This book is a mixture of prose and poetry. This book is filled with love. It is such a beautiful and honest account. A brilliantly written book

Claire Lynch's Small: On motherhoods is a truly special book - an honest, unapologetic diary of the author's experiences of IVF, loss, having a premature baby and navigating motherhood as a same sex couple.

The author speaks plainly about her feelings, clearly relishing not having to worry about being polite or making things uncomfortable when someone asks an intrusive question or when she encounters yet another way in which the world fails to recognise and make room for families like hers. She pokes fun at the ways in which her role as a mother who is not pregnant is erased, whilst highlighting the pain this causes; her description of antenatal classes - where she is lumped in with the dads because the teacher doesn't know what to do with her - is both hilarious and appalling.

This balance of humour and reflection meant that I was frequently reading particularly amusing excerpts out loud to my husband, then, often on the same page, highlighting profound observations about motherhood to share with my mum friends.

The motif of smallness recurs throughout the book: the microscopic process by which IVF occurs; the size of Lynch's twin daughters, born at 31 weeks; the miniscule yet seismic shifts which mean your child is constantly metamorphosing, a new person everyday. Lynch combines huge, overwhelming themes with tiny, ordinary details, and the result is compelling. While some of her experiences are very specific, and I couldn't personally relate to them, I really appreciate having my eyes opened. In particular, the chapters spent on Lynch and her wife, Beth's, time spent occupying the liminal space of the parents of a premature baby were exquisitely written and incredibly poignant.

Moreover, much of what she talks about is universal, and I had many moments of recognition, such as when she spoke about the friction and resentment between the parent going to work and the one staying at home with the baby, and her moving reflection on what it is to watch a baby become a little girl and all the joy and fear bound up in watching her discover the world.

The prose flows off the page like poetry, reminding me of Bernadine Evaristo's Girl, Woman, Other. Every sentence is carefully crafted, every line break deliberate and purposeful.

Thank you to Claire Lynch for writing such an honest, wonderful book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Octopus Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Gorgeous writing, with a format that takes a little while to get used to. Won’t be for everyone. Fans of ee cummings I think will appreciate the style. The story will resonate with many, I’m sure. I think however it will hit harder with those that are mothers, or want to be mothers, who’ve experienced the IVF journey or may wish to follow that path. I’m not in that audience, and I don’t think the book will hold the same value to those of us whose life journey doesn’t take us down that path. It was a beautiful representation of a different perspective for me.

This is a truly special, crucial book. Claire Lynch is able to portray her family life, as both she and her wife try for a baby. She does this through incredibly moving, funny and astute poetry and prosaic writing. The constant thread throughout is of love and compassion, particularly when dealing with loss, miscarriage, and grief. I hope it brings much comfort and understanding on such deeply emotional circumstances. I'm going to recommend this to every woman I know.
Thank you to #Netgalley and #Brazenpublishing for allowing me to read this extraordinary book.

There are very few accounts of what it's like to become a mother as a lesbian.
I value this book for that reason alone, but it's also very beautiful. I think both aspects work well together, as the topic would otherwise run the risk of being overly clinical and possibly a little othering.
The poetry of the writing meant there was no danger of that.
So much of it resonated with me, like 'this love that looks like fear'.
And 'wearing mum drag' - ooft.

Beautiful and thought provoking poetry which will speak to many. This is very clever and well written and I enjoyed how it was presented.

Beautifully written poetic in style.A-look at motherhood at pure love you feel for your child the deep emotions you feel when you decided to have these babies.I loved reading this book will be recommending.#netgalley #small

What a beautiful read.

Stunningly captured experience of fertility, motherhood, queer parenting, loss, hope and love. I was approved for this and began reading on the Netgalley app but knew from reading the opening pages that this was a book I need to hold in my hands, so ordered a copy immediately. I read it one sitting and it evoked so many emotions in me from the early days of motherhood, that universal awesome chaos. It was brilliant to read in such detail about an underrepresented experience of motherhood. There were things I have never thought about and it's so generous of the author to share her experience. The writing blew me away. I will be recommending this to several people, I think they will find solace and joy from this book.

TW; infertility/ IVF.

So good I couldn’t put it down. A beautiful and insightful look into motherhood, written almost poetically that will resonate with me for years to come. Thank you Claire for sharing this beautiful piece of work.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the chance to read and review this ARC.