The Making Of Her: A Novel by Bernadette Jiwa

(Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!)

 

about book: (summary from Goodreads)

An unforgettable debut novel about family secrets, falling apart, and coming together.

Dublin 1996. Joan Egan lives an enviable life. She and her husband, Martin, and daughter, Carmel, are thriving in Dublin at the dawn of an economic boom. But everything changes when Joan receives a letter from Emma, the daughter who she and Martin gave up for adoption thirty years before, asking for a life-or-death favor.

While Joan grapples with the guilt over giving up her baby long ago, she must confront her present as the cracks in her marriage become impossible to ignore and simmering tension with Carmel boils over. Meanwhile, Carmel and Emma must come to terms with the perceived sins of their mother, to imagine a future for their family before it is too late.

Spanning the nineties and the sixties, with Dublin as its backdrop, The Making of Her is the tender and page-turning story of marriage, motherhood, a culture that would not allow a woman to find true happiness--and her journey to finally claim it.

my thoughts:

The Making Of Her by Bernadette Jiwa is a real gem of a novel. Heartbreaking, engaging, and riveting - three words that describe this unputdownable story.  And even then, I feel like it's not enough to just describe this story - you need to read it for yourself to truly experience it. This is one book that you will savor as you read and then think about it weeks after you've put it down. All in all, it's just a damn good read. 

Jiwa has captured Dublin so beautifully, that you can smell, taste, and breathe in the city. I just loved reading all about it. And the story itself, explores motherhood, societal issues, and marriage in such an open and honest manner - it's refreshing and fascinating. The characters are relatable, unlikeable, and just raw with their personalities, choices, and lives - it's intriguing. The Making Of Her is just such a wonderful story. I couldn't help but take my time with it - I didn't want it to end! Truly an excellent reading experience!

I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone looking for their next great read - check out Bernadette Jiwa's debut novel, The Making Of Her, ASAP - you will fall in deep with it!

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!