I quite enjoyed this book about a tumultuous mother/daughter relationship where they don't understand, or even like each other. It was fascinating to see Viva turn into her mother. I got a little bored in the beginning, but really loved the second half once Viva grew up, and I also liked the dance snippets (Viva was a dancer). Mental health can be crazy and it was well portrayed in this.

Short synopsis: A story of mother daughter relationships told through the years, and the lengths taken to, or to not repeat a mothers mistakes.

My thoughts: Parts of this story were definitely hard to read. Charlotte’s alcohol addiction and the sometimes terrible mistakes she made because of her addiction. And Viva as she started walking the same path to addiction.

This is told over a number of years, and each character faced some immense growth through the story. I loved how Viva found a passion for dancing, and worked so hard to cultivate that passion.

I think ultimately even though it was difficult for her, charlotte really wanted to be a good mother. To provide a good life for her daughter. It really made me stop and take a look at my own relationship with my mom, and how I’m raising my children.

Read if you love:
- Mother Daughter relationships
- Story told through the years
- Dance and painting
- character growth

Thank you, NetGalley and Zibby Books for this early copy. I planned to read this book prior to a Zibby Owens retreat which I was then unable to attend. Reviews are impressive on GoodReads and I regret that I did not find my way to digging into this novel. Hope to read in the future - and already have purchased a physical copy.

From the very first line of this book you are hooked. The author is about to take you on a journey exploring the complex world of daughter-mother relationships and addiction. Beautifully written and captivating. It was hard to put down, unless I was so frustrated with the mother that I just couldn’t stand it any longer. But that frustration kept pulling me back into the novel. While we don’t all have the devastating impact of addiction and possible mental illness, what we all have is a complex and complicated relationship with our mothers. This novel made me think again about what I long held to be true and view my relationship with my own mother in a different way.

Burst is a beautify written, moving story about the complicated relationship between a mother and daughter, the push and pull of the connections that bind us, our weaknesses and our passions, and our desires to be ‘more’. I loved the lyrical writing and wonderful descriptions. Great read. It comforted me and broke my heart at the same time.

I have tried many times over the past few months to read this book, and I think it is just not for me (at least not right now). The cover is gorgeous and the characters (especially the daughter) seem so intriguing -- perhaps I will resume reading at another time. Thanks to Zibby books and @Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to share my thoughts.

I absolutely loved this book. Her writing is lyrical and her ability to create characters that stay with you is impressive. Viva and Charlotte stayed with me long after the book was finished. Novels like this don't come around often; timeless, literary, and complex without being heavy. I highly recommend it.

This was a heart wrenching mother daughter story. The characters are well written. There are times in the novel that I'm angry at them .... and times that I'm hoping for them to pull through. I'm glad of a somewhat hopeful relationship in the end for Viva and her father.

I received this early copy from Zibby Books, through NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

This book explores the relationships of mothers and daughters; the kinds of things you take with you into adulthood, and the kinds of this you attempt to overcome.

Viva and Charlotte have a complex relationship. Charlotte is a free spirit, trying to deal with the failures of her youth. Viva's talent as a dancer allows her to branch out into a world away from her alcoholic mother, in a place where she feels she can be successful. A life altering injury pulls her into a familiar cycle of addiction. She hides this side of her life for as long as she can keep the walls from crumbling down.

Overall this was a really good story, well written and pretty well-developed characters as well. I struggled in having any emotional connection to the characters, which is what held this one back from being a great read for me. I would still definitely recommend it as a solid read.

Burst is an impressive debut that tackles the very complicated nature of a mother-daughter relationship that is fractured by a cycle of addiction. Interwoven perspectives from Charlotte (mother) and Viva (daughter) brings us along through the decades that showcase Charlotte's eccentric and chaotic mothering style, Viva's awareness and resistance to her mother's addiction, and the constant push and pull that drives their relationship. Eventually we see how Charlotte's behavior has influenced Viva in her adulthood, and how hard it can be to break that addiction cycle when that's all you really know.

There was a lot I loved about this novel. For starters, the storytelling was gorgeous. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style and felt a connection to these characters right from the beginning. My only real critique is that I felt it could have been longer. I would have loved an extra 100 pages or so to help further develop the storyline and characters. That's not to say that this felt surface level, but we could have used more time to fully understand younger Viva/Charlotte in order to have an intense reaction to the later years. Unfortunately I didn't have the emotional reaction that this sort of story should have had on me, but I'll definitely pick up this authors next book!

