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| (Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!) |
“An atmospheric and harrowing tale, richly literary in complexity but ripe with all the crazed undertones, confusions, and forebodings inherent in the gothic genre. Recommend this riveting, du Maurier–like novel to fans of Jennifer McMahon.” — Booklist (starred review)
From the author of the internationally bestselling The Lake of Dead Languages comes a gripping novel about madness, motherhood, love, and trust.
When Daphne Marist and her infant daughter, Chloe, pull up the gravel drive to the home of Daphne’s new employer, it feels like they’ve entered a whole new world. Tucked in the Catskills, the stone mansion looks like something out of a fairy tale, its lush landscaping hiding the view of the mental asylum just beyond its border. Daphne secured the live-in position using an assumed name and fake credentials, telling no one that she’s on the run from a controlling husband who has threatened to take her daughter away.
Daphne’s new life is a far cry from the one she had in Westchester where, just months before, she and her husband welcomed little Chloe. From the start, Daphne tries to be a good mother, but she’s plagued by dark moods and intrusive thoughts that convince her she’s capable of harming her own daughter. When Daphne is diagnosed with Post Partum Mood Disorder, her downward spiral feels unstoppable—until she meets Laurel Hobbes.
Laurel, who also has a daughter named Chloe, is everything Daphne isn’t: charismatic, sophisticated, fearless. They immediately form an intense friendship, revealing secrets to one another they thought they’d never share. Soon, they start to look alike, dress alike, and talk alike, their lives mirroring one another in strange and disturbing ways. But Daphne realizes only too late that being friends with Laurel will come at a very shocking price—one that will ultimately lead her to that towering mansion in the Catskills where terrifying, long-hidden truths will finally be revealed….
my thoughts:
Twists and turns a plenty. I was seriously surprised by the ending that I did not see coming. Okay, I saw some of it, but not all of it.
This is the story of Daphne, a young mother who belongs to a group for women who suffer from Post-Partum depression. She's feeling lonely and out of sorts, so when she befriends, Laurel, one of the mothers from the PPD group, she is over the moon. She feels like they have such a great connection and soon finds herself divulging all of her secrets to Laurel. The two friends even begin to dress alike and look alike when Daphne gets her hair done in a similar style. The duo seem on track to BFF status. Except, things are exactly the way Daphne says they are. In fact, maybe Laurel really isn't her friend. As problems at home escalate to the point that Daphne is terrified of her husband, she comes up with a plan to escape - an archivist job for her favorite author deep in the middle of nowhere. Sure, the place is next to an insane asylum, but who cares, right?! Its the perfect escape from her problems and the perfect place to hide from her husband. So, she takes her baby and makes a run for it. She's soon settled and caught up in her new job, that she doesn't stop to pay attention to her surroundings or the people around her. Instead, she gets obsessed with a story she's read, that by the time she realizes what's really happening to her, its already too late. Of course, by this point, we begin to wonder if what Daphne's told us about her life is even real, let alone true. Is she Daphne or is she Laurel? Apparently, both women kept diaries and documented everything, but their stories don't seem to match up - so, who's telling the truth? Who is Daphne and who is Laurel?
Talk about a fun story! I really did enjoy this one - it was creepy and suspenseful. Plus, I just loved trying to figure out what was really happening. The Other Mother was definitely a treat to read. I would happily recommend this book to fans of Carol Goodman and anyone looking for their next great read.
Here's the link to the TLC Book Tour schedule for: The Other Mother
6 comments:
This one is patiently waiting for me. I have three books in front of it. It seems to have a lot going on in it though. I can totally relate to the "after baby" angst because with both of my kids, I wouldn't say I was depressed but was so out of it and lonely. I am not the type to hang out at the mall with other moms chit chatting about stuff so it was very weird for me to even do that. These books are pretty fun to read though, huh?
I can't decide if I want to read this one or not. The premise doesn't really excite me, but I keep hearing good things about it, so...I'm undecided. :)
I like how much this book kept you on your toes!
Thanks for being a part of the tour.
Ti, definitely let me know what you think of it. There is a lot, but its interesting. I think "after baby" angst is a given considering how scary being a new mom can be. And yeah, I would imagine its lonely. I would imagine its weird having to do that, but its good so you can try to connect with other moms. They are fun to read :)
Lark, that's how I felt about it. I'm glad I read it though, because I wound up really enjoying it :)
Heather, thanks for having me on this tour!
This sounds fantastic, I love anything that has comparisons to Du Maurier!
Dot, it really is such a great read. I think you'll enjoy it :)
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