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Feb 25, 2021Cidherman rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
This was the kind of book that will stay in my thoughts far into the future. It is extremely well written and captures the essence of what people expect of Mother's and the harsh judgement that befalls those who are incapable of living up to the ideal. The "perfect mother" probably doesn't exist but some people are naturals, and for those who aren't, they may judge themselves harshest of all. Blyth, the protagonist in THE PUSH feels an aversion to one of her children, who she suspects without actually voicing the words, of being a budding sociopath. She thinks her four year old is responsible for the death of another child, and she can't bring herself to fake unconditional love for her. As the years go by the lack of love and trust between them causes a gulf neither one can cross or get around and damages both of them irreparably. The book is so well done and a real page turner. My only problem with it was some confusion over past references to Blyth's own mother and her early experiences. I found myself confused as to what was going on because the shift between present and past tense should have been clearer and smoother. The plot, the character development and the writing deserve 5 stars, so I didn't dock it for the ungainly shifts between past and present.