A review by wordsofclover
The Amendments by Niamh Mulvey

challenging emotional sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Set in dual timelines, The Amendments follows the experiences of Dolores and Nell - mother and daughter - as they grapple with what being an Irish woman means to them, bodily autonomy, faith and motherhood. 
 
I thought this was a really thought-provoking and at times moving and powerful read and it’s one of the few novels I’ve seen tackle the topic of the Eight Amendment with such nuance, taking in so many different opinions while not declaring any as wrong and really understanding that it’s a topic that causes pain, confusion and really isn’t a black or white decision for a lot of people - especially in a country steeped in religion for so long. 
 
We first meet Nell as we learn that her partner Adrienne is expecting a baby and it becomes clear that Nell is at therapy trying to face up to some issues and trauma she has held onto since she was a teenager. We also learn that as a teenager, Nell was involved in a religious group in her small town and was quite involved in a ‘sisterhood’ of faith. 
 
We also follow Nell’s mother Dolores as a young woman in the 80s as she leaves the town to study in Dublin, and ends up falling in with some ‘women libbers’ who introduce Dolores to the idea of repealing the Eight Amendment and the many arguments there are around pro choice vs pro life. 
 
Dolores and Nell are both complicated characters with so much hidden and forced down feelings between them that I just loved reading about them and their dynamic so much - as well as how they related to everyone around them. At first I wasn’t sure about the Hermanas as it does come across quite cult-y but I also understood how for a teenage Nell somewhere that fostered sisterhood like that could be something great. 
 
Martina herself was also a sad character in the background of Nell’s story - almost a tragic figure and maybe I would have liked a bit more time with her. 
 
CW abortion, miscarriage, suicide, stillbirth 
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