Still Born
A Novel
by Guadalupe Nettel
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Pub Date Aug 08 2023 | Archive Date Jul 31 2023
Bloomsbury USA | Bloomsbury Publishing
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Description
Shortlisted for the 2023 International Booker Prize
For readers of Rachel Cusk and Sheila Heti, Still Born is a profound novel about motherhood, creativity, and the power of friendship and community to make caretaking easier from “one of the leading lights in contemporary Latin American literature” (Valeria Luiselli, author of Lost Children Archive).
Alina and Laura are independent and career-driven women in their mid-thirties, neither of whom have built their future around the prospect of a family. Laura is so determined not to become a mother that she has taken the drastic decision to have her tubes tied. But when she announces this to her friend, she learns that Alina has made the opposite decision and is preparing to have a child of her own.
Alina's pregnancy shakes the women's lives, first creating distance and then a remarkable closeness between them. When Alina's daughter survives childbirth – after a diagnosis that predicted the opposite – and Laura becomes attached to her neighbor's son, both women are forced to reckon with the complexity of their emotions, their needs, and the needs of the people who are dependent upon them.
In prose that is as gripping as it is insightful, Guadalupe Nettel explores maternal ambivalence with a surgeon's touch, carefully dissecting the contradictions that make up the lived experiences of women.
Advance Praise
“Taut . . . The prose, which appears in an elegant translation by Rosalind Harvey, retains a matter-of-factness, and in some places a synoptic quality that is rarely freighted with sadness or despair . . . It’s friendship, not crisis, that emerges as the novel’s focal point . . . Nettel . . . seems to be saying that ‘normal mothers’ do think ugly thoughts—or rather, that there is no such thing as a ‘normal mother.’ There is a strong tradition of works that connect maternal ambivalence to horror tropes—Rosemary’s Baby, The Fifth Child, We Need to Talk about Kevin—but Still Born is different . . . Nettel is making a case for chosen kinship.” —Sarah Resnick, London Review of Books
“Nettel is one of the leading lights in contemporary Latin American literature . . . I envy how naturally she makes use of language; her resistance to ornamentation and artifice; and the almost stoic fortitude with which she dispenses her profound and penetrating knowledge of human nature.” —Valeria Luiselli, author of Lost Children Archive
“Guadalupe Nettel is a brilliant anatomist of love and perversity, and each new book is a revelation.” —Katie Kitamura, author of Intimacies
"Guadalupe Nettel reminds us that there is nothing stranger than our existence lived in containers of meat, blood and madness." —Mariana Enríquez, author of The Dangers of Smoking in Bed
"I love the work of Guadalupe Nettel, one of Mexico’s greatest living writers. Her fiction is brilliant and original, always suffused with sensuality and strange science." —Paul Theroux, author of The Mosquito Coast
"Nettel is free. She has succeeded in creating an audacious narrative style all her own, a singular and fearless way of being in the world. An essential voice of the new Latin American literature." —Enrique Vila-Matas, author of Mac’s Problem
"Still Born is an astonishingly elegant, intelligent, affecting novel, which has stayed in my mind from the moment I began it to long after I finished. I felt a huge sense of relief that I had encountered a work of art about ambivalence in mothering which encompassed a true authentic range of emotions and curiosities – vanity, aggression, jealousy and selfishness – with sanguine acceptance, as well as the beautiful and difficult project of giving and sustaining love which marks all our lives, mothers or otherwise." —Megan Nolan, author of Acts of Desperation
"In Still Born, Guadalupe Nettel renders with great veracity life as it is encountered in the everyday, taking us to the heart of the only things that really matter: life, death and our relationships with others. All of these are contained in the experience of motherhood, which this novel explores and deepens." —Annie Ernaux, author of The Years
"Still Born is a rare thing: an unsentimental analysis of the ambivalences and moral complexity of motherhood. It is a book which demands to be discussed, at length, with friends, and I longed to do so." —Jessie Greengrass, author of The High House
"I read Still Born in less than a day. It is perfect: deeply feminist, wise, funny and alive. Nettel is generous to each of her characters, and in prose that is crisp and light. I love this book." —Yara Rodrigues Fowler, author of there are more things
"Deeply intelligent, Still Born is a propulsive novel with a depth of feeling so woven into the language that it never feels worn or applied. The denatured quality of the tone means the ideas of the book – the suspicion of the body as having incompatible desires from the mind; the impulses versus the aversions to child-having; the complexities of the mother-child dynamic – all just absolutely sing. I loved it." —Susannah Dickey, author of Common Decency
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781639730032 |
| PRICE | $26.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 224 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Caleb B, Reviewer
5/5 - Motherhood as choice, not expectation
In this beautifully written, moving novel, Nettel explores ideas related to motherhood and what makes a mother a mother. There is also a taste of feminist protest and a movement related to such, which complements the discourse throughout on the societal expectation of young women to procreate whether they wish to do so or not. Nettel does a fantastic job weaving several stories of several women and children together to show what it means to be a woman and a mother in a real way. Heartbreaking and yet hopeful, this is a must-read for just about anyone.
