Mother And Child by Annie Murray is a powerful contemporary novel exploring parenthood, loss and friends.
As with many of Annie Murray’s novels, the story is set mainly in my hometown of Birmingham. The locations are familiar to me – I have been to Lodge Hill cemetery, Dudley Zoo, Wythall and more – knowing the locations enhanced my reading experience. I am even familiar with the location of Sainsburys in the book!
The novel is set in 2014 around a couple whose only son was killed by a drunk driver two years before the book opens. Their loss and devastation is keenly felt. In order to help with the healing process, the couple have moved house as the story opens.
A photo in a magazine showing the Bhopal disaster of 1984 (which I remember) awakens a passion in a character to make a difference. As a heart looks beyond self, inner healing begins.
Part of the novel is set in contemporary Bhopal. The busyness, vibrancy and colourfulness are in sharp contrast to the after effects of the disaster which are still being felt to this day. We witness the bonds of women and mothers. They share a common language of grief.
There are parallels between Bhopal and mid twentieth century industrial Britain – where accidents happen, lives are changed but no body takes responsibility. A character has lived under a cloud of guilt and shame since an industrial accident happened to her husband in 1959.
Mother And Child was a powerful, heart-breaking read that totally consumed me. I love all Annie Murray’s novels and cannot wait to read more.
I received a free copy via Net Galley. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

I have read and loved previous books by this author . They are usually saga based stories and I expected the same of this book. However it wasn’t what I expected, This was quite a good story but just wasn’t really for me.

This is a story of loss and what devastation it causes.
The authors writing is so engaging and very easy to read.
This book is an important read and is a book that everyone should read.
Such an inspirational unique story.

Such a heart-warming story this was such a gripping read, so full of drama and love, kept me gripped from beginning to end

I have a mixed opinion about Mother and Child, and that is perhaps to do with my expectations from it.

When I first acquired the book, I was ready to bawl and cry my eyes out, since I was looking for something cathartic. While the book paints a pretty accurate picture of grief, it’s pace gave me trouble.

Without any spoilers... here goes:

Our narrator is a mother. And she’s struggling with the death (industrial accident) of her only son. Naturally, her relationship with everyone, including her husband, suffers a great deal. Moving closer to her ailing mother-in-law, the couple decides on a fresh start. The catharsis, however, seems extremely slow in coming. Her need to “run for the Bhopal has tragedy victims,” while a noble cause to be sure, seems rather arbitrary and incoherent.

I honestly felt like I was being dragged through the read. While the concept genuinely seems one worth further exploration, the articulation of it was disappointing. I would give it 2.5 out of 5 stars.

Thank you netgalley.com for a review copy.

From reading the synopsis and looking at the front cover, I was expecting more of story based in that time. However, this story delves into the past, present and provides a future to be proud of. This is one very emotional story to read, where strangers become your close friends and supporters, the people around you struggle and the main character Jo, I felt became the strongest of them all!

When Jo and her husband loose their son Paul, everything feels too hard to bare, they move closer to Ian's mum - Dorrie to support her after she becomes frail. This is an ideal opportunity for Jo to slowly come back to normal living, not feeling as though she should solely be grieving for the loss of her son. After she settles in their new home, she spends some time visiting Dorrie, where their relationship develops. The bond between them brings out family history and secrets Dorrie has kept for a very long time. Dorrie feels that Jo needs to know these secrets, that hopefully the right people to know will eventually hear it and understand why she kept it a secret, for so long. I really loved the relationship between them, the giggles, the honesty of Dorrie's character and allowing Jo to grieve, giving her time, not asking how she is every time she sees her. This for me is what people need sometimes, just to sit and socialise without all the questions, that we all know don't really help, but we feel we must ask.

The emotions are raw throughout this story, from Jo and Ian grieving over Paul, the concern over Dorrie along with how Jo and Ian feel towards each other. It is honest and candid, whether you have experienced this before, you can easily feel for these characters. I believe Jo is a strong character, she does well to survive and keep going, regardless of how she feels. Ian has his own worries and as it would be, Ian is trying his best to continue with his business, however he isn't approaching how he really feels, this not only impacts their relationship it risks his own mental health.

As Jo develops confidence she meets a wonderful group of women, all with their own stories. They come together regularly for tea and cake, this gives the opportunity for Jo to say she would like to do something, although she is unsure of what they might think, this is something that she feels she must do. A few of the women also agree to support Jo with this new challenge. This not only brings out a stronger bond between these women, it also brings to light a life journey, that will come at the end to bring some closure.

