeps to herself. There are other members of the group that come and go, but those are the core member. On the 4th of July, the eve of her returning to work, Nell, convinces them all that they deserve a night out. They all agree, but Winnie does so reluctantly. She has never left little Midas alone, but even she looks forward to some time away from the baby. But when she returns home to find Midas missing Winnie is devastated. Her whole world is turned upside down and all of her secrets are revealed. Her three friends are willing to do anything, risk anything, to help Winnie find Midas. But what will happen when their own secrets are revealed?
The Perfect Mother, set in the sizzling heat of summer, takes a group of exhausted new mothers and sets them in the middle of every mother's worst nightmare. The core group of women are about as different as women could be - it is not likely that they would have ever connected if not for the birth month their children shared. I didn't really have a "favorite" of the group. They all were struggling with motherhood in their own way. They wanted, desperately, to be "The Perfect Mother" and were trying to live up to these impossible standards. I would say that they were even ashamed that they were not perfect at all. Those that had partners were lucky that they had committed and dedicated partners and they all felt sorry for Winnie for not having the baby's father in her life. The tempo of the book seems to pick up as the days since Midas went missing pass. The sense of urgency is palpable and as the reader, you can't help but feel the same dread all of these new mothers feel. I was a little surprised by the ending but realized that I shouldn't have been surprised at all. CLICK HERE FOR SPOILERS.
Bottom Line - Being a new mother is terrifying. Being "The Perfect Mother" is impossible, yet it is a trap that all mother get caught in. Aimeee Molloy has written a real nail-biter about every mother's worst nightmare. One to read if you are looking for a great thriller.
Details:
- The Perfect Mother by Aimee Molly
- On Instagram
- Pages:336
- Publication Date: 5/1/18
- Publisher: HarperCollins
- Buy it Here!
Just a tad confused by the ending regarding Winnie's behavior, Who did she think the woman (at the end) was in the park wearing sunglasses? Why was she still so discombobulated ? Stress due to the kidnapping of Midas? To me, Winnie seems as psychotic as Scarlet who did the actual kidnapping.
Post a Comment