Roddy Doyle has communication down pat. His last book, Love, featured two Dubliners, both men, on a pubcrawl. Here, he shifts to women, adding to a series he began some time ago. Mother Paula and daughter Nicola find themselves in Covid lockdown, and while there are earlier books featuring Paula, this could work as a standalone.

Paula is an older woman, dealing with thoughts of her past, her daughter, Nicola comes to stay with her during covid. a good story about mothers and daughters.

Thank you to Penguin Viking and NetGalley for the chance to read and review this ARC of Roddy Doyle's 'The Women Behind the Door.'

It's 30 years since Paula Spencer first saw the light of day on TV and 28 since she, Charlo, and their children - including Nicola - appeared in print in 'The Woman Who Walked into Doors.'

This sequel (a second, after 'Paula Spencer' in 2006), picks up when Paula is in her mid-late 60s but still suffering from not only the trauma of being beaten and abused by her (now dead) husband Charlo but the trauma and guilt of her parenting of her children, especially Nicola who became like the parent in the relationship and remained that way in the intervening decades.

She seems to be in a good spot in her life - a job, a some-time partner and is even enjoying the oddness of Covid lockdowns and vaccination trips - when, out of the blue, Nicola arrives at her door asking to stay having left her husband and remaining child at home.

What transpires is a narrative that leaps to-and-fro over the years and shows how the trauma echoes through the decades and across families.

The emotional rawness between mother and daughter is exposed and the sheer complexity of the emotions involved - anger, fear, love, jealousy, regret, and on and one - is bewildering. It's not complete redemption for Paula but she tries her best to reclaim the role of mother that she ceded to her teenage daughter 30 years previously.

Maybe it helps to have read the original (or seen the TV series that preceded it) and to also know the Dublin she's talking about but I felt that it was another powerful and heartbreaking addition to Paula Spencer's story and Roddy Doyle's work.

The Women Behind the Door is a strong read about an older woman, Paula, revisiting her past in her thoughts as well as dealing with the pressures of the present. During COVID, her oldest daughter, Nicola, an epitome of the perfect, comes to live with her, and Paula’s conscience takes us on an emotional rollercoaster.
3.5 stars rounded up.
Plot 3
Characterisation 4
Prose 3.5

Thank you Netgalley for granting me this read. I am sorry to disappoint but I just could not find my way into this story. I attempted it three times and failed. i just didn't see the point.

Roddy Doyle has written an emotional moving novel about a mother &daughter living together during covid.Their difficult time trying to understand each other will resonate with many readers.I was engaged from first to last page.#netgalley #penguin

Paula is a strong character who leaps into life on the page. Paula has a painful history, and during COVID, she finds her daughter, Nicola, suddenly in her life in her house. Every story about mothers and daughters is appealing and resonates with my experience. This novel is packed with emotion, pain, and humor.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

A woman and her daughter isolate together due to Covid. The women have a complicated relationship, and their time alone helps them delve into past and present trauma.

In theory, by reading the plot, this book appeals to me. It's a character-driven story as well as a character study of this older woman and her relationship with the people around her and her oldest daughter, also about her past life, her struggles, the memories, her background as both a woman and a mother.
But the execution didn't connect with me. Nothing essentially wrong with it. I have no complaints about this book or the author's writing style, whatsoever. It just isn't for me.
I'm sure this book will have its audience, and I appreciate the chance to read it in advance. Thank you, NetGalley.

The Women Behind the Door tells the story of Paula Spencer, a recovering alcoholic in her sixties, as she reconnects with her oldest daughter, Nicola, who has always acted as the mother figure in their relationship. While the story starts out slow, it gives the reader time to take a deep, introspective look at this character, and the writing is fantastic. Paula leapt up off the page. Her emotions are so raw and jarring. She hates her daughter in the same breath as loving her.

This paragraph stuck out to me so much I kept returning to it: “She wants her home back. She wants her nice life back. She wishes Nicola would fuck off and leave her alone. The Charlo damage, the real Charlo pain - it isn’t physical. It never was, once the bones were mended and the bruises faded back behind her skin. The real damage - she can’t face her children, not even in her imagination. They’re like a jury and she’s always guilty - she knows she’s guilty. Nothing will ever make her know or feel any different. He battered the mother out of her.”

The voice and stream of consciousness makes you truly feel like you’re in Paula’s head, which is not an easy place to be. Paula is often in distress, even amidst mundane day-to-day activities, and she recounts memories of her abuse offhandedly throughout the story. This is not a beach read. It’s an emotionally devastating but powerful book that illustrates the enduring power of guilt and shame, exploring how those feelings impact a close family relationship.

I also loved the inverted perspective of this book. Usually, I read books about a mother-daughter relationship from the perspective of the daughter, and the daughter must overcome the trauma the mother inflicted. This is the opposite. It explores that relationship from the mother’s perspective.

Ultimately, despite Paula’s troubled memories, this is a beautiful redemption story for her. She gets the chance to be the mother in this relationship after all this time as she lovingly helps Nicola through her own grief. Trigger warnings of abuse and alcoholism. I would recommend this ten times out of ten to lit fic lovers, but not readers looking for a quick, fun read.

"The Women Behind the Door" by Roddy Doyle is a deeply moving exploration of the intricate dynamics between mothers and daughters, filled with moments of struggle and redemption. Paula Spencer, a character who has faced numerous challenges including addiction and loss, takes center stage in this heartfelt narrative.

The story revolves around Paula's life at sixty-six, where she has finally found a sense of stability and contentment. However, her world is shaken when her eldest daughter, Nicola, arrives unexpectedly seeking solace from her seemingly perfect life. This unexpected reunion sets off a journey of self-discovery and healing for both Paula and Nicola.

What makes this novel compelling is its exploration of complex emotions and family relationships. Doyle delves into themes of regret, reconciliation, and the weight of past struggles with nuance and sensitivity. Readers will find themselves drawn into the lives of these characters, empathizing with their joys, sorrows, and the complexities of their bond.

Overall, it is a poignant and thought-provoking read that delves deep into the intricacies of family ties, offering readers a touching portrayal of resilience, forgiveness, and the enduring power of love.