“The poor people are stupid from poverty, and the rich from greed”

The Mother is described as social realism, interestingly even his chosen pen name Maxim Gorky (real name Alexi Maximovich) means “the bitter one” in Russian and was chosen to reflect his disappointment with life in Russia and determination to speak the bitter truth in front of the entire world.

As such Gorky’s novel based upon a true event which occurred in 1902 unfolds at a slow pace, it’s simple in structure, neither seeking to be clever nor dabble in the absurd like some of his other contemporaries but it wishes to tell the reader the true story of life in pre revolutionary Russia as he saw it.

Told from the perspective of Pavel’s mother : Pelageya Vlasova, this was a story about revolution without the politics. It tells of her personal journey from downtrodden abused wife to strong comrade in her own right. In fact Gorky writes all his female characters with such vibrancy and strength, regardless of background they demand clear respect and undertake the same tasks as their male counterparts, his social feminist beliefs are strongly demonstrated within his work.

I especially loved how Gorky’s story was seeped with emotion and empathy and provided a fresh perspective to the revolution. Strong recommendation for anyone interested in this period of history.

fujo_cat's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

Mother is a tale of Pelageya, a mother of a revolutionary, and how her worries for her son turned into love for all Humanity.

Great themes, a wonderful protagonist with constant growth and in general, an uplifting story.
The cast can feel a bit one-dimensional at times, but the focus is on the protagonist, Pelageya.

If you can’t stand stories where there’s nothing super exciting happening, then this is NOT for you.

However, if you want a heartwarming tale of a mother-son relationship blooming after a cold winter, do give this one a try!

Content Warnings

niyasa's review against another edition

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3.0

Mother is a novel set in the backdrop of pre-revolutionary Russia. Though the novel depicts the social life that existed more than a century ago, the conspicuous resemblance it shares with the current global socioeconomic conditions makes it a worth read. Nilovna Vlasova, the protagonist in the novel will find many parallels in the contemporary world. Migrant population, religious minorities, refugees, people facing racial and gender discrimination to name few. The current global order is in fact shaped by not just one 'Tsar' but many in different formats and sizes. Authoritarian governments and leaders that run deep state regimes, the exploitative hands of capitalism and globalism, all resemble a new Tsar in disguise. Gorky's Mother is a worth read to understand the complexities of human life and class struggle.

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