I really appreciated reading about Paul, his life and to understand when Paul died, how this impacted Jo and Ian's life. Throughout the story you slowly got to know more, the struggles that he also faced.

The experiences that this author has been through and the research involved, bring this story not only to life, it gives it the in-depth emotions that you can truly appreciate.

I would definitely recommend this book, it is beautifully and emotionally written right up the very end.

DNF at 20%. I expected a lot after reading the blurb, but it was too depressing for me. The author clearly tries to make a brave effort by speaking for the victims of Bhopal tragedy and I commend her for it. Sadly, I was not the intended reader.

I really wanted to read and review this book because of the cause it was supporting, and because I knew I’d enjoy the author’s writing. But I didn’t read the blurb in advance and, based only on the cover, I was rather expecting it to be one of the sagas she writes so well – I’ll admit I really hadn’t thought through how the Bhopal disaster might be referenced. Instead, I was rather delighted to find it was a contemporary story – albeit with echoes of the past – and the kind of book I unfailingly enjoy.

The key character is Jo, struggling desperately to move forward two years after the death of her near-adult son: her husband Ian is finding life difficult too, but suffering in that different way that men often do, and the cracks on their marriage are beginning to widen. We learn more about son Paul through Jo’s reflections and memories – the realities of their lives together slowly revealed. As a portrait of sudden loss and the impact of grief, it’s simply stunning – and by the time Jo realises that her house move hasn’t been enough to give her the healing she needs, she already has a very firm hold on your heart.

She finds friendship and support through a group of women at a local yoga class – a wonderful group of all types, ages and backgrounds, each with their own slowly unfolded stories and their hidden sadnesses and secrets. And while Jo doesn’t leave her memories and grief behind – and really doesn’t want to – the women focus on the shared goal of raising money for Bhopal. The impetus is a photograph in a magazine – the sadness of another mother’s son, a child who has seen more suffering that he should – and the joyous experience of their fundraising effort is followed by a pilgrimage to Bhopal to see its impact first-hand.

It’s a story that swirls with the commonality of women’ experiences – both through the group of friends, and with the mothers of Bhopal. But there are other echoes and resonances, through the memories of her mother-in-law Dorrie: her story is set in Birmingham’s industrial past, its carelessness for the safety of the workers providing another rich layer of parallels with the more recent tragedy.

I really loved this book, and particularly its diverse cast of female characters – the way their stories were built and layered, the way their relationships were developed. Emotionally, it’s quite a roller-coaster – but the moments of tears and sadness are balanced by others of sheer unadulterated joy. And the book’s ending? I thought it was absolutely perfect.

I would urge everyone to buy this book to support the Bhopal Medical Appeal… but then please, do read it, because the story and its telling is just wonderful.

(Review copied to Amazon UK, but link not yet available)

A thought-provoking read, which focuses on a personal tragedy for Jo and Ian, and how they learn to live again after their devastating loss. Estranged, through their different ways of dealing with loss, they decide a physical move might help, and relocate in Birmingham close to Ian’s family roots.

Ian withdraws into his work, leaving Jo alone, not wanting to continue her life. Dorrie, Ian’s mum requires care and support. Gradually as their relationship deepens, from mutual need and proximity, Jo begins to feel she has a role in life. Dorrie tries to unburden herself and help Jo by sharing her painful past. This part of the story goes back to historic Birmingham between the wars and makes interesting poignant reading.

Inspired by an article, written about the aftermath of the 1984 Bhopal disaster, she reads, Jo finds it resonates. She wants to do something to help the people, who are still suffering over thirty years on, in the wake of the chemical disaster.

Through new friendships forged out of her need to move on, she finds like-minded women, who together make a difference for Bhopal in terms of fundraising and help Jo to find a worthwhile purpose for what remains of her life.

This is a poignant story of loss and the wasteland it leaves behind, which echoes the loss in Bhopal and the devastation, in terms of lives lost and blighted since the disaster. Jo finds new purpose by helping those who are still suffering, and whilst this book is an intelligent sensitive story, it also highlights a real human disaster that will remain for generations to come.

I received a copy of this book from Pan Macmillan via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

A beautiful book which dealt with loss of a child, distance between the parents, and to find a way to start living.

Jo and Ian were that couple who had lost their grown son Paul. They moved homes to come closer to Ian's mother Florrie. Jo joined a yoga group, and she soon found her strength after falling many times. A visit to the dentist showed her a picture of an Indian boy from the gas tragedy who looked exactly like her son Paul, and that got her to want to do something for the survivors of the Bhopal gas tragedy.

