Certainly you'd imagine there's little entertainment value in reading about a divorce. With all its attendant negativity and emotion, the subject of divorce is complicated, messy, often disturbing; it's not primary on my list of things to read about, let alone experience first-hand. Sue Miller, then, chose quite a dubious subject to showcase front-and-center in her first novel, "The Good Mother". This is a book I'd never gravitate toward unbidden; only a curious review from a friend (urging the reader to start reading this book in the middle because the first half is dull and depressing, the other half breezy and page-turning) and a commendation on the jacket from the (well, my favorite, anyway) king of contemplative fiction, Russell Banks, led me to traipse through this rather depressingly-themed novel. To Ms. Miller's credit, she provides quite a bit of background in the titular Good Mother's life to perhaps empathize or feel anything for her character's plight. The dual-edged sword that this information imparts, while giving the requisite substance to Anna (mom), alas also very nearly provides for the book's undoing. As alluded to earlier, the first half of the novel (which contains the bulk part of Anna's pre-marriage days) is a painful slog to sort through. You can almost see the creative wheels spinning in Ms. Miller's head as she desperately tried to find "her voice" to tell the story. Strangely enough, the first half, while being an incredibly slow read, is the best and most important part of the book. We trace her days from adolescence to her college days examining her life (and the decisions she's made in it), giving us clues that she's not exactly the good person/mother as advertised in the title. Much of the second half of the novel takes place after the divorce, after an incident (cue the serious Movie-of-the-Week music here) with Anna's new boyfriend causes a contentious child custody battle between Anna and the ex-husband for the rights to keep their four-year-old daughter. This section, while a breezy quick read, fails to capture the gravitas that the first section poignantly, if not succinctly, conveyed. It focuses on the court trial...and teeters ever-so-close to the edge of a schmaltzy faux-emotional precipice, but fortunately Ms. Miller (to her credit) reins in her main characters enough to keep the story from drowning in the abyss of maudlin emotion (fueled by the somewhat ridiculous "incident". (for this whisper-thin story, revealing this incident would practically be a spoiler)).Despite "The Good Mother"'s faults (including an over-wrought episode toward the very end that defies credibility), Ms Miller does effectively convey the heartbreak and emotional upheaval of divorce and the subsequent psychological toll that befalls the child(ren) of a a failed marriage. You can't help but have your heartstrings yanked as you follow Anna's travails post-divorce and her attempts at salvaging some semblance of motherhood. Whether the reader cares to wring out entertainment value from this emotional train-wreck is left to his/her discretion.
Occasionally when looking up the prices for these reviews I write, I have a quick look at what has been said previously about the book. I have found, on the odd occasion, that another review has made me consider something I had not previously even been aware of the existence of. The reviews never alter what I think about the book, but may add to it.Not in this instance though. The cover of the book poses a question about whether she should chose her lover or her daughter when she is being…..the good mother. The reviews which are actually just summaries focus solely on the situation which occurs between Anna's lover and her daughter and creates a sense of her facing this Sophie’s choice type situation. These reviews and comments diminish this book so badly that if I were Sue Miller I’d be deeply offended and very angry. Yes, there is a situation in the book where Anna, the protagonist, faces the situation of sexually inappropriate behaviour between her lover and her daughter. And yes, the last third of the book is filled with the narration of the court case and results thereof.But it is not what the book is about. The book is about a woman trying to escape her controlling sense of belonging. It is about a girl who is moved around and controlled by her extended family and can’t find who she is or where she belongs. Or even where she wants to belong. The story follows Anna both as a child growing into the woman who eventually does face her specific challenge as well as the woman who is moving towards it.I felt such a deep sympathy for Anna. She tries so hard to break from the bindings of her life; of the expectation of her parents, grandparents, ex-husband, and daughter (Molly). And just as she does, as for once in her life she is not controlled by the expectations of others; she is free to do what she wants and to work out what that is, a situation which, although when recounted seems scary, actually wasn’t, manages to blow up all of her ambitions for her self and her belief in her ability to be independent. Never did I think that a ‘sexual encounter’ between a grown man and a little girl would be so easy to understand. It is impossible not to empathize with the man, Leo, but also understand why Molly’s father wants her out of that home and away from her mother.I wept for Anna and for the unfairness of life. I wept for her bad luck and marginally poor decision making. She paid an awful price. And so did Molly. And maybe that’s the saddest of all. Maybe the circle of insecurities and dependence continues because of one poor judgment call and a judge.And never once was there even the slightest consideration that she would choose her lover over her child. The question never even arises. But I guess as a byline, it sells books. Sadly, it sells this book short.I inherited this book and it is a book I will not be reading and releasing. I want to own this book and revisit it. Worth reading, and it has just be re-released so it’s available.Brilliant narrative and brilliant characters and brilliant examination of the life too many women live.
What do You think about The Good Mother (2002)?
This has a weighty, serious, introspective feel about it, and yet the subject matter is the sort of stuff Take A Break magazine churns out every week. Except that they would have sidestepped all the fancy stuff about playing the piano, family etc and cut straight to the nudity. I admired the writing, the way the reader is immersed in every aspect of the main character's life. Having said that, the early stages sometimes felt like a slog - the chapters are lo-o-o-ong, and I would often find myself halfway down a page, having glided over the text without taking any of it in. Sometimes I had to read and re-read passages before I understood them. Some I could read an infinite number of times and still not understand. If you can make it as far as the nudity it is unputdownable. The last hundred pages positively raced by. It's definitely worth the effort; I suspect the images will stay with me a long time.
—Jayne Charles
Boo. I thought I would really like another Sue Miller novel after "The Senator's Wife," but the main character in this book is so unbelievably narcissistic, I just can't find anything remotely redeeming in her. I don't have a problem with Anna Dunlap leaving her husband - I do have a problem with the totally reckless behavior that followed, and I can't force sympathy for someone who would sleep with a guy AFTER he had been accused of something so wildly inappropriate. I thought about what it would be like if my husband was in a similar situation with our daughter, and that just skeeves me out. And we are about as far from prudish as we can be. Yuck. Still, I won't give up on Sue Miller as an author -- it's not her talent that eludes me -- just this particular cast of characters. Anna, you got what you deserved.
—Kelly Konrad
This is the fourth Sue Miller book I've read, and I can honestly say that this is NOT one of my favourites. I read the back of the edition I own, and a reviewer had quoted, "One of those rare novels you live more than you read..." Um, not in my case, lady. For starters, I didn't care much for anyone in this story except for the child, Molly, who somehow got entangled in a custody battle between two divorced parents. For the most part you see the side of Molly's mum, Anna, who gets involved with
—Sarca
