An engaging read, with real thoughts put into evoking the life and choices of women in the 1950's. Easy to read and hard to put down, I highly recommend it.

An enjoyable read, well written and entertaining. Hadn't read this author before but would consider reading again.

Blending raw autobiography with poetry in a hybrid form that feels completely candid and vulnerable, Lynch manages to capture the joys, the fear and the heartbreak of becoming a parent in a same-sex couple. Though it's of course a deeply personal account, this memoir will be illuminating for all and relatable for most: whether you've felt forsaken by the world around you, by your own body, or you've found that overwhelming, desperate love and felt absolute wonder at the smallest, most interminable of joys.

Lynch writes with a grace and a quiet profundity that's reminiscent of Evaristo, and as a reader I'm honoured to have been able to share in some of her family's moments of precious, mundane intimacy.

The force of love in this memoir is tender and triumphant and it's such an important, impactful read. You may lose yourself in Lynch's poignant prose but have no doubt, it'll carry you somewhere miraculous.

Huge thanks to Brazen at Octopus Book Group for providing a NetGalley copy in exchange for this review.

Reading this beautifully written book was a profound emotional experience for me. The language, the pacing and the turns of phrase are just gorgeous, an utter joy to read. Claire also expresses the feelings of trying to conceive, pregnancy and early motherhood incredibly accurately, describing the joy, the pain, the fear, the loss, the sadness, the love, and all the other complex emotions of this time with clarity, warmth and honesty. I found this book hugely thought-provoking, heart breaking as well as heart warming, witty, poignant and touching. Whether you're a mother or not, I'd recommend this book - it's as much about love, longing, transformations and finding yourself as it is about having babies. I will be buying a physical copy of this book as I will want to read it again and again. A stunning read, thank you Claire.

An important story that needs to be told, as families now come in many varieties. I was surprised, in fact, to hear about the difficulties the author experienced at ante natal classes, I had thought society had moved on from the nuclear family being the only option! I enjoyed the style too although felt I could have done with more details to round out the story. Also, on a technical note, the book would only open on my NG app, and didn't have a send to Kindle option which interfered with my enjoyment as I don't like reading on my phone.

(4.5) Thank you to Claire Lynch and Octopus Publishing for a copy to review.

"Babies who are this small, he says, have a good chance of survival. Small is not good for babies. It is not whimsical or cute or the cause of admiration. It is the first time it occurs to us that they might not survive. Babies die from smallness."

I really enjoyed this book. It's an interesting exploration of motherhood, through a lens I hadn't even read it before. I'm not usually that interested in memoirs about motherhood because I think they are usually quite self-involved and single-focused. This is not an inherently bad thing but it doesn't interest me very much. This is a memoir of Claire and her wife's journey through conception and them becoming parents. It explores the nuances and emotional complexity of IVF, parenthood and being in an lgbt relationship with children. There's a perfect balance of parenthood as a universal experience and the unique challenges of being two women trying to have and raise a baby. I hadn't even considered some of the issues that are mentioned, such as registering your child. They didn't register mother and mother (like it might be mother and father for a straight partnership), but instead, it's mother and partner. The book represents motherhood as a raw, life-wrecking, beautiful, chaotic, private experience.

"Maybe the worst thing you can do to your children is look at them too closely, making them the beginning and the end of who you are. The time will come, one day, when they will want to look back at you too. To find a person, not just a parent. How do you make sure you'll still be there when they come to find you?"

SMALL by Claire Lynch blends life-and-death matters with everyday matters. It mixes poetry with prose and sometimes it's both at once. It's a book that is fraught with love, if you can imagine such a thing. It makes me feel the intense fragility of love. The mundane stolid daily-ness of love. I felt i was reading something honest and intense and new in every sentence. There is a universality in each of the particulars Claire Lynch chose to share on her path to becoming a parent. Wonderful.

There are no words in the English language that will ever do this beautiful book justice, A charming and remarkable look at motherhood, a wonderful memoir that I am able to relate to immensely.

This is the book that all new parents should read, and I wish this had been about when I was new to motherhood. The writing style is soft but honest and this will now become something that is passed down from generations within our family, starting with me! I will be purchasing this for my daughter, for when the time comes that she starts her own family.

An undoubtedly five-star read that I recommend to all. If you are new to parenting, or already a parent, this is an enjoyable, lovable, appealing book that must be read! A great page-turner that I read this in one sitting, cover-to-cover. Absolutely loved it!

Small is a beautifully written honest open look at the trip to parenthood.Claire Lynch and her partner Betty take s along on their quest to become pregnant, & then the actual pregnancy..We read about the difficult weeks when their little girls were in the nicu & finally they bring the girls home.Warm funny a lovely family and a few years later another little girl now a happy family of five.#netgalley #octopus.publishing.

Small by Claire Lynch is a memoir about her journey to become a mother. The writing is very poetic which makes it even more resonant.

Wow, what a gorgeous and poignant book. It is very original in its style and structure and that took some getting used to but I quickly became engrossed and captivated in Claire’s story.

So much of what is written resonated with me. The description of bleeding, being close to miscarriage and the aftermath rang so close to home I felt like I could be reading my own story.

There are obviously some very moving and touching moments in the book, as motherhood is arguably the most emotional journey of them all, especially when you consider all the ups and downs Claire and her partner experience. However, there is some lovely lightness in the book. There is a sense of hope, determination and purpose that echoes throughout and there is also some well-placed dry humour.

I have been thoroughly lost in this original, refreshing, beautiful tale and series of observations.

There is poignant and important discussions around society, gender roles and expectations and equality amongst all people. This is a personal and intimate book that carries a powerful and social message.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys memoir, non-fiction or emotional and beautifully written books.