My first book by Annie Murray, I decided to read the story as all proceeds would go to the medical center which provided free treatment to the survivors and a part of me remembered that tragedy. The story was written poignantly, I liked the emotions emanating from the words. They showed me the strength of a woman. Jo was the face of this story.

The book had other characters who added to the journey that this book was. They made the going extremely easy. Their friendship gave the lighter moments to the book. They gave me hope when the story triggered some old memories of those days.

Overall, the book gave me a fictional story on the backdrop of reality. The greed of the corporations and consequent horror shook me up as I knew the generations of children were still being born mutated, even today.

I was ever so pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed reading this book. It flows beautifully and really appeals to me as most of the women in it are over 40.

It reminds me a lot of books I’ve read by Amanda Prowse. It’s a very emotional read dealing with some very dark subject matter but its written sensitively and with a deftness and skill that had me galloping through it.

It’s the story of Jo, a middle aged woman going through a dreadful crisis. She and her husband Ian have upped sticks and moved house, trying to create a new start for themselves at a time they are both still grieving over the pointless death of their teenage son Paul. Seething with grief and simmering with bitterness at the feckless youth who’s recklessness took the life of their beloved boy, they bumble from day to day with little to say to one another anymore.

Ian holds in his grief in a blokey manner, going to work in the small garage business he has built up the cracks appearing gradually and threatening to erupt and overwhelm him. Jo can’t face her old job as a teacher, feels she has nothing in common with her friends and for a while her only company is Ian’s Mum Dorrie, ageing and rather frail. The 2 women are very close and as Jo draws strength from caring for Dorrie, the old lady begins to confide about her own past and losses to Jo. This part of the story caters somewhat to Annie Murrays saga fans and is evocative and holds a few mysteries and tragedies of its own as it unfolds.

Bit by bit Jo finds the strength to start trying to build a new life and in a moment of desperation signs up for a yoga class where she finds some great new friends and builds some inner strength.

She reads an article about a 30 year old tragedy in Bhopal India which strikes a chord featuring a photo of a boy who reminds her of Paul, she finds a little solace trying to help the people affected by this tragedy and finds it helps her come to terms with her own loss, little by little. The author has written this book to help raise awareness of this tragic event which 30 years on is still having dreadful repercussions and you can read more about this tragedy on her website and also find out more about her other books.

This novel raises subjects like death of a child, loss, grief, suicide, depression and the aftermaths of industrial negligence so it was never going to be a light and fluffy read.

However it’s also about friendship and support, rebuilding relationships and starting over.

The author, being an accomplished an popular saga writer is reaching out to a somewhat different audience with this book and its possible some of her die-hard fans may not adapt easily to this more contemporary type of novel. I loved it.

The title refers to a statue raised for the survivors of the Bhopal disaster but is also relevant to the theme of a Mothers love for her child, which Jo feels for her son.

I chose MOTHER AND CHILD for it's cover and the wonderful historical author Annie Murray. So I was surprised to find upon reading it, that this book is not the usual historical type of fiction Annie Murray normally writes. In fact, it's not really in the historical vein I even read...and therefore I couldn't really get into the story, as sad and as tragic as it was.

I also found the cover to be somewhat misleading as it portrays an historical war to post-war era...which is what I thought I was going to read. Instead it is something completely different.

We begin the story in 2014 with Jo and Ian, whose marriage is barely surviving after the sudden and tragic death of their only adopted son Paul by a joyrider two years before. The driver barely shows any remorse with crocodile tears and the couple now find it hard to move with their lives. They move closer to Ian's mother Dorrie, who is aging and somewhat frail, and Jo begins to spend a lot of time with her mother-in-law whilst Ian appears to have become a workaholic.

Forever haunted by the death of her son, Jo is shocked to see a picture of a boy in a magazine who closely resembles her son and reads about the tragic Bhopal disaster in India, which severely impacted his life.

On its own, the story is of tragedy, loss and grief. But then along with the tale is the true story of the Bhopal disaster, a gas leak incident on the night of 2–3 December 1984 at the Union Carbide India Limited pesticide plant in Bhopal, India. This was considered to be the world's worst industrial disaster with at least 30 tons of a highly toxic gas called methyl isocyanate, as well as a number of other poisonous gases being released. The pesticide plant was surrounded by shanty towns, leading to more than 600,000 people being exposed to the deadly gas cloud that night. The gases stayed low to the ground, causing victims throats and eyes to burn, inducing nausea, and many deaths. Estimates of the death toll vary from as few as 3,800 to as many as 16,000, but government figures now refer to an estimate of 15,000 killed over the years. Toxic material remains, and 30 years later, many of those who were exposed to the gas have given birth to physically and mentally disabled children.

