aschae's review against another edition
5.0
Wow, what a book to be reading for Mother's Day!? Without spoiling any of the details...
Jess appears to be the perfect stay at home mom. A beautiful person, with a beautiful home, unlimited patience with her children ... the "perfect life." Until one moment changes it all. Suddenly nothing she does or says makes sense make any even the people closest to her and left without knowing what to think.
Incredibly tragic and heartbreaking. This one pulled at every motherly string in my and left me gasping for breath. A book I won't soon forget and I'll surely be back for more!!
Jess appears to be the perfect stay at home mom. A beautiful person, with a beautiful home, unlimited patience with her children ... the "perfect life." Until one moment changes it all. Suddenly nothing she does or says makes sense make any even the people closest to her and left without knowing what to think.
Incredibly tragic and heartbreaking. This one pulled at every motherly string in my and left me gasping for breath. A book I won't soon forget and I'll surely be back for more!!
robyn_ms's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book was a harrowing depiction of post-natal depression and was not what I had initially expected. There are are multiple POVs which at times felt a little disjointed but overall focuses on the core 3 characters.
It is far from a light read in terms of context and enjoyed how the tense a lot of the scenes/chapters felt.
The book takes a handful of twists and turns which I didn’t predict which was a nice surprise although the end resolve felt a little flat.
It is far from a light read in terms of context and enjoyed how the tense a lot of the scenes/chapters felt.
The book takes a handful of twists and turns which I didn’t predict which was a nice surprise although the end resolve felt a little flat.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death and Mental illness
jen08108's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
hnowak95's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
More thought-provoking than thrilling and the pacing was off for me (a little slow). While I obviously have no personal experience, I think this book did a good job depicting postpartum depression/anxiety and how hard those first few months can be. I had a hard time staying in the story and would find myself grabbing my phone after every few chapters - I think the writing was repetitive and clunky. The final twist was somewhat shocking, so overall, I would recommend it.
sierrapayne_'s review against another edition
4.0
Thank you NetGalley for this eARC! I really enjoyed this book and Sarah Vaughan’s writing. From the description I thought it would be more of a thriller, it did have some twist but I wouldn’t say it is a thriller. Little Disasters focuses on family, friendship and motherhood. It has a lot of triggers, covering topics like postpartum depression and mental health. I can understand how this could be a very relatable book for a lot of women. I would recommend this book to a friend.
noel_oracheski's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
the_coycaterpillar_reads's review against another edition
5.0
Parenting is hard…that’s an accepted turn of phrase, right? In mainstream media expecting parents are given the impression that welcoming a new child is a joyous occasion, you will be filled with a tremendous sense of love from the moment you meet them. You aren’t told how the birth can leave a permanent scar on both the mind and psyche, how the sleepless nights wear you down, and the constant second-guessing of whether you are doing it right. I suffered from post-natal depression with the arrival of my second son and although it affected me in ways I never anticipated, I would never change the experience for anything.
Little Disasters is a story that will resonate with many readers. The narrative instantly pulls at the heartstrings. The author leads you down a darkened path and although you know the potential for wrongdoing to jump out at you, the author still surprises you with the lengths that mothers will go but also the lengths that others will stretch to shield their guilt. Domestic thrillers have always been a favourite of mine, but Sarah Vaughan takes the familiar ingredients and pulls a new recipe straight out of thin air.
Little Disasters does just that. Liz, a registrar Paediatrician is on duty when she is called down to A&E when a ten-month-old baby is brought in presenting with strange symptoms. She’s vomiting, she’s drowsy however she doesn’t have a temperature. She’s familiar with this sweet baby girl, it’s her best friend, Jess’s daughter. A natural-born mother, who parents with ease and care. She spends so much time thinking about her children’s diets, their extracurricular activities but she has no faith in medicine. However, the woman is not the same woman she knows outside of work – she’s cagey and she finds out her daughter had a fall, but the accident doesn’t account for the injury, so why is she lying?
I had my suspicions from the start. If this behaviour was completely out of character, then why was Jess acting so off? Why did it take her nearly six hours to bring her daughter to the hospital? Quickly I realised that Vaughan leaves nothing to chance. You are given everything you need, right when you need them…what you decide to do with them is entirely your choice. The narrative is powerful and sharp, and it flows through every page – nothing slows, you read chapter after chapter needing to know why.
Little Disasters deals with Anxiety and Post-natal depression with the rose-tinted glasses stomped on. It strips back the expectations and the assumption that every mother is immediately maternal. The anxiety of looking after a tiny person is formidable. It highlights the importance to get help and the difference it can make when bonding with your baby. One woman’s life is unravelling and at times it can be painful to see/read.
Little Disasters is devilishly clever. It is perceptive in its quiet devastation. It’s coiled tighter than a spring.
Little Disasters is a story that will resonate with many readers. The narrative instantly pulls at the heartstrings. The author leads you down a darkened path and although you know the potential for wrongdoing to jump out at you, the author still surprises you with the lengths that mothers will go but also the lengths that others will stretch to shield their guilt. Domestic thrillers have always been a favourite of mine, but Sarah Vaughan takes the familiar ingredients and pulls a new recipe straight out of thin air.
Little Disasters does just that. Liz, a registrar Paediatrician is on duty when she is called down to A&E when a ten-month-old baby is brought in presenting with strange symptoms. She’s vomiting, she’s drowsy however she doesn’t have a temperature. She’s familiar with this sweet baby girl, it’s her best friend, Jess’s daughter. A natural-born mother, who parents with ease and care. She spends so much time thinking about her children’s diets, their extracurricular activities but she has no faith in medicine. However, the woman is not the same woman she knows outside of work – she’s cagey and she finds out her daughter had a fall, but the accident doesn’t account for the injury, so why is she lying?
I had my suspicions from the start. If this behaviour was completely out of character, then why was Jess acting so off? Why did it take her nearly six hours to bring her daughter to the hospital? Quickly I realised that Vaughan leaves nothing to chance. You are given everything you need, right when you need them…what you decide to do with them is entirely your choice. The narrative is powerful and sharp, and it flows through every page – nothing slows, you read chapter after chapter needing to know why.
Little Disasters deals with Anxiety and Post-natal depression with the rose-tinted glasses stomped on. It strips back the expectations and the assumption that every mother is immediately maternal. The anxiety of looking after a tiny person is formidable. It highlights the importance to get help and the difference it can make when bonding with your baby. One woman’s life is unravelling and at times it can be painful to see/read.
Little Disasters is devilishly clever. It is perceptive in its quiet devastation. It’s coiled tighter than a spring.