The Push is a well written dark psychological thriller that is a compelling read.

The subject matter is not for the faint of the heart and yet the author draws you in from page one.

It is a story of multi generation abuse, trauma and lack of nurturing.

Blythe is desperately trying to break this cycle .

It is a tense read and yet I could not put it down.

I don't want to say too much in order not to give anything away.

The Push will be the talk of 2021

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House, Viking for a compelling read.

Wow. I am Completely blown away by this novel. One of the best books I’ve read in 2020. I cannot Stop raving about this book! Shared my full review on my Instagram @deebibliophilia. It is unputdownable, twisted, and kept me
Guessing till the last second.

Gone Girl meets motherhood. Perfect for fans of psychological thrillers and fem-noir.

Motherhood defines many women, not only through their own progeny, should they have any, but through their own experiences. Following three generations, Push is a dark and complex story that explores the ties of motherhood, love, and family. What do you do when you don't have a good role model of a mother, when you become one yourself? How are you to know how to show love, and create those bonds if you never had them yourself? For many romantic and familial partners, it is assumed that women just know. And when they don't, when they struggle, it is viewed as a failing. This view is predicated on the assumption that every child loves their mother and is receptive to love and affection.

Born to a woman who took her own life, Blythe's father died not long after, leaving her along to navigate the world and learn what relationships should be. With so much loss in her life, Blythe strives to become who she thinks she should be for her husband, demurring that things are fine, and she is okay, and yes, she naps when the baby naps. Underneath it, she struggles.

What makes a person who they are? It is so impossible to say how things could have been different, but Blythe knows one thing for sure - her daughter Violet is dangerous. And her son paid a very dear price.

When Blythe's marriage falls apart and her now ex-husband starts a new life and a new family, Violet, ever the daddy's girl, spends less and less time with Blythe, and when Blythe tries to warn the new wife about her fears, she is told not to call anymore.

I was so unsettled reading this book. It got into my head and twisted my thoughts. Through vivid imagery and graphic detail, Push will twist your thoughts and stay with you long after the final page.

The Push is a multi generational story of child abuse and trauma, focusing on Blythe's attempts to break the chain of bad parenting that began with her grandmother. I would liken this book to a toothless version of Lionel Shriver's fantastic "We Need to Talk About Kevin". The Push touches on similar themes of motherhood that "Kevin" does, but without the same intensity or memorable moments. I don't think the book benefits from the use of generational trauma, because none of it connects to what Blythe and Violet are dealing with in the present - there's a huge leap from Blythe's grandmother locking Blythe's mother in an unfinished cellar and Violet just seemingly born "wrong".
I did read the book in a sitting, but I finished it more out of inertia than a desperate need to turn the page - the story unfolds very slowly, but with enough foreshadowing that it's like oh yeah, I bet this will happen... and so it has come to pass.
I'm not sure who I would recommend this book to, because recommending The Push would be like offering someone an RC Cola when Coca-Cola is right there ("We Need to Talk About Kevin" is the Coca-Cola in this scenario).
Thank you to the publisher, via NetGalley for providing me with an arc for review.

A special thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book will be published January 5, 2021.

Brief Synopsis:
Blythe doesn't seem to be finding the connection to her new born daughter as warm and supportive as she was hoping to. She's convinced that something is wrong with Violet but doesn't know if it's all in her head. When she has their second child Sam, she experiences the type of motherhood connection she was waiting for. Then, their life gets turned upside down and Blythe starts to face the truth about herself, her past and her daughter.

My Thoughts/Opinions:

Wow...this book was a dark look at motherhood in my opinion. It actually makes me question if I ever want a child now. There were some scenes that made me feel uncomfortable to read and I hope my child is never that creepy. But I think the point was to approach some of the darker aspects of motherhood. I don't think it's for everyone but it's almost tough to explain why without giving spoilers. The ending irked me though. I mean, it was brilliant but I needed more closure. I wanted to know more yet I didn't want to know more.

