This is an audio book review for The Push by Ashley Audrain. The story follows several generations of mothers within a family. Blythe is the main character who becomes pregnant. she tries to be enthusiastic about becoming a mother but when her daughter Violet is born she doesn’t bond with her. Her husband Fox develops a strong relationship with the child while Blythe and Violets begins to flounder.
Throughout the story we flicker back through time to Blythes mother Cecilia and then back even further to Cecilias mother Etta and take a look at all of these complex mother daughter relationships which are disturbing and unsettling at times.
When Blythe has another child, who she does bond with immediately, Violets dark side emerges and the reader is taken down an even darker and unthinkable path.
This is a gritty, dark psychological debut and not for the faint hearted. Audrain’s writing is excellent and she knows exactly how to reel you in .I think this book will be big in 2021 and would be particularly good for book groups as there is so much content to discuss.
Narrated by Marin Ireland and delivered in short punchy audio chapters, this makes for a great audiobook! This book is out on the 7th of June 2021. Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for my much appreciated gifted copy.