There was a lot I liked about this book—I sped through the first third of it quickly, propelled along by the opening scenes of a terrified mother hiding in her room with a child in each arm as she hears an intruder moving through her house. These scenes were intercut with scenes from earlier that day, as the mother, Molly, works as a paleobotanist on a site where some strange artifacts have recently been unearthed, and the choppy and sudden cuts between the two settings as their timelines get closer and closer to converging, mirrored and emphasized Molly’s panic and uncertainty. And then things take a turn that I didn’t see coming and, I must say, didn’t really like, as The Need veers into the realms of speculative fiction and horror.

I don’t want to spoil anything for future readers, so I will just note that I once heard an author (can’t remember who) say that readers should only suspend disbelief for an author ONE time in a book; everything that happens after that point, even if it seems crazy or impossible, will be accepted so long as it is consistent with that one initial unbelievable premise—but you only get one. My problem ultimately with The Need was that I had to keep making those leaps of faith and accepting plot developments that didn’t follow any sort of logic. Maybe this wouldn’t be a problem for a reader who is more comfortable with the science fiction and horror genres than I am and more willing to suspend disbelief for the author however many times they are required to do so, but it really bothered me and brought my momentum with the book to a standstill. I still finished, but thought the ending was at once too pat and on the other hand left too many plot threads hanging. I know that this book will have many ardent fans, however, probably among those readers who go into it knowing what to expect.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me with an ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review.

When Phillips' The Beautiful Bureaucrat was publisher in 2015, I heard a lot of great things about it, including that it was great mind-bending fun. I've never gotten to that one but when The Need became available, I knew I'd want to give her writing a shot.

Mind-bending might be an understatement. The Need is one of those books that, when you turn the last page, leaves you asking "what the heck did I just read?" It also left me wondering why I don't seek out more books that leave me asking that question because I was left asking it in the best of ways. It is a book unlike anything I've read before. What genre is it? Psychological thriller? Yes. Science-fiction? Yes. With its focus on the struggles of woman as mother, it might best be considered women's fiction.
“She was always hurrying to get ready for work, hurrying to put the groceries away … every single thing in life shoved between the needs of a pair of people who weighed a cumulative 57 pounds.”
Molly has been thrown off since the birth of Viv four years ago. Like so many mothers of young children, she is torn between a love so deep she spends a lot of time terrified about their well-being and an exhaustion so overwhelming that she feels a desperate need for a break from them. I think everyone who has ever lived with small children, and their constant need for attention and care, their constant mishaps and demands, can relate to Molly. Maintaining your own sanity can be an issue. The question here is has Molly lost her tenuous hold on her sanity? Or has she, in her own work, created an issue that will threaten her family?

Phillips keeps things moving at a rapid pace and, with movement back and forth in time, she keeps readers off balance and constantly recalibrating. To the extent that, a one point I reopened the book to the wrong bookmark and I wasn't entirely sure that I was rereading something I had already read or if Phillips had me looking at a previous part of the book with a new twist.

Phillips asks more questions than she answers in The Need. Sometimes, that's just what I need in a book.

{My Thoughts}
The Need by Helen Phillips is not going to be a book for everyone. It leaves you constantly feeling a little off balance and always questioning what is really happening. You’ll need to go back and reread passages or look at them from a different angle. Theories will come and theories will go. Tension will rise, you’ll feel a little scared and you’ll continually be asking yourself, “What?” I loved it!

“She wondered if other mothers experienced it, this permanent state of mild panic, and worried that perhaps they didn’t, that perhaps there was something wrong with her.”

This is one of those books that I can’t really say much about without ruining it for others. At its core The Need is mainly a meditation on young motherhood delivered in a spectacularly unexpected way. It covers the addictive joys and complete drudgery of life with young children, especially when going at it solo as Molly is while her husband travels with his band. Molly, an archeologist at a site that has recently acquired notoriety because some very bizarre relics have been found among the dinosaur bones, is already just barely hanging on when an all too familiar stranger enters her life.

“Understanding buzzed electric through Molly.

The things she had known and not known for a long time. The unfathomable fossils. The unfathomable artifacts. Evidence of other iterations of the universe.”