I'm giving 3.5 stars for this one. It was a wonderful debut novel by Ashley Audrain and I'm looking forward to seeing what else she will come out with, but there were scenes that would jump around sometimes where I would have to go back and figure out who was talking & to who, which was sometimes distracting. I think this book will have very different opinions and I'm curious to hear what others have to say.

Not an easy read, and if the reader has any qualms reading about child abuse, infant death, or depression this may not be the book to choose. But also a gripping page-turner, almost a horror story. The Push explores what it is to be a ‘good mother.’ Exactly how important is the mother/child relationship?

Blythe Conner wants to be a good mother to her daughter Violet, but from the very beginning, the girl rejects her. Violet lights up in the presence of her father and appears to be a normal, happy girl, but with Blythe it is a very different story.

Blythe becomes convinced there is something wrong with the girl, but her entreaties to her husband fall on deaf ears. When their son Sam is born, she finally experiences the joys of motherhood that have so far eluded her with Violet. Her closeness to Sam only serves to widen the gulf between mother and daughter.

Throughout the book, we learn about Blythe’s past, and her own difficult childhood with an uncaring mother, and also of the abuse that her mother had suffered.

A remarkable, beautifully written book that I highly recommend.

This novel is dark and really makes you stop and think. Is it possible for a child to have a predisposition to being "evil" or having an "evil streak"? Ashley Audrain makes you wonder if all women are naturally born to be mothers! Etta, Cecilia, Blythe and Violet are in a long line of women who change dramatically when motherhood is foisted on them. Each in their own way cannot cope with the idea of forgetting oneself and focusing on their offspring. Twisted minds rebel at the thought of motherhood/family life and with dire consequences. This is a page turner that will make you stop and think about what is natural and what isn't. There is a darkness in these women that just seems to perpetuate with each new generation. Dysfunctional marriages, perceived or misperceived realities cloud the minds of these women. Post-partum depression before it became a Clinical Reality, could be to blame for some of the distress in these lives. But, that has consequences for all these women. Can the darkness stop?

That was intense. That's all I can say to start.

The Push is a tense, debut fiction novel by Ashley Audrain that takes a deep look into motherhood and how nature vs nurture can come into play. Is the type of mother you were raised by what determines what kind of mother you'll be? Does loving your child unconditionally come naturally to all mothers?

Blythe comes from a line of damaged women who grew up in homes lacking that maternal warmth and love experienced by so many children but Blythe believes this is a pattern she can break and is excited to dive into motherhood. Her and her daughter Violet don't bond instantly and motherhood isn't turning out the way she always imagined it would. To say that Violet is a "Daddy's Girl" is an understatement and her husband, Fox's, instant bond with Violet makes Blythe feel even more like a failure than she already did. Is Violet's odd behaviour really as bad as she thinks it is or is Blythe just a bad mother? Is she seeing things that aren't there to try and justify their lack of a bond? Once Fox and Blythe have their second child, a baby boy named Sam, everything changes. The bond is there and it's strong, she finally feels like she's the mother she always wanted to be. But what does that mean for her relationship with her first born, Violet?

There are definitely a long list of trigger warnings for this book but I can't really list them without giving away anything but reader beware. Reading this was so interesting, intense, dark, and a whole list of other adjectives. Sometimes my heart ached for Blythe and other times I felt intense anger at her. The story is such a slow burn but kept me flipping pages. And that last line. Whoa.

This is a very dark and sad book. At times it is disturbing.

Briefly, The Push portrays how defective mothering can be passed on from generation to generation. Blythe, the central character was excited for motherhood but the experience was not at all what she had expected or hoped for once her baby girl was born.

There are flashbacks to Blythe's childhood with her mother, Cecilia. And, also flashbacks to Cecilia's childhood with her mother Etta. These flashbacks make the reader wonder if they set the stage for the present day issues with Blythe and her daughter, Violet.

