The Need (edizione 2020)

In general, I don't select much science fiction reading. Occasionally, however, I stumble onto a novel and discover that it is sci-fi. Ok. That just happened. This book is a deep, deep dive into the psychology of motherhood in the midst of a collision between parallel universes. Yep. Imagine your worst day as a mother, as a working mother, and then multiply. An archeological dig unearths items from a parallel universe and then the games begin. Mom Molly and her doppelganger, Mol duke it out psychologically. Dad is out of town for work, so archeologist mom is stretched a bit thin. Enough. It's not bad, and that is coming from a non-sci-fi fan. Decide for yourself whether to take the plunge. ( )

A book about the fears and pressures of motherhood, love, and loss, but told in a way that I wasn't expecting. The writing and imagery in this book kept me rapt and I just really loved this. ( )

Whenever I say "Sometimes an author is more interested in impressing readers than in actually creating an emotional, intense experience for the readers"-This exactly the kind of bullshit I'm talking about.
Like, I kind of knew when I saw a bald woman staring expressionless at the camera in the author photo that I was in for a treat, but holy shit is this one pretentious pile of ivory tower acid trip. I think she pulled the Lady Gaga trick of just including a bunch of fever dream shit to make it seem like it's rife with symbolism. It's not. It's rife with ego.
I also think her reaching for symbolism backfired on her a bit.
The alternate universe where God is referred to as "she" is the alternate universe where her children are dead. You don't need to be Freud to read: 'Feminism is the death of motherhood' into that, which unfortunately, is not what the author seems to be going for.
And fuck that ambiguous ending.
And shoehorning a paper mache deer mask into the book just to create a creep visual. You want a Donnie Darko level surreal factor? Put the fucking work in. There was no reason for her husband to have made her a deer mask. If they were an eccentric as hell couple that should have been explained. But nothing else in the book points to them being total weirdos that would make each other paper mache masks as gifts.

Holy shit....And the writer actually has some serious skill. The description, the imagery, the emotion. She could write something fucking good if she would stop trying to show off and pull her lips off her own butt for a second.

So it gets two stars, not one, from me, because the writing is actually very good. It's the story that's total shit. ( )

Interestin story ( )

I hated this book. But I realized something about my reading taste! I'm okay with books about families, or about children, or about women who are mothers. But I cannot effing stand when an author gives voice to a young child so they can whine endlessly or prattle on about nothing. I'm not interested in books reflecting upon motherhood or parenthood to kids in that stage either. I hated Room, I hated Fierce Kingdom, and I hated this book too. I didn't mind the weirdness or find it confusing. It was actually the only part of this book I found interesting, and it wasn't really that inventive. The author is a competent writer, but I was so absurdly annoyed by the children in this book that I can't give it more than two stars. ( )