Elyse W, Reviewer
NO SPOILERS….
The psychological depth of ‘Still Born’ is powerfully resonant and meaningful.
We are taken on heartfelt, heartbreaking, and brave journey.
Nettel plucks away at our raw nerves — the writing is so smooth and keenly observed— I couldn’t pull away.
It’s intricately detailed, deeply felt, compelling and ultimately surprising portraits of young women….so realistic, that their stories become ours.
Laura doesn’t want to have children:
“It’s not the kids that annoy me altogether. I might even find it entertaining, watching them play in the park or tearing each other apart over some toy in the sandpit. They are living examples of how we could be as humans if the rules of etiquette and civility did not exist. For years, I tried to convince my girlfriends that procreating was a hopeless mistake. I told them that children, no matter how sweet and loving they were in their best moments, would always represent a limit on their freedom, an economic burden, not to mention the physical and emotional cost they bring about: nine months of pregnancy, another six or more of breast-feeding, frequent sleepless nights during infancy, and then constant anxiety throughout their teenage years. ‘What’s more, society is designed so that it’s us, and not men, who take on the responsibility of caring for children, and this so often means forfeiting your career, your solo pursuits, your erotic side, and sometimes your relationship with your partner, too,’ I would tell them, vehemently. ‘Is it really worth it?’”
Adina does want to have children. She was having trouble conceiving. She was willing to start vitro fertilization.
Nettel takes a large canvas of issues — life - death - choices —unforeseen circumstances and unexpected turns - female solidarity - maternal regret -
friendships - and explores every facet of motherhood complexities.
The book is for everyone — but the real gift is for young women - in their twenties and thirties.
Paul and I have two daughters. Ages 41 and 36.
Neither have children-nor do they plan to have children.
People have often said to me …”oh, poor you…no grandchildren”.
Well….perhaps ‘not poor me’.
I’ve soo much respect and admiration for this book — it’s written with rigor and grace….
committed to honesty and exploration.
It’s radiant and pristine….calling for discussion.
Reviewer 630346
What a gorgeous, heart-felt novel. I couldn't put it down. I'd read Nettel before, but this feels far and beyond like her best work to date. I have been recommending it like bonkers to everyone. Thank you so much to the publisher for the e-galley!
Denise P, Reviewer
I can easily see why Still Born is shortlisted for the International Booker Prize. This book was quite an emotional ride. My first book by Guadalupe Nettel and I'm really looking forward to reading more books by her.
We follow two friends Laura and Alina who are in their 30's and are facing the choice of motherhood. Laura becomes very attached to her 6 year old neighbor who she takes care of while his mother deals with her mental health. Alina becomes pregnant but finds out that her child carries a very rare genetic disorder.
I loved Nettel's style of writing. She did an amazing job making these women feel so real. I also loved how she tackled many issues of women and motherhood.
Thank you to the publisher for gifting me this e-arc. I'm looking forward to buying the physical copy!