The story is told in the first person by Blythe. From Blythe's narration, we are led to believe that there is something wrong psychologically with Violet. Something that only Blythe sees. But, then I started to wonder about the truth of Blythe's narrative. I wondered whether Blythe was the one with the problem.

This is an interesting story. Blythe's character is very well developed as is the version of Violet that we see. The husband tends to blend into the background. I could not form an opinion about him, good or bad. I don't think he was very supportive of his wife.

I do have an issue with the subject matter but it is difficult to express without revealing spoilers.

The ending was very abrupt. But, I think I got the answer as to who was psychologically impaired.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an Advance Reader's Copy.

OMG this book was incredibly delicious. If you enjoy psychological thrillers it is a definite must read. The raw suspense kept me glued to its pages that I simply devoured this book across 2 days. It is about generational trauma, the perfect mommy myth with a splash of potentially birthing a bad seed. I enjoyed it immensely. The story is still stuck in my head. Wow! what a read. This book is launching in 2021 by first time author Ashley Audrain. A simply amazing debut, I can’t wait for more reads from this new author!

*Thanks to Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley for this Ebook in exchange for my honest review

What an amazing debut book for this author!

My only critique would be that the first 7% of the book was very confusing. I had no idea who the character was, who they were talking to (in the 1st person), or who Etta or Ceceila were that they randomly talked about. I think a better introduction to all the characters would be super beneficial - but otherwise, an awesome story about the dark side of motherhood!

Wow where do I start with this book?

I'll start with I loved this book and I found it very hard to out down. The ending actually made me say "no I want more" out loud.

I knew it was going to be a dark and uncomfortable read, but I didn't think it would get under my skin. I know it was fiction, but it felt like real life. I really enjoyed reading this book

I'm not a mother yet (and won't be for a few years), but I feel like this will hit close to home with the expectations of being a mother.

There were times when I disliked the main character (because of some of her choices), but other times I had so much sympathy for her.

I think this will be a huge hit in 2021 and will be on everyone's TBR list! Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for providing me with a copy.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: January 5, 2021
Ashley Audrain is a Canadian-born author, and “The Push” is her first novel. After seeing nothing but heaps of praise for this debut, I had to check it out.
Blythe Connor is determined to be everything her own mother wasn’t, in regards to parenting her own daughter, Violet. She is determined to be patient, kind and caring, and ensure her daughter feels loved. However, as Violet grows, Blythe begins to suspect something is wrong with her daughter. Mysterious accidents happen all around Violet, and Blythe is convinced her daughter is behind it somehow. Blythe’s husband, Fox, insists Blythe is imagining things, fearing the worst after she herself was treated so badly by her own mother. Blythe continues to try to force a relationship with Violet but the more she tries, the more Blythe is conflicted; is Violet actually the sinister, cold little girl Blythe observes? Or is Blythe really just suffering from a lack of maternal instincts?
Audrain’s novel reminded me of “Baby Stage” by Zoje Stage, and I was fascinated from page one on Audrain’s ability to have a reader doubting right along with Blythe; is Violet actually sinister? Is Blythe confused and imagining things? It was not until the very end that my suspicions were confirmed, and the ending packed quite a punch!
Although I am sure parents (and mothers especially) would relate to the maternal conflicts featured in “The Push”, it is not that difficult for those of us who aren’t parents to engage with the story and empathize with Blythe. The story is mostly told from Blythe’s perspective but also features snippets of Blythe’s childhood, growing up with a cold and uncaring mother, who makes it very clear Blythe was not wanted. Audrain’s emotional telling helped form a bond with Blythe and I rooted for her throughout.
Addicting, page-turning and terrifying in a realistic way, “The Push” is the story of a mother and daughter, and the relationship that develops when both parties are broken.

“...the women in this family, we’re different. You’ll see.”

