Blythe Connor is determined to be the warm, nurturing mother she never had, hoping to break a multi-generational cycle of maternal detachment. However, when her daughter Violet is born, Blythe fails to form a connection and becomes convinced that the child harbors a malicious, predatory nature. Her husband, Fox, dismisses these fears as postpartum exhaustion or projection, driving a wedge into their marriage. When a tragic accident involving their second child occurs, Blythe must decide if she is losing her mind or if her daughter is truly capable of calculated violence despite her innocent appearance.
Psychological thriller enthusiasts and readers interested in the darker aspects of domestic life will find this narrative unsettling. It targets those who want to examine the tension between biological instinct and social expectation. Readers walk away with a cynical perspective on the internal politics of the nuclear family and the isolation that occurs when a woman’s intuition is ignored by those closest to her. The story provides a stark look at how inherited trauma shapes parenting and the high stakes of failing to recognize a sociopath within one's own home.
Inward-looking; an easy read.
Best for readers like The Curious Generalist. Which reader are you?
Insights from The Push
“I think we are all just a collection of the things that have happened to us.”
Blythe spent every day watching Violet for a flicker of something wrong. It makes you realize how lonely it feels when nobody believes your instincts about your own child.
“You were the only one who saw me properly.”
Fox only saw the version of his daughter that he wanted to see. It shows how easily a partner can make you feel like the villain just for being observant.
“We are all just versions of the women who came before us.”
Cecilia and Etta were hollowed out by their own mothers long before Blythe was even born. Some family shadows are so long they reach across three generations.
That moment at the playground with the other boy changed everything. You start to see how a mother's intuition can feel more like a slow-burning curse.
- Published
- 2021
- Publisher
- Pamela Dorman Books
- ISBN
- 9781984881663
- Language
- EN
