It's mother's day this Sunday, and although my family don't celebrate it (not that we don't appreciate our mum) I thought I'd put together a list of books that put parent/child relationships at their core.
So, if you want to gently steer your mum away from Maeve Binchy or Joanna Trollope have a look under the jump for my suggestions:-
1.
Lionel Shriver, We Need to Talk About Kevin
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| ISBN: 9781852424671 |
Just shy of his sixteenth birthday, Kevin Khatchadourian murders seven of his fellow students, a teacher and a cafeteria worker. Narrated by Eva in a series of letters to her husband, she tells the story of Kevin's upbringing and tries to pinpoint what went wrong.
Yes, this is a slightly odd choice for mother's day- but at least you can comfort your mum with the knowledge that you'll never be as bad as Kevin! Also, both me and my mum agreed that this novel is in our top 20 books of all time. After reading this I'd also recommend you watch the film, which stars Tilda Swinton as Eva, its just as creepy as the book.
For a full review click
here
2.
Eowyn Ivey, The Snow Child
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| ISBN: 9780755380534 |
A fairytale-esque story about a childless couple who adapt a mysterious child they find in the wilds of Alska. This book is beautifully written, and makes the list as it is explore the fierceness of a mother's love.
For a full review click
here. Or if fairytales are your mother's thing, check out this
list.
3.
Tennessee Williams, The Glass Menagerie
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| ISBN: 978014106398 |
Amanda Wingfield, former Southern Belle and ultimate pushy mother, is determined to marry off her shy, plain daughter. Williams' play is full of tenderness, humour and melancholy. Your mum may well have had to study this at school, but it benefits from a re-read.
4.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude
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| ISBN: 9780061120091 |
I've included a couple of photos of this one and this edition is just so pretty! I really like rough cut pages.
'
Following the births, lives and deaths of the Buendia family,
A Hundred Years of Solitude is innovative and charming. Full disclosure here- I've tried to persuade my mum to read this a couple of times, but she hated it, magical realism is just not for her. I, on the over hand, think this novel is amazing, I was astounded the first time I read it, I'd never read anything like it. Each generation of the Buendia family is uniquely weird and there is wit, truth and enchantment within the pages.
5.
Arunhati Roy, The God of Small Things
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| ISBN: 9780812979657 |
Equal parts family saga and political drama. It is the story of the consequences and effect of one fateful day in 1969 on a wealthy Indian family. Estha and Rahel, fraternal twins, have their lives torn apart when their mother falls afoul of the counties 'love laws'.
The God of Small Things is hauntingly memorable and the deserved winner of the 1997 Booker Prize.
6.
Yiyun Li, Gold Boy, Emerald Girl
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| ISBN: 978007303120 |
This is a collection of stories in which Chinese society is experiencing the fallout from the countries economic boom. Including stories on surrogacy, sexual liberation and a women hoping to conceive a child with her imprisoned husband,
Gold Boy, Emerald Girl is varied and impressive.
7.
Nathan Englander, The Ministry of Special Cases
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| ISBN: 9780571235445 |
Set in Buenos Aires in the 1970s, the country is full of danger and unrest. When Pato is arrested by the police he becomes one of the 'disappeared'. His desperate parents must try to negotiate the frustrating bureaucracy in a bid to have him returned. A slightly grim mother's day recommendation, but the novel explores the protectiveness and fierce love parents have towards their offspring.
I hope you found my suggestions helpful, and if you've got any of your own, please pop them in the comments below.
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