Reviews

The Almost Mothers by Laura Besley

simon1967's review

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5.0

Touching and insightful. A fabulous read

brewtifulfiction's review

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5.0

Excellent

Flash fiction with bite.

Honest and at times brutal.

Laura provides some fascinating views on motherhood.

Accurate.

Some of the stories may be a bit tough to read by some but I liked the fact that the author didn't shy away from any point of view.

The good, the bad and the ugly.

Because lets be honest, being a mum, even the path to such a role, isn't always a fully positive one.

lucysgoodfellow's review

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reflective sad medium-paced

1.0

 ⭐️1 Star ⭐️

A deep look into the lives of women that struggle with motherhood- the concept and the act.
The emotion that the author has poured into her writing is almost tangible. However, I felt that the execution of some of the more outlandish concepts was lacking. Despite this, I feel that if Besley were to expand on some of these concepts in a novel format, then I would return to her writing. For example, the stories about the memory wipe were jarring and real, and I would love to read more narratives from that world.

However, I am writing this review a day after finishing the book, and I struggle to pull details about any of the stories on reflection. Unfortunately for me, this collection was forgettable. 

cathbarton's review

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5.0

I admire Laura Besley's writing in this collection for its lack of sentimentality and its directness in showing some of the many aspects of motherhood. I also very much like the way she matches style to content, for example in the breathless rush of 'To Cut a Long Story Short' and the wry matter-of-fact listing in 'How to Grow Your Own Baby', producing a beautifully varied collection with a strong central focus.

Recommended equally for mothers, almost mothers and those who birth their creativity in their writing.
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