I know I’ve given you little to go on here, but it’s with intent. The Need is a book best gone into with few preconceived ideas or expectations. The books itself as well as the chapters are short making it possible to fly through The Need in only a day or two. You’ll sink into this book that refuses to be defined. Thriller? Partly. Horror? Perhaps. Sci-fi? Maybe. Fantasy? Possibly. It doesn’t really matter. But, when you finish you’ll need to find someone to talk this book over with, to help you understand, to share her/his own theories, to lift the confusion. For these reasons The Need would make a perfect book club selection. The discussions would be rich! Some will love it. Others will hate it. All will want to talk about it! Grade: B+

Note: I received a copy of this book from Simon & Schuster (via NetGalley) in exchange for my honest review.

The Need starts off strong, eerie almost, with a devoted mother taking care of her children while husband is working away. Little does she know there is a stranger in her home.

I have not read Helen Phillips before now. I went through the first half of this book so fast, I couldn't wait to find out what was next. The writing and pacing was fast, so that helped. Then, halfway through, I just got really confused and that's not typical for me. I love twisty turny plots, this one just took me all over the place too fast and lost me. The end of the book left me unfulfilled, especially after the plot confusion.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon Schuster for the ARC.

I wanted to like this. I really did. This woman had obvious mental problems that I don’t know how anyone didn’t notice. Her obsession with breast milk alone should have been a give away. It kept seeming to go somewhere but never really did. Just in circles. That may have been the point but it was annoying.

The Need
by Helen Phillips

Hardcover, 272 pages
Published July 9th 2019 by Simon Schuster




Goodreads synopsis:
When Molly, home alone with her two young children, hears footsteps in the living room, she tries to convince herself it’s the sleep deprivation. She’s been hearing things these days. Startling at loud noises. Imagining the worst-case scenario. It’s what mothers do, she knows.

But then the footsteps come again, and she catches a glimpse of movement.

Suddenly Molly finds herself face-to-face with an intruder who knows far too much about her and her family. As she attempts to protect those she loves most, Molly must also acknowledge her own frailty. Molly slips down an existential rabbit hole where she must confront the dualities of motherhood: the ecstasy and the dread; the languor and the ferocity; the banality and the transcendence as the book hurtles toward a mind-bending conclusion.

In The Need, Helen Phillips has created a subversive, speculative thriller that comes to life through blazing, arresting prose and gorgeous, haunting imagery. Anointed as one of the most exciting fiction writers working today, The Need is a glorious celebration of the bizarre and beautiful nature of our everyday lives. 

***

2.5 Stars

I admit I read the synopsis and thought this would be more my speed. Unfortunately, I just didn’t get it. First there was one Molly who was concerned with the welfare of her kids since she thought there was an intruder outside. Then there was another Molly who went by Mol in the text and she was very similar to the background of the first Molly but she didn’t have any kids. Then it went back and forth with scenes between them both. It was so confusing trying to keep it all straight. But none of it really seemed to gel for me.

At first I thought this was more of a supernatural story but soon came to realize it was more of a mental problem the main character was having. Effects of postpartum depression, I assume. Someone labeled it horror on Goodreads and so I also thought this would be a mystery thriller and didn’t find that to be the case either.

Like I said this story confused and dumbfounded me. I couldn’t relate to it at all. Maybe it is because I am not a mother and have not experienced anything like this. I wish the whole thing had been more cohesive and made more sense. I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of people DNFed this book for this fact alone.

I wish the author luck and hope this tale finds its audience. I guess I was not the right reviewer for this since I totally didn’t get it.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

OK, first I should admit that The Need by Helen Phillips was a book that quickly lost my interest and I had a hard time following this one from the start. There are plenty of people that love this one so it’s probably more a case of it’s me and not the book this time. The Need is a sort of weird horror, scifi mix that did remind me a lot of being tossed into the Twilight Zone for a few hours while reading and as weird as it sounds with me being a huge horror fan I was never that fond of the Twilight Zone.

Our main character Molly is a young mother that tries to do it all to hold her family together. A mother of two young children under the age of five would be more than enough for anyone to handle but Molly’s husband is a musician and often gone while Molly is a paleobotanist bringing home the steady pay. Molly has been working at a site called the Dig where things have been found that seem just out of the ordinary leaving Molly with questions. Then one night at home with her children, overworked and exhausted Molly encounters an intruder into her life.