Maggie C, Reviewer
Thank you Bloomsbury Publishing for my edition of STILL BORN on Netgalley, out on 8/8/23 and shortlisted for the International Booker Prize 2023.
When I first started Still Born by Guadalupe Nettel (translated by Rosalind Harvey), I didn’t know if I was going to like it or hate it. It follows two women, Alina and Laura, exploring one of life’s most consequential decisions asked of women over and over and over… should I have children?
As I’m nearing thirty as a single woman who is career-driven and fulfilled in many ways, it’s a question I am forced to reckon with every single day, every month and after every failed Hinge date. This book was very personal to me and while I found myself reeling with more questions than answers, I have to say... I loved it and didn’t want it to end. I wanted to know more and more of Laura and Alina’s thoughts, and flaws, and questions, and decisions. I wanted to be a part of their lives. I wanted to have a cup of coffee with them. I wanted to go on a long walk and ask them how they are. No, really, how are you?
Neither woman has built their future around the prospect of a family, but when Laura makes the drastic decision to be sterilized, Alina decides she is now drawn to the idea of being a mother. Complications arise with Alina’s pregnancy and she is forced to make a difficult decision, one that only a mother can make. Laura becomes attached to her neighbor’s son, whose mother is dealing with deepening depression. Both women are forced to reckon with the complexity of their experiences and their emotions. Just like the synopsis says, it truly does dissect the contradictions that make up womanhood. To be a woman is a more profound and depth-defying experience than it is to just be human. It’s something you can’t put into words, you have to live it, well… unless you’re Guadalupe Nettel.
TANJIM F, Reviewer
This Gripping novel by Guadalupe Nettel explores one of life’s most consequential decisions – whether or not to have children.
Summary 📖
Still Born is the story of two friends who made opposite choices in life. Alina and Laura are independent and career-driven women in their mid-thirties.
When Alina’s daughter survives childbirth – after a diagnosis that predicted the opposite – and Laura becomes attached to her neighbour’s son, both women are forced to reckon with the complexity of their emotions.
My Thoughts 💭
I loved Nettel’s writing pattern and really hoping to read more books by her. This book certainly gave me a ride of emotional roller coaster but at the end of the day, I could connect with both of their emotions. After all, I know how difficult yet beautiful motherhood can be!
Publication Date - Aug 8, 2023 (English Translation)
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Thank you @bloomsburypublishing for sending me the Advanced Reader Copy.
Karalina Z, Reviewer
“Still Born” by Guadalupe Nettle is a beautiful story centering on motherhood, friendship, and community. Nettle deals with aspects of motherhood in such careful and meaningful prose, not sugarcoating the truth of some harder-to-deal-with subjects. We focus primarily on Laura, a woman in her 30s who is childless by choice, but she is surrounded by other women who are dealing with different things in their life related to pregnancy, motherhood, and choice.
- Alina, her best friend, while sharing the same sentiments about children with Laura in her younger years, decides to get pregnant as she has gotten older. This, however, brings complications that no one was expecting.
- Doris, a woman who lives next to Laura in her apartment complex, is dealing with the death of her abusive husband while navigating her son, Nicolas, and his outbursts.
Scattered throughout the book, we encounter other women in Laura’s life, giving her new perspectives on the intricacies of motherhood and caregiving. I related to Laura the most out of all the women we see throughout the book since I also don’t want kids –ever. To some people that might seem unbelievable, but that’s my choice and I love how Laura embraces this decision. This book explores every choice a woman can make in terms of parenthood in a careful and empathetic way, not discounting any woman’s decision and exploring what some more difficult consequences of those decisions might be. Some scenes are difficult to read and may make you uncomfortable, but those moments are surrounded by tender and loving ones as well – a great balance in my opinion. I was able to read the ebook version because of NetGalley, but I'm going to buy the physical copy as soon as I can!
Reviewer 1134190
I loved this book, it definitely deserved the International Booker Prize shortlist. The format was unique, balancing the protagonist's point of view with her best friend's unfolding story. It was a very tender and real portrayal of motherhood, maternal instincts, showing up for your community, and finding yourself. I would recommend!
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