Blythe comes from women who were troubled when it came to being mothers. So when Blythe has her first child and struggles to fall into the deep love that mothers always talk of, it is written off as fatigue and novelty. Blythe is convinced that her daughter is different from other loving children. Her husband thinks she is being a bit ridiculous about what she is putting on to an innocent child. When Blythe has her son however, it is all rainbows and kisses. Blythe’s distance from her daughter puts a strain on her relationship with her husband. When a tragic incident occurs, fingers are pointed at a child.

The age old argument of nature vs. nurture plays centrally in The Push. The intergenerational lack of good mothering results in resentments and the breakdown of families.

The main story is told in a first person narration while parts of the story dealing with earlier generations is told in third person. The character of Blythe was quite vivid for me but I felt that of her daughter and husband could have been flushed out a bit more.

Given that so few books are written from the first person viewpoint, I struggled at first to find the rhythm of the story and then once I had it straight then it was time to move to third person. I found this a bit jarring.

The story building was quite character-driven and less like the thriller I was expecting when I read this book. That didn’t bother me at all but it made for a less intense read that might bother some readers.

This book will satisfy readers across the genres of literature and thrillers.

Thank you to @netgalley and @penguinrandomca for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. The Push publishes January 5, 2021.

The Push is the most relentlessly painful thing I have ever read. There were points when the feelings were too much and I considered not finishing it. Don't stop. You will regret it. This book was like the tragedy I couldn't look away from, even when I just wanted it to stop. Blythe's experiences are so well written they feel real, making this book so much more satisfying to read. Completing this book has left me with the most satisfying feeling. Read it and experience it for yourself.

The Push sounded really interesting to me. A psychological thriller about the expectations versus reality of motherhood sounded different than what I usually read, so I was looking to switch things up a bit. I could not put it down- it was a compelling and compulsive read.

However, this was not the book for me. I found it dark and disturbing. Similar to My Dark Vanessa, I pushed through once I started to see what was going to happen, and how it was going to end. And just like My Dark Vanessa, the story stayed with me, so on that merit alone, then perhaps it I should rate the book high. However, it was too twisted and trigger warnings should be noted (childhood abuse, post-partum depression, death, mental illness, generational trauma, suicide).

I believe that some readers will absolutely love The Push and responses will be polarizing. There certainly are many themes to discuss and it’s a roller coaster of a story. It was gripping and emotional. However, although motherhood is a complex subject worthy of exploration, this took it in a direction I wasn’t ready for, and I actually wish I’d passed on this one.

Wow, this book. I cannot recommend it enough. This will be THE book to read in 2021 and j cannot wait to see how others react to this explosive debut. I’m not a thriller fan, but there’s something about this psychological thriller about motherhood and marriage that really sucked me in and didn’t let me know. Highly recommend

THE PUSH by Ashley Audrain is a great debut novel! This psychological drama follows Blythe as she becomes a new mom and deals with motherhood and her doubts about herself and her daughter. The writing was extremely evocative and at first I didn’t think I would like the second person narration but it really worked! As the reader I felt I really got into Blythe’s mind and thoughts. Even though I didn’t connect with Blythe I was really invested in this story. I read this book in 24 hours! I really enjoyed the writing style and found this to be such a page turner!

3.5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with this e-arc in exchange for my honest review. This was a psychological thriller and I was happy to read something different. All along, Blythe, the mother is narrating the story to her husband, which was very creative. Although not as dark as I was led to believe in other reviews, I always wondered if Blythe was reliable. This novel explores mother-daughter relationships. It kept me entertained until the end and I read it in 2 days.

HOLY jumpin' This was a great book. Talk about generational issues. I can't diagnose but I would say some massive postpartum issues amongst others. Some parts of the book had me anxious as I've experienced things that Blythe was going thru and it made me scared of what kind of person I was/am. It makes me think on several levels... Nature vs Nurture?

An emotional rollercoaster, if I had the chance I would have read it in one night.

Thank you NetGalley for the amazing ARC