★★/5
Laura
& Emma follows a woman, Laura, who finds herself pregnant after a
one-night stand with a stranger. She
keeps the baby and tells her family and friends that she decided to have the
baby through a sperm donor. Each
"chapter" in the book is a year of Laura and Emma's lives—some years
are full of things happening, some are only a paragraph—and the reader gets to
witness not only Laura and Emma growing up, but also the evolving setting of
New York City.
This book had a lot of
elements that made me think I would enjoy it--two complex female protagonists,
a little quirky, spans several years, etc., but the story just fell flat for
me. Laura and Emma, as characters, were both frustrating and not that
interesting to me.
I had a hard time relating to Laura, which is definitely a personal thing, but I was more frustrated by Emma, her daughter, and how Laura raises her. Laura is a very hands-off parent, which is fine, but she didn't even seem that interested in Emma. When Emma was younger, she said/did a lot of things that most parents would be concerned about and intervene in, but I got the impression Emma was raising herself. Emma does eventually have a character breakthrough, but it was so sudden it was hard to believe, and when she becomes a teenager, I didn't feel she had changed at all from when she was younger. This wasn't, to me, a new take on mother/daughter relationships because it seemed that the two were just cohabiting.
Another problem I thought was in the book was Laura's job. She arranges it so she works part-time, gets eight weeks off in the summer, and gets paid for a full-time job with benefits. This was so unrealistic and improbable and felt like a plot convenience.
Finally, the ending--I was surprised when I turned the page and the book was actually over. It ended so abruptly and while I didn't expect everything to be wrapped up, I felt that nothing was. I have no idea what's going to happen to either of these characters.
Final Word: While Greathead tackles some interesting topics in this book (family relationships, sexuality, growing up, parenting), she didn't do it in a way that spoke to me. I can see where others would enjoy it--fans of Brooklyn by Col Toibin or Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood, for example, might enjoy its style and characters.
I had a hard time relating to Laura, which is definitely a personal thing, but I was more frustrated by Emma, her daughter, and how Laura raises her. Laura is a very hands-off parent, which is fine, but she didn't even seem that interested in Emma. When Emma was younger, she said/did a lot of things that most parents would be concerned about and intervene in, but I got the impression Emma was raising herself. Emma does eventually have a character breakthrough, but it was so sudden it was hard to believe, and when she becomes a teenager, I didn't feel she had changed at all from when she was younger. This wasn't, to me, a new take on mother/daughter relationships because it seemed that the two were just cohabiting.
Another problem I thought was in the book was Laura's job. She arranges it so she works part-time, gets eight weeks off in the summer, and gets paid for a full-time job with benefits. This was so unrealistic and improbable and felt like a plot convenience.
Finally, the ending--I was surprised when I turned the page and the book was actually over. It ended so abruptly and while I didn't expect everything to be wrapped up, I felt that nothing was. I have no idea what's going to happen to either of these characters.
Final Word: While Greathead tackles some interesting topics in this book (family relationships, sexuality, growing up, parenting), she didn't do it in a way that spoke to me. I can see where others would enjoy it--fans of Brooklyn by Col Toibin or Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood, for example, might enjoy its style and characters.
If you've read this, I'd love to hear your what you
thought! Was the ending too abrupt? Were the characters relatable? Share down below!
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