As I mentioned already this one just didn’t seem to be for me, it felt like the beginning wanted to be creepy horror but then became more scattered and out there as it went along. Not sure how to explain it as to me it felt the author was trying to expand but dropped some details as quickly as they start along the way and just didn’t gel well into the book. I just figure as much as I love twists and turns and red herrings in stories those are still solid information whereas something like this leaves too much to the imagination leaving me with questions along the way.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

The anxiety I felt from the get go was insane, Helen Phillips has such a way with words and imagery that had me absolutely terrified and at the edge of my seat. The Need touches on motherhood and the many sacrifices mothers have to make for their children and their families. Somehow Phillips manages to take the dependent relationship between mother and child and twist it into this weird as hell but ridiculously interesting novel. As with all thrillers, I can't give away too much without spoiling the plot but i'll just say, you'll come away from this one going "wtf did I just read?"

This book will keep you on the edge of your seat. It's a bit different from most of the psychological thrillers I've read so far but the writing I thought was good. Definitely worth reading in my opinion. 🌟🌟🌟🌟 stars from me!

This book filled me with so much unease. It was written in ways I could understand; the paranoia, the string of negative thoughts, the threats around every corner, in every glance. In ourselves. I felt the grief, the pain. I felt the fear. The unknowing. This book terrified me, all the unknowns were more frightening because of the knowledge that hovered right above, or beneath. You knew even if you thought you didn't. A version of you did, anyway. I loved the way this was written, the way it pulled me in, the characters interactions were realistic and made the situation feel all the more real, I kept thinking to myself how would I react if this were me? I hope it never is so I don't have to find out.

What a mix of genres!

Molly was exhausted from taking care of a toddler and a baby, with only the help of her babysitter. Her husband, David, a musician, was on a gig in Buenos Aires. Add to that working full-time at a Phillips 66 quarry as a paleobotanist, Molly was definitely a candidate for bizarre behavior. However, for the past 4 years, Molly has had strange feelings and incorrect "hearings". She shared her fears with David who was comforting yet had no solution for her.

At the dig, Molly found a number of artifacts. Strangest, perhaps - a Bible from the early 1900's that used the pronoun "she" when referring to God in the Book of Genesis. After that, a man in her tour group tells her he would pray for her soul. It is then that things only take a turn for unaccountable strangeness.....

Was Molly unravelling?
Or was it something else.....

Great Read!

Many Thanks to Simon & Schuster & NetGalley for an interesting cover to cover read!

Very strange story and not at all what I expected when I started this book. I can't even categorize the genre because it was a mystery, psychological thriller, and sci-fi. I heard it called speculative fiction but I've never heard of that category before and don't have any idea what falls into it.

The story was well written and certainly showcases the fears of mothers, but with a very strange and creepy scenario. The beginning of the story got me interested quickly, but then it kind of slowed down - I guess because I thought I had figured out pretty quickly what was happening with Molly and Moll, and I was right. The repetitiveness of the lactation thing drove me nuts and for me, distracted from the story. I do think this author is talented though and I liked the writing style as it flowed easily.

Thanks to Helen Phillips and Simon & Schuster through Netgalley for an advance copy.

THE NEED is an absolutely insane book. I just put it down and still trying to process it. I will say this: the first few chapters of the book are some of the best chapters I have ever read. I was gasping out loud, and constantly thinking about it when I had to put the book down. I don't want to give the mystery away, as I truly think your enjoyment of the book is based on not knowing, but I will say that when the mystery was revealed, I lost a little bit of interest.

Without giving too much away, the book is about mothering and I'm sure the story is most terrifying for parents. The story begins with a home invasion, and Molly, a mother of two, not knowing if she is imagining it or not. My complaint is that it started so grounded in reality, and was scary and real, but then the book turns dreamy and confusing and I often wasn't sure what was going on. This is why it's a solid 3 stars for me.

The Need was unique with artistic prose not normally found in the thriller genre. However, this isn’t your average thriller and I would categorize it as sci-fi. The dialogue between Mother and children was so realistic and the description of motherhood relatable. I saw elements of myself in the main character, Molly; I too, am a sleep deprived Mom with two young children. I too, would fight like hell to keep them safe. It caused me to reflect on motherhood and that dazed element of love and fear that is so commonly felt but rarely addressed. The story almost felt trance-like. It’s really hard to properly describe. I found myself contemplating what was really happening versus what was imagined. I was completely invested in the outcome from start to finish and hugged my babies a little tighter after. The Need comes out next week, July 9th. Thank you @netgalley and author Helen Phillips for this ARC to review.
3.5/5 stars