For me, it bears a striking resemblance to Chernobyl, the worst radioactive disaster in the Ukraine also in the 1980s.

As sad and as tragic as this story is, it was not for me. I couldn't connect to anyone and didn't much like Jo. But it is highly commendable of Annie Murray to write using this tragedy and donate all proceeds from the sales of this book to the Bhopal Medical appeal, which provides free treatment for victims of the Bhopal gas leak in 1984 and the toxic water left by the Union Carbide Corporation.

While this book was not to my taste, there would be many who would enjoy it. I feel awful at not being one of them. There is obviously a lot of research gone into such a tragic disaster and the hard work that ensued in bringing it to life in MOTHER AND CHILD. I, for one, knew nothing of this disaster, so thank you Ms Murray for making us aware of what happened on that tragic fateful night.

I would like to thank #AnnieMurray, #NetGalley and #PanMacmillian for an ARC of #MotherAndChild in exchange for an honest review.

Whilst this is - as always - an interesting tale from Annie Murray, there is so much more to this book!

Ian and Jo aren't faring well as a couple since the sudden death of their only son; they have moved home, nearer to Ian's mom whose health isn't at it's best. Having given up her job, Jo realises she is lonely - more so with the growing distance between her and her husband. When she sees a magazine picture of a young boy who strongly resembles her son and reads all about the Bhopal disaster in India which impacted on his life - and that of many others - she can't shake it off. As she begins to develop a small group of friends, the desire to do something to help won't go away - so what is she going to do about it?

On it's own, this is a stunning story. Primarily, it is about a couple struggling on through the loss of a much loved son. In addition, the author is raising money from it to help those still affected - 30-plus years later - by this environmental disaster. It is an absolutely riveting read, thought-provoking in the extreme, but written in an entertaining manner. With an amazing spread of characters, each one is beautifully developed with their own back-story. There is so much to be taken from this novel, layer by layer, and it's really up to the reader how far they invest in the back-tale. Either way, it's an eye-opener, written by a gifted author who has cleverly constructed a superb story which is so appealing! I know this is one which is going to stay with me. No less than a full five stars will do!

My thanks to author Annie Murray who first contacted me about a review, and to publisher Pan Macmillan for my copy via NetGalley. This is my honest, original and unbiased review.

Took ages to get in to this story but was worth it. A tragic tale about grief and how we find ways to cope with it. Although it's called mother and child I'm glad there was a focus on the father as well.

As a lifelong Annie Murray fan, I was really looking forward to reviewing this book! I was greatly intrigued to find out that it is a total departure from her usual style.
She writes about the chemical disaster in 1984 which happened in Bhopal, India. Woven around this is the fictional story of the loss of a son, and his parents’ reactions to it. Jo realises that they are heading for disaster of their own, and decides to do something about it. As the story goes on, her confidence grows and she realises that all over the world, mothers are losing their sons and disasters are still happening – but life goes on in spite of it.
This book was beautifully written, just as I expected. Annie Murray has obviously researched the subject with some detail, and has written a totally believable narrative where fiction fits around the facts. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and although the ending was left somewhat open, you can believe that it is ultimately a happy one

The unthinkable has happened to Jo and Ian, they have lost their beloved only son Paul in a tragic road accident. Killed by a joyrider who shed crocodile tears, they find it hard to move on with their lives. Ian becomes a workaholic and Jo spends much of her time with her mother in law. Things do start to turn around very slowly when Jo joins a yoga class, she forces herself to go and realises that people can be very understanding and kind. After reading an article about the Bhopal tragedy in India Jo decides to do a sponsored run to raise money for the people who are still struggling on, thirty years after the event. When she tells her friends in the yoga class most of them decide to run aswell. There is so much more to this story and I loved reading all the details of their lives as the story unfolded. To be honest I had forgotten about Bhopal and I didn't realise how bad it had been. and how the people still struggled on with very little help.

A lovely emotional,gut wrenching story with great characters that flow together Annie Murray always tells such great storys i love her books.5*

Love Annie Murray’s books.Mother and Child is emotional moving heart wrenching.I was drawn in btpybthe writing the characters the tragedies highly recommend.#netgalley #panmacmillan,

I really enjoyed reading this book. It has a great plot, excellent main characters and I read it in one sitting! I would highly recommend this book.