Thank you Zibby Books & NetGalley for the e-arc!

The complicated relationship between mothers and daughters is not something new, but Mary Otis beautifully choreographs words and emotions into a moving story about the relationship between Charlotte and Viva that had me captured from the beginning. Told from alternating points-of-view, we’re burst into the world of these two strong-willed women as they both fight their inner demons. This book hit close to home for me at times, and Otis so tenderly captured some of the feelings I’ve never been able to put into words. I look forward to reading her next one.

Triggers: Substance abuse, addiction, abandonment

Thank you to NetGalley, Zibby Books and Mary Otis for an advance copy of this book.

Could not read this book in time because it vanished! I picked it up because of the Lorrie Moore quote on the cover.

I loved [book:Burst|62600981]. Stunning prose, tender, insightful storytelling by [author:Mary Otis|380978]. I connected with the challenges of pursuing one's dreams while also fulfilling the dream of being a parent. A must-read for all literary fiction lovers.

A classic mother/daughter tale taking on new complexities. This book is beautifully and lyrically written as it touches on the ugly subjects of addiction and poverty. A great pick for a book club discussion!

Burst
Author Mary Otis

Thank you, @zibbybooks, @maryotiswriter, and @netgalley, for the opportunity to read this e- arc! I just love this gorgeous and colorful cover!

Burst is Mary Otis's debut novel that centers around the complexities of mother daughter relationships, alcoholism and dependence, and both the disappointments and joys of perfectly imperfect lives.

Charlotte struggles with alcoholism, lives her life relying on others, and then cuts and runs when things get complicated. This has become more and more problematic as she has a daughter, Viva, that she's raised very unconventionally in a chaotic and unreliable manner that has left Viva insecure, lacking connections, and struggling to cope when her dreams come crashing down.

The two are challenged with the cyclical spirals that are related to addiction and dependent relationships until Viva is faced with a tragic event that alters her life forever. In order to pick up the pieces, she must decide if she will use the tools learned from her mother's influence or forge her own path by learning who she is capable of becoming.

Written in dual perspectives, Burst is heartbreaking, emotional, and yet filled with hope and passion.

Mary Otis’s Burst checks all the boxes of a won’t-be-forgotten read: compelling characters, a driving narrative and the kind of visual imagery that only a master of words can deliver. The relationship between Charlotte and Viva beautifully exemplifies the complex nuances between a mother and daughter; one that is continuously evolving as they each move through their parallel lives and the branches of their relationship grow further from the roots they share—growing from the same ground but searching for the light in different directions. I will remember this one for a while, and look forward to whatever Otis creates next.

Burst was a bit of a struggle for me; not because of Otis' writing because she is technically very gifted. The content definitely struck a nerve as someone who has a very complicated relationship with their mother. I walked away not really sure how to feel and I continue to not know how I feel. The balance of Viva and her mother Charlotte isn't even and each time Viva was dragged back under her mothers thumb, it gutted me. I suppose this is the mark of a great writer; to elicit such a strong response. While uncomfortable, I do highly recommend it.

Thank you for the ARC.

A moving story about a mother-daughter relationship. I was interested in their journey together, but it just felt a little flat. A lot happened but also not a lot happened. There were some time jumps and it took me a minute sometimes to realize how far the jump was, it wasn’t really made clear. What I did like was the character development, I felt the pain each character was going through and their desire to be and do something. It was a good book.

Thank you Netgalley and Zibby Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am often envious of the relationship some women have with their mothers, even if they are rocky and the two paths end up branching away from each other. My own is too complicated to have this kind of connection, and it is because of this antagonistic relationship that I have to say that this book rubbed me some kind of way. I appreciate it for its technical merit. Otis’s writing was wonderful, but the content didn’t absorb. *Advanced copy provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Burst was a tough book for me to read - books about mothers with substance abuse disorders are a trigger for me and especially if the mother daughter relationship is the sole focus like in this one. Charlotte and Viva - mother and daughter - dance an intricate dance, a complicated choreography, they need each other and feed of each other‘s energy. Viva tries to escape this bond that is a bit too tight only to be snapped back by life trying to drag her under - she is her mother’s daughter after all.
Structurally the book is interesting since it captures the nature of a dance moving in fits and bursts and dizzying spins, disorienting and anchoring through time and the two alternating viewpoints.
I enjoyed reading this book, even if it hit a little to close and had me reflecting on choices I made.