THE NEED starts with one of the best opening sequences I’ve ever read: a mother is home alone with her two young children, and there’s an intruder in the house. Short chapters, tight prose, and vivid scenes pulled me right into that moment. We learn that Molly is a paleobotanist, working at a dig site called The Pit, where fossils of strange species of plants have been discovered. Her husband is away on a work trip and she’s alone with the children when she hears footsteps in her house—or does she? Molly’s state of mind is fragile and the reader is kept feeling equally unsettled as we never quite figure out what is real. This story defies description but could be called literary speculative fiction, I suppose. The writing is absolutely riveting, the descriptions of the exhaustion and ecstasy of motherhood spot-on, and Molly’s four-year-old daughter is a delight. While the beginning felt like a thriller, the middle section slowed down and focused on the characters, and the ending felt like those MFA-written short stories without any clear resolution. I think this book is going to be divisive—you’ll either love that it doesn’t resolve anything, or you’ll feel cheated. I am tending toward the former but I would love to talk with someone who’s read it.

Truly a unique and stunning read, and I’m grateful to @netgalley and @simonandschuster for the opportunity to read and review an advance digital copy. Releases July 9!

This isn't the thriller you might think it is based on the blurb but I'm at a loss to accurately place it into a single genre. The story of Molly, a new mom alone with her kids while her husband is out of town, it combines horror, domestic fiction, and psychological suspense. Who is sitting at the end of Molly's bed? What on earth is happening? Much of this is almost a meditation on motherhood, exposing all those fears and nightmares that often go unacknowledged. It's also got sweet spots, especially in the passages with the children. It does sag a bit in the middle after a really dynamic beginning but it's a slim novel with short chapters. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. For fas of literary fiction.

This book had one of the best beginnings I have read in a very long time and I was so on board flipping those pages furiously to figure out what the hell was going on.

Molly, a young exhausted mother of two, works as a paleobotanist at a dig site where some strange, otherworldly items have been discovered. After returning home from work one evening she hears footsteps in the other room and her fear for her childrens safety is her only concern. The intruder does reveal themselves and they appear to know everything about Molly and all her darkest secrets.

That's all I can really say plot wise. Again, I must say that this books beginning was so chilling I had goosebumps. Real creepy stuff and I applaud Helen Phillips for making my heart race. The kids, Liv and Ben, are drawn so perfectly and to be honest little Liv gave me the creeps a few times with some of the things she says. So shivery!

Buuuuuutttttttt, this book sort of lost me. Don't misunderstand that I never once contemplated putting it down and I flew through this in a day but the ending really fell flat for me and I closed this feeling as exhausted as Molly did and in that way I suppose the author succeeded. If you enjoy the work of Iain Reid or Samanta Schweblin then this is a book you will likely enjoy! 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for my opinion.

This is not normally something I would read. To be quite honest, about 40% of the way through I was so close to labeling the book as want-to-finish-someday and putting it down. But I am so glad I didn’t. It was wild and weird, and at the end I was mind blown. I like how it is open ended and am still thinking about it a day later.

3.5 Stars: Ok...that was a super strange ride. But I am glad I read it. More like science-fiction than thriller, albeit there are some thrilling moments. A page-turning, bizarre tale.

“The Need” by Helen Phillips, is about a woman named Molly who’s husband, David, is away for a two-week work stint. Because her husband is out of the country, she is forced to balance her demanding career (as a paleobotanist) and the care of her two, very young children. As readers, we meet her on a rather frightening evening when she hears the footsteps of an intruder. Anyone who is a parent will relate quite well to Molly’s terrifying ordeals. Heck, even if you’re not a parent, you will understand her predicaments well. There is nothing more I can say about the plot line without ruining the story for you. Suffice it to say that if this vague description interests you, you should pick it up (you’ll probably finish it in one sitting).

What I liked about the book was the frenzied pace at which this story unfolded. I liked the dreamlike state in which the author pulls the reader. I felt Molly’s real fear. I also liked the tight ending that still left the door open many different interpretations.

Thank you to Netgalley, Author Helen Phillips, and Simon and Schuster for providing me with the ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Due out July 9th, 2019.

No one does speculative fiction better than Helen Phillips, and I am HERE. FOR. IT. Her writing is so clever and imaginative, and I'm frankly in awe of her talent. The first quarter of this story will have you biting all your nails off, heart racing. The rest is like a fever dream walkabout in the best way.

The most compelling thing is the TRUE depiction of motherhood - the bliss, the horror, the love, the fatigue - that whiplash momentum carrying you from moment to unexpected moment that depicts motherhood. I also found the children themselves incredibly realistic, fleshed out characters that I rarely come across in literature.

I will say - this book is either for you, or it isn't. I can't imagine there's much in between. Open your mind, and give it try!