The Push

Content warnings for this novel: death of a child, depression, infidelity, divorce, manipulation, gas lighting

I don’t read psychological books, so there are no novels that I can compare this to. I was not planning on picking this up, but Books with Brittany raved about it, describing an unreliable narrator and a hellish daughter, and I thought, sure let’s give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised!

 The Push follows Blythe as she navigates the blunders of motherhood. Blythe and her daughter Violet don’t see eye-to-eye…in fact, Blythe is convinced that Violet hates her and wants to make her life hell. In Blythe’s eyes, her daughter is violent and manipulative. When Blythe confides in her husband, Fox, he responds by telling her to see a psychiatrist or to just be a better mother.

This novel makes us question both Blythe’s and Violet’s sanities. It’s an astounding exploration of motherhood. The author takes us through several generations of Blythe’s family, and the audience begins to see that none of the women in Blythe’s family were “good mothers.” This book brings up lots of questions for the reader. What does it mean to be a good mother? Must mothers always love all their children the same? Must mothers sacrifice more than fathers? Is motherhood truly the greatest gift?

Despite the fascinating character arcs, I found several plot points a bit too predictable. (Stop reading for spoilers!!) It was pretty obvious that Violet was going to have some responsibility in Sam’s death. Blythe’s blossoming friendship with Fox’s new girlfriend was unoriginal. And it was even more obvious that Violet was going to also hurt Jett, her half-brother.

Still, I like provocative books, and the themes of motherhood were interesting. It’s a quick, easy read, so I definitely recommend!