Like many of us during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, author Zoje Stage found herself isolated at home, waiting for the world to reopen. Days turned to weeks and weeks turned to months. It quickly became apparent that COVID was here to stay. Like other authors, the pandemic heavily influenced Stage, inspiring her to write her latest novel Mothered. In an unfortunate act of serendipity, I found myself isolated at home after a positive COVID test earlier this week. I've suffered through the last couple of days with a sore throat and no voice at all, but I'm thankful that my symptoms haven't worsened. With all this time at home, I managed to read Stage's new book. It has added another layer to this already fascinating novel.
The early days of the pandemic impacted different people in different ways. Yes, there was uncertainty about the situation. What was this strange disease? Were we all in danger of getting it? Beyond the mechanics of the illness, though, arose real questions about how it would impact people's livelihoods. Grace is one such person facing these uncertainties. As a hairdresser, she relies on being in close contact with other people to make a living. You can't cut someone's hair when you are supposed to be social distancing. The owner of the salon where Grace works has decided to use the temporary shutdown as an opportunity to liquidate the business and take early retirement. This, of course, leaves Grace out in the cold.
With her job prospects on ice, Grace is desperate to find any means of income possible. Right before the pandemic began, she purchased her first home. At the time, she was excited to have made this huge life step, but now she's saddled with a mortgage that she's unsure she'll be able to pay. With no other choices, Grace turns to the one person she never thought she would ask for help. She asks her recently widowed mother Jackie to move in.
There's a history between mother and daughter that caused a rift in their relationship. Grace optimistically looks at their cohabitation as an opportunity to mend that gap. Soon, however, good intentions turn bad, and their troubled past resurfaces. Grace begins to have nightmares that eerily blend reality and fiction. She dreams of her deceased sister, who despite her own physical challenges always found a way to be cruel to Grace. Things worsen from there, forcing Grace to grapple with the one person she has never been able to fully understand. . . her mother.
This was my first experience reading Zoje Stage's work. I was especially eager to accept this publisher-provided copy of Mothered based on how many of my book reading buddies adored her debut novel Baby Teeth. I found her writing to be compulsively readable. Much of the narrative momentum of the novel is driven by the characters, both of whom are fully fleshed-out versions of people grappling with different aspects of the pandemic. Stage daringly allows her characters to venture into their own paranoia, urging the readers to peek around the corner with them, veering closer and closer to the gruesome and taboo. There is no shortage of disturbing violence, especially as the novel crescendos to its climax. Stage balances this by grounding her characters in a reality that we all recently lived through. Mothered is a unique domestic thriller grounded by strong characters. It is the most inventive and captivating thriller I've read so far this year.
For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.
(2023, 13)
This sounds like a very intense read! I've never read any books by this author, but I've certainly been aware of how popular her first book was. And I'm so sorry you got covid! I hope you recover quickly and feel better soon.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I'm finally back at work and mostly symptom free!
DeleteI hope the virus isn't being too hard on you. I had my second bout of covid in the beginning of January. It was pretty much the same as my first experience in 2021. I personally struggle with pandemic books, but I am glad to hear you enjoyed this one.
ReplyDeleteThis was my second round with it too. It wasn't better, but it was very different symptoms. I'm very thankful to be on the other side of it again!
DeleteI'm glad to read you've recovered, Ethan! This book is ... it feels like intense might be too small of a word for it. I'm absolutely intrigued by this read!
ReplyDeleteThat's a very apt way to describe it. There were some pretty shocking moments haha.
DeleteHope you recover soon with the help of some good books to pass the time at home. The domestic thriller sounds terrific!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your well wishes!
DeleteI will never get the whole isolated thing cos i went to work as usual, SO went to work. Kid went to daycare. Some jobs cant stop.
ReplyDeleteI can see how this book turn out, yikes, good thriller material
I understand that perspective. One of my best friends worked for a grocery chain, so she continued working throughout all the shutdowns too. I'm thankful we are mostly on the other side of all that!
DeleteHopefully you're feeling better. This sounds really good. I bet I would like this one.
ReplyDeleteI'm feeling much better!
DeleteI picked this one as my Kindle First book last month and I am really glad that I did after reading your review. I need to try to work this one in sometime soon.
ReplyDeleteOooh I can't wait to see what you think of it!
DeleteI had a chance to read this one as a Prime First Reads but opted for something else instead. May have to get it from the library. I still have not read Baby Teeth either.
ReplyDeleteYou'll either really like this one or be completely frustrated by the characters haha.
Delete